Lindsay Lohan was dealt a setback Wednesday (November 28) when a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled her deposition in an ongoing lawsuit can be videotaped, according to TMZ.com. The site says Judge Michael Stern ruled that Raymundo Ortega, who is suing the starlet for $200,000 in damages stemming from an October 2005 car crash, can videotape Lohan's deposition as part of his lawsuit against her. Her lawyers had argued against the motion, saying such a videotape would sell for tens of thousands of dollars. Last month, Lohan countersued Ortega, who has accused her of negligence and drinking when she hit his parked van in West Hollywood, California. A trial date for both suits is set for April 7. Also in October, Britney Spears landed a courtroom win last month when a judge ruled that her pending deposition in her child-custody case [article id="1572917"]will not be videotaped.[/article] ...

John Legend is one event-full dude. He appears on one of the covers of Black Enterprise's December issue, has a TV concert special on the way and is also booked to co-host the kickoff party at this year's Florida Entertainment Summit, which begins Thursday and ends Sunday. Rick Ross, DJ Khaled and others are also participating in the summit. ... The Killers have presented fans with a new Christmas charity single, the successor to last year's "A Great Big Sled." All proceeds from "Don't Shoot Me, Santa," which was made available Tuesday as a digital download, are going to Bono's (RED) campaign, as "Big Sled" proceeds did last year. They've shot a video for the track too. ...

"High School Musical" fans can breathe a little easier -- Zac Efron will be back for the third flick, according to Us Weekly. Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale were [article id="1573418"]reportedly confirmed[/article] for "High School Musical 3" earlier this month, and the magazine quotes director Kenny Ortega as saying, "All of the original cast will be back." But, he added, "I have a feeling this will be the end [for the current stars]. This franchise may move to another generation!" Hudgens also commented on the upcoming flick, saying, "It's their senior year, so there's going to be graduation -- and prom!," according to the magazine. ...

Autographed materials and other swag items relating to Foo Fighters, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Mayer, Bruce Springsteen, the Killers, Metallica, Stevie Wonder, Slash, Bright Eyes, Beck, the Flaming Lips, Feist, the Arcade Fire, Marilyn Manson, the Rolling Stones and a fleet of other artists will be up for bidding at the 19th annual Rock for Kids Charity Auction, which will take place Friday in Chicago. Rock for Kids gives free music lessons to underprivileged kids in the Chicago area. ... And Incubus are hoping to inject their Make Yourself Foundation charity with an influx of cash via a new auction of their own. The band has put more than 50 items up for bid on eBay, including Brandon Boyd's 2006 Mini Cooper, a custom Xbox, sneakers, a pool cue and more. Incubus have so far raised more than $600,000 for their nonprofit this year. ...

Alicia Keys has been tapped to co-host "My Night at the Grammys," a two-hour special hyping the upcoming awards show. The CBS special will also feature Mary J. Blige, Christina Aguilera, Billie Joe Armstrong, Beyoncé, Bono, Ricky Martin and Usher sharing their Grammy memories, with Melissa Etheridge and Faith Hill also co-hosting. "My Night" will air at 8 p.m. on Friday, while the awards ceremony itself will take place February 10 at Los Angeles' Staples Center. ... Think you're the perfect match for Bow Wow or Omarion? The guys are launching a contest in which two winners will score a dinner date with them. To enter, contestants have to make a 30-second video of themselves explaining why they would be the perfect "Wifey" for either Bow or O, and submit it here. The winners will also get autographed copies of the two's December 11 album, [article id="1573139"]Face Off,[/article] which they're celebrating with a day-of appearance at Circuit City on Fifth Avenue and 43rd Street in New York. The first 500 people to buy the album at the location will get a wristband allowing entry to the autograph signing. ...

Unreleased tracks by Nas, Rihanna, Fabolous, Method Man, Redman, Bobby Valentino and Ne-Yo are being compiled onto Def Jam Sessions Vol. 1, due December 18. The so-called "ultimate bonus track collection," as a press release dubs it, features leftover cuts from the artists' latest albums and includes Nas' "The N ..." and "Where Y'All At" (from the Hip Hop Is Dead sessions); Rihanna's "Haunted" and "Cry" (Good Girl Gone Bad); Fab's "I Shine, You Shine" and "Chirp Back" (From Nothin' to Somethin'); Meth's "OD" (4:21 ... the Day After); Red's "F--- Da Security" and "Let's Go" (Red Gone Wild: Thee Album); Valentino's "Wreck" and "Let's Go" (Special Occasion); and Ne-Yo's "That's What It Does" and "Spotlight" (Because of You). ... Free agent Joe Budden previewed selections from his forthcoming independent album/mixtape, Mood Muzik 3: It's About to Get Worse, on Tuesday night at New York night spot the Plumm. The recently liberated Def Jam artist was on hand, as were rappers Joell Ortiz and Benzino. The first two installments of the Mood Muzik series were more acerbic, but the sharp-tongued MC still delivers a few lyrical uppercuts on the new disc, such as on "Ventilation": "I'm looking in his casket like he had no face/ I was at a loss for words like 'Fiascogate.' " ...

It's been almost a year since Brandy was involved in a multi-car freeway crash that claimed the life of a woman, and since the singer hasn't been charged yet, she could wind up in the clear, according to TMZ.com. The window of opportunity for the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office to file charges expires December 30, on the first anniversary of the accident -- the site reports that the office is planning to wait until the last minute to make its decision. ... Yahoo and AOL might scrap their Internet radio services following a 38 percent increase in royalties to air music, according to Bloomberg.com. SoundExchange, which represents artists and labels, started collecting the mandated increased fees in July, after which Yahoo and AOL stopped directing users to their radio sites. Yahoo's Launchcast saw an 11 percent drop in the number of people using the service, while AOL Radio's audience took a 10 percent plunge. ...

Magnetic Fields, Mountain Goats, Blitzen Trapper and Cursive fans, make some noise ... the bands are anchoring the lineup for next year's Noise Pop festival. The 16th installment of San Francisco's indie-rock gala will happen February 26-March 2 and also feature Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan's Gutter Twins, whose Saturnalia debut is due in stores March 4. The Twins have also booked a Valentine's Day gig at New York's Bowery Ballroom. ... A Perfect Circle mastermind Billy Howerdel's new project, Ashes Divide, are targeting March for the release of their yet-untitled debut. He produced and engineered the effort in Los Angeles, playing all guitar, bass and keyboard parts. Drumming was handled by Josh Freese, another APC vet, and Alan Moulder (Nine Inch Nails, the Killers) engineered the disc. ... The Black Lips are hoping their 2007 hype carries over into next year: The Atlanta garage-rockers -- or "flower punks," as they prefer to call themselves -- are plotting a tour that will run from February 1 in Denver through March 22 in Atlanta. ...

Controversial hip-hop shock jock Troi "Star" Torain announced his return to the radio airwaves on Wednesday at a press conference held at Bryant Park Hotel in New York. Toran, who hosted top-rated morning shows at Hot 97 and Power 105 before unceremoniously departing from both stations amid clashes with management and disputes with a number of contemporaries -- including Dame Dash and DJ Envy -- will make his return as a part of the new independent station Pulse 87 (87.7). The Top 40 station will premiere in early January, followed by the debut of the new "Star & Buc Wild" show. ...

Natavia Lowery, the former personal assistant of ex-Ramones co-manager Linda Stein, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to [article id="1573938"]Stein's murder.[/article] The Associated Press reported that Lowery, who initially denied knowing anything about the brutal slaying of Stein -- who was found facedown in a pool of blood in her $3 million Fifth Avenue apartment on October 30 after her head and neck had been struck a half-dozen times -- blamed a masked man at first, according to newly revealed court documents. But in a signed statement, Lowery claimed that Stein blew marijuana smoke in her face, brandished a cane and made derogatory remarks about black people. "I snatched the cane and hit her repeatedly with it," said Lowery, who is black. Her attorney said outside court that police coerced a false confession from his client by grilling her in an interrogation room for 12 hours and that the purported murder weapon has not been found. Police said surveillance tapes show Lowery leaving Stein's apartment shortly after the assault. ...

The Ozzy Osbourne [article id="1573376"]pre-concert sting[/article] that was staged last month in Fargo, North Dakota -- and resulted in dozens of arrests -- is continuing to pay off for the police. According to North Dakota news site KXNet.com, Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney is selling T-shirts cops wore in the raid and using the money to raise money for the United Way. During the Halloween Eve sting, which was disguised as an Osbourne party, police wore "security" tees that featured a festive Halloween skull, and the image of a sheriff's-badge star could be seen in its right eye socket. "The T-shirt just became the image and look of what happened with that event, and people wanted one," Laney said, according to the site. "Initially we weren't going to do anything with it, but as I thought about it, I thought, 'Hey, what a way to give back to the community through something that happened -- something positive.' So we'll give [every] penny raised to the United Way." ... In even more unusual Osbourne news, his wife, Sharon, made a macabre revelation on "Extra" on Monday -- they have a suicide pact in place in the event that either she or her husband faces a terminal illness. "[When] you know you're going to die, we would want to choose the time where we want to leave," she said. "I would go with my old man, and he would come with me." But, Sharon added, "Not if it's in the next five years." She also addressed her feud with Courtney Love, saying that she can't address her allegations that the rocker hooked her son, Jack Osbourne, on drugs because the situation is "now in legal hands, so we can't talk about it, because it's gone to that stage."

11.27.07

Foo Fighters have sketched out their 2008 tour plans, which include the band's first-ever show at Madison Square Garden in New York. Dates for the jaunt -- the Foos' biggest one yet in the U.S. -- are as follows, with more expected to be announced: Sunrise, Florida (January 16); Orlando, Florida (January 17); Birmingham, Alabama (January 19); Pensacola, Florida (January 20); Houston (January 22); Dallas (January 23); Memphis, Tennessee (January 25); Nashville (January 26); Fayetteville, Arkansas (January 28); Oklahoma City (January 29); Worcester, Massachusetts (February 18); New York (February 19); Philadelphia (February 21); Detroit (February 24); Chicago (February 25); and Minneapolis (February 27). The band will be trekking in support of September's Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace. ...

Chris Brown, John Legend, Queen Latifah and Wyclef Jean appear on various covers of Black Enterprise's December issue, which hit stands Tuesday (November 27) with five different covers. Mary J. Blige, Nick Cannon, Diddy, and Alicia Keys are also included on the magazine's year-end Hot List celebrating "bold innovators" under age 40. The issue hits newsstands Tuesday (November 27). ... Legend can't get enough of Baileys -- first the singer/songwriter linked up with the liqueur maker for his Baileys Get Together Tour, and now there's a related hourlong special on the way. "Baileys Entertainment Presents Get Together With John Legend," which was taped earlier this month during a stop on the tour, will feature concert performances, interviews and exclusive behind-the-scenes clips with Legend and artists from his Homeschool Records label: Estelle, the James Gang and Vaughn Anthony. The program will air December 16 at 9 p.m. ET on TV One. ...

Kevin Federline -- who only made $7,436 in 2006, news outlets reported after documents pertaining to his [article id="1573838"]child-custody battle[/article] with ex-wife Britney Spears were released a few weeks ago -- has nevertheless landed on the cover of Details magazine's "Power + Influence Issue." He and former Anna Nicole Smith boyfriend Larry Birkhead are tied for the seventh spot on the magazine's list of most-influential men under 45. "They emerged as unlikely candidates for Dad of the Year," Details says. ... A-list celebs Angelina Jolie and Don Cheadle, who have been in the limelight as much for their social-outreach efforts as they have for their movie roles, have been nominated for Spirit Awards. Cate Blanchett, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Sienna Miller will also be up for honors at the show, due to air live on the Independent Film Channel on February 23. ...

Lily Allen has announced that she was diagnosed with a heart murmur three months ago, BBC News reports. The 22-year-old told Grazia magazine that she found out about the condition when she recently switched doctors and that her recent 19-pound weight loss was a result of exercise and a diet change following the discovery. "I used to love nothing more than sitting in front of the telly with two packets of Ginger Nuts and two bags of milk-bottle sweets -- and I'd devour the lot," Allen told the magazine. "But this heart thing has made me cut back on all that kind of crap," she said. "I now find that, because I am looking after myself, I don't feel like eating the bad stuff so much." ... Radiohead have finally announced some tour dates for 2008, according to Pitchfork. The group will reportedly play Germany's Southside Festival and Hurricane Festival, both of which are slated to take place June 20-22. It's not yet clear on which dates the band will perform. ... Rick Ross' second effort won't be happening this year, Billboard.com reports. According to the site, Trilla has moved from a December 18 release date to February 19. ...

Three detectives accused of covering up evidence in the Notorious B.I.G. case can be added as defendants in a wrongful-death lawsuit the late rapper's family filed against the City of Los Angeles, a judge ruled Monday. The Christopher Wallace family has argued that Los Angeles Police Department Risk Management Group detectives Stanley Nalywaiko and Stuart Maislin, along with detective Steven Katz, "failed to supervise or directly participated in the concealment of evidence in this case." U.S. District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper -- who declared a mistrial in the case two years ago after determining Katz hid statements linking the Notorious B.I.G.'s death to two policemen, David A. Mack and Rafael Perez, said "the attempted concealment of evidence and failure to respond to officer wrongdoing is a central issue in this case," and that the family's request could be granted. The Wallace family's top attorney, Perry R. Sanders Jr., said the ruling "gives the family a chance to prove to the world that police were involved in the murder -- and that high officials have covered up for those officers. The family is extremely pleased to have the opportunity to hold accountable some of the key people involved in the coverup." The Wallace family also asked that other defendants be added to the suit -- that request was denied, although the estate will be able to file separate suits against the additional individuals. ...

Nine Inch Nails' new Remix.NIN.com Web site has launched despite coming under fire from their former record label, Universal. Controversy had erupted over the site, which was intended to be erected following last week's release of Y34RZ3R0R3MIX3D as a home for fans' mash-ups of NIN songs. ... Interpol have pumped out their first batch of official live recordings, exclusively via ThinkIndie.com. Their six-song, simply titled Live EP is available now and captures the band playing at London's Astoria on July 2. The tracks include "Obstacle 1," "Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down," "Pioneer to the Falls," "Mammoth," "Rest My Chemistry" and "The Heinrich Maneuver." ... The four members of the Bratz plan to give four girls something new to cheer about: $15,000 scholarships for college. Named after the group members -- Yasmin, Cloe, Sasha and Jade -- the scholarships will be awarded to the girls who create the best essays answering the question "What are you most passionate about in life, and how would you use this scholarship to help you grow?" Additional details on the Bratz Scholarship Contest are included in the just-released DVD "Bratz: The Movie." ...

Ghostface, Raekwon, Talib Kweli, Young Buck and others have piled onto Hi-Teknology 3, the latest collection from Cincinnati hip-hop producer Hi-Tek. The disc is due December 11, and its first single is "My Piano" (featuring Ghostface, Raekwon and Dion). ...

Fat Joe is getting a big thank-you from In Arms Reach Inc., a nonprofit group that reaches out to New York children whose parents are or have been incarcerated. The rapper will be honored Thursday at a dinner and awards ceremony to be held at the City University of New York's City College. Trey Songz will perform at the event. "I'm proud to help bring awareness to this segment of youth, at a time when so many of our families in the minority community remain separated by the system," Fat Joe said in a statement. ... Alanis Morissette is slated for induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, according to the Globe and Mail. The 33-year-old Ottawa native will receive the award on March 7 as part of the Canadian Radio Music Awards in Toronto. ...

Van Halen have spilled out loads more 2008 dates for their ongoing [article id="1566974"]reunion trek.[/article] The additional gigs will be held in San Antonio (January 24); Dallas (January 26); Denver (February 1); New Orleans (February 8); Orlando, Florida (February 14); Jacksonville, Florida (February 16); Tampa, Florida (February 18); Charlottesville, Virginia (February 22); Fort Wayne, Indiana (March 3); Cincinnati (March 5); Raleigh, North Carolina (March 7); Baltimore (March 9); Manchester, New Hampshire (March 11); East Rutherford, New Jersey (March 13); New York (March 17); Hershey, Pennsylvania (March 19); Pittsburgh (March 21); Providence, Rhode Island (March 24); Uncasville, Connecticut (March 26); Atlantic City, New Jersey (March 28); Columbus, Ohio (April 1); Chicago (April 3); Grand Rapids, Michigan (April 5); and Milwaukee (April 7). ... Ozzy Osbourne is even more controversial than his fans thought. According to NBC News affiliate KGET, the metal god inspired an emergency ordinance in Bakersfield, California, prior to his playing in the city for fear that he would repeat some of his notorious behavior onstage. Back in 1982, weeks before Osbourne was to perform in Bakersfield, then-Mayor Mary Kay Shell "advised the council [that] a musical rock star scheduled to perform in Bakersfield in June sometimes makes it a practice to bite the head off a bird during or at the conclusion of his performance," according to KGET. The council then adopted an ordinance prohibiting the killing of animals during theatrical performances -- or the Ozzy Osbourne Ordinance, as it was called at the time. ...

Janet Jackson fans, get psyched for '08: The singer is prepping a tour and has penciled in her new album for February, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Her yet-untitled debut for Island Def Jam will be executive produced by L.A. Reid -- not boyfriend and Island Urban prez Jermaine Dupri. ... New York hip-hop personality Angie Martinez survived an ugly car crash late last week as she readied her first annual Angie Martinez Hair Show and Beauty Expo over the weekend at the Hammerstein Ballroom. The Hot 97 on-air jock told MTV News she fell asleep at the wheel of her car and crashed over a median before colliding with several cars. Martinez was uninjured except for a slight limp. Her two-day expo brought out Missy Elliott, Lil Mama, Nina Sky, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana and others. Cassidy, Trey Songz and Fabolous performed. ...

The Black Crowes have pegged March 4 as the release date for their first new studio album in seven years, Warpaint. The disc will feature 10 songs written by Chris and Rich Robinson -- plus a cover of "God's Got It" by Reverend Charlie Jackson -- and come out through the band's Silver Arrow Records label. It will also help usher in two new Crowes, guitarist Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars and keyboardist Adam MacDougall. In related news, Dickinson is re-forming his side project the Word with fellow Allstars Chris Chew and Cody Dickinson, John Medeski and Robert Randolph. The group, which also reunited in 2005 for Bonnaroo, has lined up four December gigs, in Hartford, Connecticut (26th); New York (27th); Philadelphia (28th); and Washington, D.C. (29th). ...

For years now, American festival promoters have shamelessly borrowed from English fests like Glastonbury in setting up multi-day destination events like Bonnaroo and Coachella. Now, Festival Republic -- the promoter behind three of the biggest English festivals: Reading, Leeds and Glasto -- is getting together with the promoters of the revived Lollapalooza, Austin, Texas' C3 Presents, to put on the Vineland Music Festival on a privately owned 500-acre farm in New Jersey on August 8-10. No lineups have been announced yet, but in a press release, organizers promised a "weekend of pure unadulterated rock and roll pleasure" with a "heady mix of the greatest bands in the world, energy charged sets; new rising stars and the freshest acts hitting the stages before the press have had a sniff of them." Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, said last month that he had secured a site in Jersey and was eager to join the fray in America with his own camping fest. "It hasn't gone unnoticed that American promoters keep coming over and seeing my shows, so I thought, 'Crikey!, I need to get over there and do something before there's no room left." ...

With Army of Anyone on hiatus, singer Richard Patrick has revived his former band Filter. A new album is in the works and could be in stores early next year, he announced on his MySpace page. "I am totally cramming on a new Filter record," he said. "I'm working with some amazing people -- all new people. This is absolutely the most amazing stuff I've ever done, and I'm really proud of it." ... Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor's cover band, the DumFux, have booked a gig at the Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines, Iowa, for December 31. On a Pale Horse and Scrue are also on the bill. Tickets for the show will set you back $15. ...

Mario Gutierrez, guitarist for Los Angeles death/thrash metallers Engrave, died late last week of gunshot wounds he sustained during an argument with his brother-in-law, according to the Los Angeles Times. Gutierrez, 37, was reportedly shot and killed in El Sereno, California, at about 10:45 p.m. on Thursday. Police said Gutierrez and his brother-in-law got into an argument during the family's Thanksgiving gathering over a remark the brother-in-law had made about Gutierrez's wife, according to the Times. The argument reportedly escalated to pushing and shoving, and eventually spilled out onto the street, where Gutierrez was shot. The 27-year-old brother-in-law turned himself in to the police a few hours later. ...

Carson Daly is going it alone. The host of "Last Call With Carson Daly" has announced that he will be the first late-night talker to go back on the air since the [article id="1573641"]writers' strike[/article] started on November 5. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Daly is expected to start taping new episodes this week and will begin airing them next week.