A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar, the third album by Dashboard Confessional, is being recorded in a Florida studio with producer Gil Norton (Foo Fighters, Pixies). The follow-up to 2001's The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most is expected to arrive in late spring. ...

While any of the witchy women of the WB's "Charmed" can carry the title of heartbreaker, the guest star of the April 6 episode practically put the word on the map. Pat Benatar will perform her 1979 hit "Heartbreaker" at Piper's club, P3. ...

Australian authorities have discovered 500 stolen reel-to-reel masters of recordings believed to be original studio sessions for Abbey Road and The Beatles. The February 14 raid in Sydney was part of a police investigation that last month uncovered tapes in London and Amsterdam of the sessions that eventually became Let It Be. Those tapes were stolen from Abbey Road Studios over 30 years ago. ... Jewel has revealed on her official Web site that her next album will be dominated by dance music. The singer says she's experimenting with R&B rhythms and electronic music and tells fans to expect "fierce grooves and dance beats and futuristic keyboard and retro '80s synth sounds." She also divulges that the as-yet-untitled album will be produced by Lester Mendez, whom she credits for co-writing most of the new songs as well. ...

Mogwai, in the midst of working on their fourth album, have put their drummer's pacemaker up for sale on eBay. The high bidder, whose cash will be donated to the British Heart Foundation, also gets Martin Bulloch's European pacemaker I.D. card, his hospital wristband, the Japanese version of Mogwai's My Father My King and a vinyl test-pressing of the band's Rock Action. ... Almost two years after his split with the mathematically inclined noisecore band, former Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist Dimitri Minikakis has reemerged with Tokyo, who are currently completing demo recordings and will make their live debut April 6 at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia. ...

Following the premiere of the first untitled video from their third album, ( ), at last month's Sundance Film Festival, Icelandic sound-sculpters Sigur Ros will embark on a North American tour that kicks off with a sold-out March 15 show in Boston. The 18-date outing winds down April 8 in Oakland, California. ... Former member of Powell Peralta's legendary Bones Brigade pro-skate team, Tommy Guerrero, is putting the finishing touches on his second album, Soul Food Taqueria. The follow-up to 2000's A Little Bit of Something displays elements of anti-folk, hip-hop, jazz, blues and funk, among other elements, and is expected to drop in May. ...

02.13.03

Coldplay won Album of the Year and Oasis were named Artist of the Year at Thursday's NME Awards in London. The Hives won Best International Band, while Dallas' Polyphonic Spree took home the F--- Me! Award for Innovation. Kelly Osbourne, who was scheduled to perform at the ceremony, pulled out, fearing a terrorist attack. ...

Avril Lavigne, Sum 41, Nickelback, Alanis Morissette, Shania Twain, Simple Plan, Our Lady Peace and Hot Hot Heat are among the nominees for the 2003 Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys. Non-Canadians Creed, Nelly, Shakira, Eminem and Enrique Iglesias are up for the International Album of the Year award. The Juno Awards will take place April 6 in Kanata, Canada. ... Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue, Mariah Carey, Moby, DJ Shadow, Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method and Basement Jaxx received nominations for the 2003 American Dance Music Awards. The ceremony pays tribute to the global impact of dance music and will be held March 19 in Miami Beach. ...

A parole board hearing for Marion "Suge" Knight has been postponed due to a discussion over whether or not his legal representation could attend the meeting, according to the Associated Press. Knight, the head of Tha Row Records, has been awaiting a parole hearing after being jailed December 23 for allegedly associating with gang members. ...

Ex-Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan will appear on "America's Most Wanted" later this month. He'll be talking about the unsolved murder of Lorella Lepper, the woman who used to run his official Web site. Lepper was stabbed to death in her Los Angeles apartment in November. ... Former Guns N' Roses tourmates CKY have added 11 U.S. shows to their Infiltrate Destroy Rebuild tour. The first new date is March 30 in Denver and the final show is August 11 in West Hollywood, California. CKY play Houston on Thursday (February 13) and New Orleans on Valentine's Day. ...

Eels singer E has recorded a solo album under the alias MC Honky. I Am the Messiah, which features guest drummers Joey Waronker (R.E.M.) and Butch (Eels), is due in March. ... Paul Oakenfold, Les Rythmes Digitales, Tommy Sunshine and others contributed remixes to the Faint's Danse Macabre Remixed. The Omaha electro-pop group is planning a spring tour to promote the release, due March 25. ... Former teen pop idol Deborah Gibson will star as Sally Bowles in the hit Broadway musical "Cabaret" beginning February 21 at Studio 54. Gibson's past Broadway roles include Eponine in "Les Miserables" and Belle in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." ...

Due to an elbow injury, former Police drummer Stewart Copeland has temporarily left his new band, a second coming of the Doors with the Cult singer Ian Astbury replacing the late Jim Morrison. Ty Dennis, a member of guitarist Robbie Krieger's band, is filling in. ... Guy Pearce, the star of "Memento," will appear in the next video by Silverchair, "Across the Night." The black-and-white clip is being directed by Sarah-Jane Woulahan and Sean Gilligan, who also worked with the band on "The Greatest View" and "Without You." If he can remember how to get to the studio and what he's supposed to be doing there, Pearce will play the main character in the vid, which is based on the hallucinatory quality of dreams. ...