Original Nickelback drummer Ryan Vikedal is parting ways with the Canadian rock band, according to a statement released Wednesday. No replacement has been named. The group, currently in Vancouver, British Columbia, is gearing up to start recording its next album, the follow-up to 2003's The Long Road. ...

The list of bands hitching a ride on this summer's Warped Tour continues to grow. Warped founder Kevin Lyman said that more than 40 acts have now been confirmed, including just-named additions the All-American Rejects, Millencolin and Something Corporate on the tour's main stages, and Motion City Soundtrack, Reggie and the Full Effect and Strike Anywhere on the various second stages. The 2005 edition of Warped kicks off June 18 in Columbus, Ohio. ... Mariah Carey has pushed back her forthcoming album, which was due out March 22. The Emancipation of Mimi will now be in stores on April 12. ...

The week before the Grammys, the House of Blues in Los Angeles will host a four-night series of jam sessions, starting with Kanye West on February 9. Kid Rock, Alanis Morissette, Black Eyed Peas and John Legend will play throughout the week with additional surprise guests. Net proceeds will be donated to VH1's Save the Music Foundation. ... The Artist Empowerment Coalition will honor Kanye West, the late Ray Charles, Tyra Banks and actor Danny Glover at the third annual AEC Artist Celebration and Pre-Grammy Brunch at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, on February 12. Hosted by "Access Hollywood" co-anchor Shaun Robinson, the event is a celebration of the arts and the diverse cultures from which they are born, and recognizes those who continue the mission of "giving back." Anthony Hamilton, who received his recording deal after performing at the first AEC event in 2003, will also be recognized. ...

Beyoncé Knowles and her mother have just signed a licensee agreement with Tarrant Apparel Group for their clothing line, House of Dereon (named after the singer's grandmother). The line is now expected to hit specialty stores by the holiday 2005 season, and will feature ready-to-wear, casual sportswear and denim. "It is such a rewarding feeling to be part of something that both my mother and I really believe in," Beyoncé said in a statement. "I hope that everybody loves the clothing as much as we do. We have really put our hearts into developing these fashions." ... The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Louisiana recently affirmed a 2003 ruling that sided with former Cash Money Records rapper Juvenile in a case that debated who owned the phrase "back that ass up." New Orleans artist DJ Jubilee filed a copyright-infringement suit against Juvenile arguing that his 1997 hit single "Back That Azz Up" was similar to a song Jubilee recorded that same year called "Back That Ass Up." The court's ruling on January 13 denied Jubilee's argument that the songs were similar. ...

Chris Carrabba is planning to reunite with his former band Further Seems Forever for one night only. The emocore quintet will play songs from its debut record, The Moon Is Down, with its original lineup -- which includes the Dashboard Confessional singer -- at the Bamboozle festival April 30 at the Convention Hall complex in Asbury Park, New Jersey. ... This year's Roskilde Festival will get a little more metal this year as Black Sabbath confirmed their appearance at the three-day event. Green Day and the Dears will also play the festival, which takes place in Roskilde, Denmark, from June 30-July 3. ...

Dick Clark is currently recuperating at home after suffering a stroke and spending more than seven weeks in a hospital. Clark, 75, who was unable to host "New Year's Rockin' Eve" for the first time in 32 years, was released on Wednesday, according to The Associated Press. There is no word on the severity of Clark's stroke or how long it will take him to recover. ... Ludacris, Talib Kweli and the Roots' ?uestlove and Black Thought are among the artists scheduled to join Spike Lee in commemorating the 40th anniversary of the death of Malcolm X on February 7 at New York's Schomburg Center. The event will also include an advance screening of "By Any Means Necessary: The Making of Malcolm X," a documentary chronicling the making of the 1992 Spike Lee film about the life of the civil-rights leader. The documentary was created for the two-disc special-edition DVD of "Malcolm X" being released on February 8. ...

LL Cool J will next be seen on TV with two sexy women on his arm, thanks to a TV spot he's just shot for, of all things, Caress Body Wash. In the commercial, which will hit the air in early February, two women with glowing skin arrive at a New York club and are disappointed by the long line at the velvet ropes, but when they spot a stretch limo arriving at the front of the club, they jump in -- and discover it belongs to the rapper. On LL's arm, they bypass the crowds and head straight through the VIP entrance, but once inside, they take off, leaving the stunned rapper behind. "These ladies knew what they wanted and went after it," LL Cool J said in a statement. "Making this spot was really cool: the club setting, the energy, and of course, the gorgeous women showing off their sexy skin." ... Nicole Richie has signed on to be the spokesperson for Bongo, for the brand's spring campaign, which will be advertised in March issues of fashion, entertainment and lifestyle magazines. "Bongo is a fun, young line and I think I am a good person to represent the brand," Richie said in a statement. "So when they approached me, I was really excited to do it." Richie shot the ads after a Bongo denim doghouse was built for her two puppies, Foxy Cleopatra and Honey Child. ...

The 2005 Noise Pop festival, set to run from February 22-27 in San Francisco, will feature performances from the Hot Hot Heat, the Walkmen, the Polyphonic Spree, Mission of Burma, Nada Surf, Amon Tobin, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Les Georges Leningrad, Louis XIV and a host of other underground artists of every stripe. ... Just three years after they broke up, Los Angeles hard rockers Buckcherry are prepping a reunion. Well, singer Josh Todd and guitarist Keith Nelson, are, anyway. The band's songwriting core has reunited and is recording its third album with a new rhythm section and second guitarist. The as-yet-untitled album is due out later this year. ...

01.26.2005

Jesse McCartney doesn't just star on TV's "Summerland," he's also one of the artists on the upcoming Summerland Original Television Soundtrack, due March 22. Among the songs on the album already heard on the show or scheduled for upcoming episodes are tracks by New Found Glory, All-American Rejects, Citizen Cope, Lisa Loeb, Collective Soul, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Ivy and Bowling for Soup. ...

Ryan Cabrera will be featured on the soundtrack to the upcoming film "Son of the Mask," the sequel to 1994's "The Mask," which starred Jim Carrey. Cabrera contributes the exclusive track "Inside Your Mind" to the LP, which also features Dr. John and Neil Diamond. The disc is due February 8. ... Bone Thugs-N-Harmony members Layzie and Bizzy Bone break free on February 22 to release the self-titled 14-track debut from their side project, the Bone Brothers. Fellow Bones Krayzie and Wish also appear on the album, along with Mo Thugs, Outlawz and Treach from Naughty by Nature. The album's first single is "Hip Hop Baby." ...

Hoping to grab a piece of the nearly $3 billion concert and live-entertainment business, 10 U.S. stadiums have joined forces to create "The Gridiron Stadium Network," according to Reuters. The NFL stadiums -- in Washington, D.C.; Denver; Houston; Buffalo, New York; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Pittsburgh; Cincinnati; Detroit; Philadelphia; and Kansas City, Missouri -- all seat at least 60,000 and will use the Network to promote the virtues of their facilities, hoping to attract some of this year's biggest outings, like U2's Vertigo Tour. ... The Eels have been rather quiet for good reason. The eclectic Los Angeles band's sixth record will be an epic double-disc concept album. Due April 26, Blinking Lights and Other Revelations will contain 33 tracks, including "Bride of Theme From Blinking Lights" and a song whose title references the ever-important Grammy-related question "Whatever Happened to Soy Bomb?" Guests on the project include Tom Waits, R.E.M.'s Peter Buck and Lovin' Spoonful's John Sebastian. ...

The second album from 30 Seconds to Mars, actor Jared Leto's sci-fi- and prog-rock-loving hard rock band, is slated for release in June. The as-yet-untitled album was produced by Grammy nominee Josh Abraham (Velvet Revolver). ... Former X singer John Doe will release his fifth solo effort, the rootsy punk album Forever Hasn't Happened Yet, on March 22. The record contains guest shots from former Blasters leader Dave Alvin, Neko Case, Throwing Muses' Kristin Hersh and Grant-Lee Phillips. Doe's daughter, Veronica Jane, makes her recorded debut on "Mama Don't." ...

If you're a Dinosaur Jr. freak, freesofree.net is the place for you. The official bootleg site has hundreds of free recordings of songs by the defunct indie rock band and its leader, J Mascis, including close to 100 MP3-quality live recordings spanning the years 1986-2004. The site also has more than 40 music-video and live video clips. ...