Nathan Gale, who murdered guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and three others during a concert in Columbus, Ohio, on December 8, pulled from the stage by security at a Cincinnati Damageplan concert eight months earlier, according to The Columbus Dispatch. Police have confirmed that Gale had been the cause of a disturbance at Bogart's nightclub on April 5, 2004. Gale damaged lighting equipment during a struggle with security guards at the 2004 show. Police were called to the scene, but no charges were filed -- Damageplan opted not to press charges, the report says. ...

According to Limp Bizkit's Web site, which has basically become a blog housing frontman Fred Durst's rantings, the band's forthcoming album will be called The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1). Bizkit's label, Geffen, couldn't confirm whether the disc would, as the site alludes, hit stores on May 3. ... Meanwhile, Durst will be making his small-screen acting debut on NBC's six-hour miniseries "Revelations." The apocalyptic drama stars Bill Pullman ("Independence Day") as an astrophysicist trying to explain tragic events through science. Partnered with a nun guided by her faith, played by Natascha McElhone ("Solaris"), they work to figure out if the world is ending, as predicted by the Book of Revelation. Durst's character, Ogden, is a nefarious devil-worshipper who kidnaps and tries to brainwash Pullman's stepson (Mark Rendall). Though not acting in the premiere episode on Wednesday (April 13), he will appear onscreen next Wednesday and will be prominently featured in the third and fourth installments. ...

Though Britney Spears' fans and peers seem to share in her happiness about her (now official) pregnancy, not everyone is so keen on the idea. A recent joint poll by Parents magazine and Netflix revealed that 53 percent of parents actually think the singer should put off starting a family. More than 3,000 moms and dads took part in the poll on Spears' potential for parenthood for the May issue of Parents, on newsstands this week. ... The Backstreet Boys have announced the release date for their new album, Never Gone. It's now due in stores June 14. The group plans to headline a tour starting in mid-July. ...

R&B hitmakers Frankie J, Baby Bash and Natalie have joined forces for this spring's Latium World Tour. The two-month trek will kick off April 29 in Corpus Christi, Texas, and wrap June 4 in Toms River, New Jersey. ... Toni Braxton is shooting the video for "Please," the first single off her upcoming album, this week in Los Angeles with director Chris Robinson. Scott Storch produced the song. ...

At a press conference on Wednesday, Jay-Z, L.A. Reid, Russell Simmons, Steve Bartels and Tony Austin announced the launch of the Russell Simmons Music Group, a 50/50 joint venture with Island Def Jam Records. Simmons said the label would release the Reverend Run's long-awaited "rock" album. "The album's done and it's called Run Love," Run said. "It's a loud, rockish album. My reality show is called 'Run's House' and we begin filming next week." The album is slated for a fall release, and the first single should be chosen and released within the next two months. The businessmen then played "Rock-A-Bye," the new single from their German-raised, three-member female group, Buddafly. ...

Just in case you haven't gotten enough of the dynamic duo that is Loretta Lynn and Jack White, CMT will be airing a one-hour show on the Grammy-winning twosome, "Loretta Lynn Uncut." The special, premiering Thursday, will feature never-before-seen footage from the original CBS "60 Minutes" segment about the pair and an exclusive interview with the White Stripes frontman, who produced and appeared on Lynn's 2004 album, Van Lear Rose. ... The inaugural Intonation Music Festival is set for July 17 in Chicago's Pulaski Park. Curated by the Web 'zine Pitchfork, the all-day, all-ages festival will feature the Decemberists, the Fiery Furnaces, a DJ set from Palace's Will Oldham, Broken Social Scene, the Go! Team, Four Tet, Magnolia Electric Co., the Wrens, A.C. Newman and the M's. More acts are expected to be announced soon. ...

04.12.2005

Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith are among the acts slated for Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM's annual Wango Tango festival. Kelly Clarkson, Black Eyed Peas, Ludacris, Ciara, Backstreet Boys, Simple Plan, Frankie J, Ryan Cabrera, Natalie and the Pussycat Dolls will also perform at the Ryan Seacrest-hosted concert, scheduled for May 14 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. ...

After weeks of graphic testimony centering around molestation allegations, the Michael Jackson trial turned on Tuesday (April 12) to other crimes the singer is charged with -- conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. On day 30 of the trial, the stepfather of the current accuser took the stand and told the court that Jackson associate Frank Tyson pressured the family to participate in a rebuttal video to Martin Bashir's documentary "Living With Michael Jackson." When he asked for a contract, Tyson offered "protection" instead but wouldn't say from what or whom. Tyson also offered the children a college education and a home, said the stepfather, who also described distressed calls he got from the accuser's mother when she was at Neverland, in which she said she wasn't able to see her children there and was always chaperoned. Though the defense has suggested the family is just after money, the stepfather said he never accepted money for the rebuttal video or for interview offers from British tabloids and had no intention of accepting money in the future, either. ...

Paris Hilton is never without a moneymaking scheme, and her latest involves her lapdog, Tinkerbell. The heiress has just signed a deal with Gund to license plush-toy designs, including one of her pup. She's also signed a deal to develop and market Paris Hilton watches, which will encompass both high-end Swiss watches and moderately priced fashion watches. ... 3 Doors Down, Staind and Breaking Benjamin are teaming up for a summer tour scheduled to begin July 1. Details have yet to be announced, but the trek will hit about 40 cities before wrapping up in September. ...

In a scene straight out of "The Surreal Life," Da Brat's 31st birthday party in Chicago turned into a melee when two uninvited men bum-rushed the door. According to the Chicago Tribune, at around 1:30 Monday morning two men pushed passed security guards at the Harold Washington Cultural Center and got into a fistfight with security. Other partygoers joined in and one person allegedly hit a guard in the head with a gun. Four men were arrested. Among the 100 attendees at the party were Twista and actress Lisa Raye. ... The Gap Band's Charlie Wilson -- currently featured in Snoop's "Signs" video -- is putting out an album of his own. Wilson's debut, Charlie, Last Name Wilson, is executive produced by R. Kelly and is written and produced by the likes of Justin Timberlake, Will.I.Am, Dr. Dre and Scott Storch. Wilson is now in the studio finishing the album, which will hit stores July 12. ...

Want to hear a sample of Coldplay's new single? A 30-second snippet of the "Speed of Sound," off the group's upcoming X&Y, is going to debut as a Cingular ring tone. To order it, go to www.cingular.com/mediamall. ... The Pixies, Futureheads, Spoon, Stephen Malkmus and the Misfits have been added to the lineup of the inaugural CMJ/ Rock Hall Music Fest. The three-day event (June 9-11) in Cleveland will also feature the Art of Modern Rock Poster show, a discussion with Grandmaster Flash, a guitar competition judged by Joe Satriani and additional gigs by the Digable Planets, Powerman 5000, Keoki, Mushroomhead, From First to Last and Nashville Pussy. ...

Anthony Kiedis will be part of an environmental-activist panel with Daryl Hannah for Forces of Nature, which will address sustainability -- buying products made with the fewest resources and utilizing earth-friendly materials that replenish themselves easily. Kiedis signed up for April 27's "The Future of Sustainability" panel at the LOHAS 9 Forum in Marina del Rey, California, since he was instrumental in getting his record label to use paper made of hemp, flax and post-consumer waste. Other panelists include Amy Smart, Mariel Hemingway, Raquel Welch and Ed Begley Jr. To attend the forum, visit lohas.com or inspirationfilmfestival.com. ... In an apparent homage to last summer's aborted Lollapalooza tour, the Flaming Lips and the String Cheese Incident have been tapped to headline the ninth annual All Good Music Festival, to be held July 15-17 at Marvin's Mountaintop in Masontown, West Virginia. Both the Lips and the Incident were scheduled to be a part of the last incarnation of Lolla, but slow ticket sales forced promoters to pull the plug before a single show was played. In the meantime, both bands have apparently been sharpening up their hacky-sack skills to take part in the All Good Music Fest, which also features jam bands like Umphrey's McGee, Particle and Les Claypool. Tickets are $92 and go on sale Tuesday (April 12) at AllGood.MusicToday.com. ...

Russell Simmons wants you to pay your taxes. The hip-hop-CEO-turned-political-activist has joined forces with TurboTax to create Rock Your Refund, a Web site that helps young Americans understand and file their state and federal taxes -- and aims to get them the biggest refund possible. Visitors to RockYourRefund.com are given tax tips, and filing your income tax forms there costs just $5.95. Simmons told MTVNews he got involved with Rock Your Refund because "the last leg of the civil-rights movement is economic empowerment ... not just for African-Americans, but for all young Americans."... Marxist post-punkers Gang of Four will re-release their seminal 1979 debut album, Entertainment!, via Rhino Records on May 17. In addition to the 12-track original disc, the reissue will contain the long-out-of-print Yellow EP and four other previously unreleased cuts. The group's widespread influence has scored it a headlining spot on the upcoming Coachella festival on May 1 in Indio, California. The next day the group begins a 14-date North American tour that will wrap May 21 in Philadelphia. ...

Cypress Hill and the Kottonmouth Kings, the self-described "two biggest pro-marijuana bands on the planet," have collaborated on a track called "Put the Pipe Down" for the latter's upcoming seventh album. The groups plan to service the track to radio stations on April 20, the weed-smokers holiday established from the police code for marijuana-smoking-in-progress, 4:20. ... On Monday night, rapper/ Cash Money boss Baby threw a bash at the posh New York club B.E.D. to celebrate the release of his upcoming album, Fast Money, and Rockstar video game "Midnight Club 3," which he narrates. The Birdman was also promoting his newest LUGZ shoe collection, #1 Stunna. Denzel Washington, Anthony Mackie, Bobby Valentino and Chaka Zulu of Disturbing Tha Peace Records were in attendance. Fast Money drops June 21. ...

Video directors Chris Mills (Modest Mouse) and Chris Grismer (the Arcade Fire) are teaming up to helm the clip for the new single from the Motion City Soundtrack, "Everything Is Alright." The band's new album, Commit This to Memory, due June 7, was produced by Mark Hoppus. The Motion City Soundtrack are touring through April before heading out on the Warped Tour this summer. ... Experimental laptop artists the Books are teaming up with hip-hop producer Prefuse 73 for the split EP Prefuse 73 Reads the Books, which will surface on Warp Records later this year. Meanwhile, the cut-and-paste Michigan bookworms will embark on their first North American tour in support of their recently released third album, Lost and Safe. The 13-date trek starts off April 20 in Hudson, New York, and ends May 20 in Hollywood. ...