The next single from Diddy's upcoming Press Play will be "Tell Me," he told MTV Europe. "It's still part of the seduction phase. ... Christina Aguilera is on there, and she has one of the greatest voices in the world. This track is very, very intense. It's the perfect follow-up to 'Come With Me.' " In other Diddy news, People is reporting that the mogul and his longtime girlfriend, Kim Porter, are expecting a second child. They already have a son, Christian, and Combs has another from a previous relationship. ...

Guns N' Roses dates keep trickling out, with eight fall appearances by Axl Rose's band scheduled so far. If the last two weeks are any indication, more dates will be announced as they're booked in the coming weeks. In addition to a two-night stint September 16 and 17 in Las Vegas, followed by back-to-back gigs in San Francisco and a headlining slot at Inland Invasion in Devore, California, the band will hit Reno, Nevada (September 30); Sacramento, California (October 2); and San Diego (October 3). ...

Speaking of Devore, fans at the Saturday night stop on the Family Values Tour were surprised to see former Filter/ current Army of Anyone frontman Richard Patrick show up onstage. Patrick joined headliners Korn for a performance of Filter's "Hey Man, Nice Shot." But that wasn't the evening's only guest-singing surprise: Deftones main man Chino Moreno also grabbed the mic during Korn's delivery of "Wicked." Army of Anyone -- featuring former Stone Temple Pilots Dean and Robert DeLeo and Ray Luzier -- will issue their yet-untitled debut later this year. The Deftones' Saturday Night Wrist will hit stores on Halloween. ...

Authorities in Germany said Monday (August 21) that they would not be filing charges against Madonna, though the singer did include a controversial mock-crucifixion scene in her Sunday night concert in Düesseldorf, The Associated Press reports. Johannes Mocken, a spokesperson for Düesseldorf prosecutors, said the performance fell under the umbrella of laws protecting artistic freedom, and explained that while the image may be "hurtful to religious people," no crime was committed. Madonna will play the second of her two scheduled Germany shows in Hanover on Tuesday. ...

Disturbed frontman David Draiman went under the knife August 15, and surgeons successfully repaired a deviated septum that had made breathing difficult for the singer. The condition, which began to affect Draiman's vocal abilities, caused the band to miss several live gigs over the last few months. The singer consulted a number of specialists throughout the last year, and it was recently determined that he needed to undergo septoplasty to reverse and correct the damage that three broken noses had rendered over the last several years. "I'm excited and relieved that the surgery is over and can't wait to get back on the road to see our fans in Europe and to make up the dates we missed," Draiman said in a statement. ...

After three years of recording and touring, flamboyant Darkness singer Justin Hawkins apparently needed some rest. According to BBC News, the British singer known for his spandex unitards and glass-shattering vocals checked himself into the Priory rehabilitation clinic suffering from exhaustion. In a statement, a spokesperson said Hawkins was ordered to rest after three years of non-stop work. The band's third album is on schedule for release in early 2007. ... UGK are planning an early September release for their seventh album, Return of the Trill. "We're tryin' to make that Grammy cutoff," Bun B said. "We're basically gonna go back to the basics, back to the roots of the UGK foundation." Lil Jon, Manny Fresh and Jazze Pha produced tracks on the upcoming disc. ...

Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society have nixed three of the dates on their upcoming U.S. tour, as Wylde's services are needed in the studio. The guitarist has been working with Ozzy Osbourne on his forthcoming LP. The canceled shows were originally scheduled to take place October 14 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; October 16 in Atlanta; and October 18 in Baltimore. ... Hatebreed will be playing a free concert on August 30 at New York's CBGB to celebrate the release of their forthcoming LP, Supremacy. In order to get a ticket to the gig, fans must pre-order a copy of the album through the online home of Looney Tunes, a Long Island, New York, record store. ... Dredg will be playing their 2001 debut Leitmotif in its entirety when they take the stage of the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, California, on September 14. The band will also throw in a few cuts from their 2005 release, Catch Without Arms. ...

Boysetsfire guitarist Josh Latshaw has been hospitalized following a recent accident at his day job which left him with a broken neck, some broken vertebrae and a collapsed lung. While Latshaw's expected to recover from the mishap, the incident will affect the band's plans to play two East Coast farewell shows. The group announced the planned split earlier this month. ... "You Hear It First" artists and mtvU faves Plain White T's have signed to Hollywood Records and already have a new record ready for release next month. Their third LP, Every Second Counts, features the single "Hate" and drops September 12. ... Remember androgynous Brit rockers Placebo? They're back and set to launch a U.S. tour on October 17 in Phoenix, in support of their latest album, Meds. She Wants Revenge have been tapped to open on the tour, which will wrap up November 8 in Boston. ...

Devo's Jerry Casale will release his first solo album, Mine Is Not a Holy War, under the name Jihad Jerry and the Evil Doers. Fellow Devo members Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Mothersbaugh and Robert Casale contributed to the disc. ... Pete Yorn is playing back-to-back-to-back shows in three cities -- each at a different venue -- over the next month. Yorn will play shows at West Hollywood's Whisky A Go Go (August 28), Roxy Theater (August 29) and the Viper Room (August 30), followed by gigs at Chicago's Double Door (September 7), Schubas (September 8) and Martyrs' (September 9) and New York performances at Joe's Pub (September 12), Mercury Lounge (September 13) and CBGB (September 14). ...

A veritable Canadian invasion is on the way courtesy of the Arts & Crafts record label. Stars singer Amy Millan is two stops into a 14-date jaunt supporting her debut solo LP, Honey From the Tombs; the jaunt ends October 3 in New York. The Hidden Cameras are launching a 30-date North American trek starting August 26 in Toronto that runs through a December 12 stop in Cleveland. Jason Collet has a 13-date trek with Rogue Wave that begins September 11 in Burlington, Vermont, and Broken Social Scene will kick off a 22-date tour of smaller U.S. markets on October 18 in Millville, Pennsylvania. Fall dates for Montreal orchestral rockers the Dears are expected to be announced soon.

08.18.2006

Britney Spears plans to take her babies on the road -- once she's in shape to tour again. The singer told People magazine in this week's cover story that her next child will help provide company for Sean Preston when she travels. "I think it will be good to have [a sibling] there with him," she explained. And once she gives birth in about a month, Spears will be counting down when she can start working out full force -- probably about six weeks after her planned C-section. She plans to hit the gym daily and stick to a low-carb diet. "I'm so excited to really be able to sweat like I used to," she said. In the meantime, Sean's been logging time with different nannies while Spears is in the studio working on her new album, which she described as "cooler than ever -- fun, upbeat, and sexy." "I've been going to the studio lately, and we've been trying out different nannies," she said. "It's hard [to leave Sean Preston]. ... I'm so torn right now." ...

A judge has reinstated rapper C-Murder's house arrest order, bringing an end to the rapper's month of freedom. According to The Associated Press, the decision comes just two days after a Louisiana appeals court ruled that the judge acted improperly when she lifted C-Murder's house arrest in July. Between now and the rapper's retrial on second-degree murder charges, he'll be confined to his home and barred from leaving it at any time, except to appear for court hearings. C-Murder stands accused of the shooting death of 16-year-old Steve Thomas, who was shot in the chest during a fight back in 2002 outside a nightclub in Harvey, Louisiana. ...

Pete Doherty pleaded guilty on Friday (August 18) to possession of heroin and crack, AP reports. The Babyshambles singer had been charged with seven counts and pleaded guilty to five of them. He will be sentenced on September 4. ...

Radiohead continue to get love from musicians of every stripe. High-brow pianist Christopher O'Riley has retooled the band's music for the chin-stroking classical set on two albums. And Dub Tribute to Radiohead: I'm Not the Only Record for You was released earlier this year -- as was Exit Music: Songs for Radio Heads, a compilation of electronic covers. So it's little surprise that Radiohead are getting the crunk treatment at the hands of DJ Gyngyvytus. Skeet Spirit: A Crunk Tribute to Radiohead -- eight instrumental tracks being offered by the DJ as free downloads -- boasts "No Sizzuruprises," "Creepin' (On Dat Ass)" and "Talk Show Hoes" among the cleverly titled tributes to England's favorite dour rockers. And the Easy Stars All-Stars' Radiodread, a reggae comp featuring toasters such as Horace Andy and Citizen Cope, hits stores Tuesday. ...

Mos Def has joined the cast of Michel Gondry's "Be Kind Rewind," Variety reports. Danny Glover, Mia Farrow and Melonie Diaz have also signed on for the film, which stars Jack Black as a man who shoots remakes of blockbuster films -- without the blockbuster budget -- to help his friend keep a video-store job. The movie is set to begin shooting September 5 in New Jersey. ...

They may have changed Natalie Portman's life in "Garden State," but the Shins won't be transforming any others with their music -- at least not this year. Originally scheduled for a fall release, the indie rockers' third album has been pushed back to 2007, according to Sub Pop. "It gives us great pleasure to say that it is just weeks from being done!" the band announced in a recent post on its Web site, even though the record's being bumped. "We can't leak any details, but we have never been more happy with anything that we've ever recorded before. And we can definitely say that it is due to the fact that we've been given so much time to perfect it. The record is the best we've ever done." The album is tentatively titled Sleeping Lessons. ... As Lifetime Television gears up for Saturday's premiere of "The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life Is Not a Fairy Tale," the network is posing a question to essay writers: What is your lifelong dream and what steps must you take to achieve it? The top prize in the contest is a trip to Los Angeles for the "American Idol" season six finale. Entries will be accepted until September 16. Visit LifetimeTV.com for further contest details. ...

With Ozzfest behind them, Walls of Jericho have landed a slot on another huge tour: Korn's Family Values trek, which also features Deftones, Stone Sour, Flyleaf and Dir En Gray. Walls of Jericho have been added to the second-stage bill, and will play their first gig Friday in Phoenix. The band's latest album, With Devils Amongst Us All, hits stores Tuesday. ... Online auction site eBay hath spoken, and no, electroclash goddess Peaches cannot sell her worn skivvies -- even if it's in the name of charity. Peaches had placed her thong up for auction on the site in an effort to raise money for Three Gut Records' Tyler Clark Burke, who has been dealing with critical health problems and is been trying to buy a new house. The site prohibits the sale of used underwear, and eBay authorities halted the auction as soon as it was brought to their attention. ...

Ricky Jovan Gray was convicted Thursday of killing former House of Freaks bandmember Bryan Harvey, Harvey's wife Kathryn and their two young daughters. The family was found dead in its Richmond, Virginia, home in January. The jury took just 30 minutes to convict Gray, whose sentencing hearing continues Friday. He could face the death penalty. ... Roger Ebert remains hospitalized due to complications resulting from his treatment for a recurrence of salivary cancer, the film critic confirmed in a statement. Ebert, who had a portion of his jaw removed and reconstructed, said he will need rehabilitation to regain his strength and his voice, and asked for "the time and privacy to heal." "I don't have a crystal ball," he wrote to close the statement, "so I can't tell you when, but I sure look forward to being back on the movie beat." ...

How many times have you watched the Academy Awards and thought, "Wait a minute, these people are huge stars, get to borrow millions in diamonds and they get those fat gift baskets! What the hell?" Well, the Internal Revenue Service agrees with you. On Thursday, the IRS announced an "outreach program" to remind the entertainment industry that the lavish gift bags -- worth anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000 -- that stars get at awards shows are taxable as income, according to a Reuters report. The tax service also announced a deal with Oscar presenter the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to settle the tax obligations of past Oscar gift-basket recipients through 2005, letting those stars off the hook. Though this year's stars will have to pony up, the Academy announced that the gift baskets will go away as of next year. ... And here's a study only a kid could love: The British journal Archives of Disease in Childhood has found that watching TV while getting an injection has a "painkiller" effect on children. In a study involving 69 children between the ages of 7-12, researchers found that the subjects were 50 percent more pacified by cartoons than their own mothers. Kids who had no TV to distract them logged much higher pain scores.