Music News

GNR Scraps South Africa Shows Due To Injury

2007-04-23T20:23:00.000-07:00

South Africa's biggest outdoor rock event of 2007 has been left without a major headlining act after Guns N' Roses pulled out of My Coke Fest due to an injury suffered by bassist Tommy Stinson. The group's planned appearances in Johannesburg on April 27 and Cape Town on May 1 were billed as the start of a world tour.

"Stinson recently sprained his left wrist in a fall and the injury has not yet healed. As a result, Guns N' Roses will not make their two scheduled performances at My Coke Fest in South Africa at the end of the month," reads a statement from promoter Big Concerts. Several others shows in Japan have been postponed indefinitely as well.

Organizers have promised a full refund for Guns N' Roses fans who no longer want to attend the events. My Coke Fest is the 2007 incarnation of last year's March Coca-Cola Collab Massive Mix, which was headlined by Metallica.

The 12-hour show is billed as South Africa's biggest rock event and is going ahead with international acts Hoobastank, Staind, 3 Doors Down and Evanescence. Local support includes the Springbok Nude Girls and the Parlotones.

Rap-A-Lot Records' Owner J. Prince In Court Over Alleged Assault Case

2007-04-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

In a lawsuit filed at April 12 in Harris County state district court, Ronald "Ronnie" Bookman owner of 7303 Records and Studio 7303 claims he was savagely beaten in an assault allegedly ordered by Rap-A-Lot Records owner J. Prince.

The lawsuit alleges breach of contract on the part of J. Prince (born James Prince), battery, unfair competition, duress, conspiracy and unjust enrichment. Bookman is also seeking a court order barring Prince and his business associates of coming within 500 feet of his home and business.

In the suit, Prince is accused of allegedly directing a half-dozen men to attack Bookman at a Houston recreation center owned by Prince on January 25 of this year. Bookman claims that the beating was an alleged attempt to put him and his 7303 Records imprint out of business. Bookman's Studio 7303's client list has included several major hip-hop artists including 50 Cent, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Missy Elliot.

Bookman's claim that he was lured to a gym after he was advised that Prince wanted to "make things right" regarding a dispute between the two men. According to the suit, the disagreement arose when Prince, who had allegedly agreed in 2005 to allow UGK member Bun B to record on 7303 recording artist JV's release Rap or Die and allegedly reneged on the agreement, failing to release the Bun B feature.

Bookman alleges that when he arrived at the gym, he was led to a weight room where he met with Prince. Prince then directed several men to enter the room and assault Bookman. He alleges that he suffered severe head trauma, a broken nose and injuries to both eyes. He was reportedly treated the next day at the ParkPlazaHospital emergency room in Houston, TX and alleges that he is still receiving treatment for his injuries.

"This was a vicious act of intimidation, plain and simple," says John B. Thomas, lead counsel for Bookman and a partner in Houston 's Hicks Thomas & Lilienstern, LLP. "We believe Mr. Prince's plan was to eliminate competition in the Houston Rap and Hip-Hop music business through the use of threats, intimidation and violence. We believe that Mr. Prince feared that his influence and financial well- being would suffer if Mr. Bookman and 7303 Records were successful."

Beatles Settle Royalty Dispute With EMI

2007-04-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

Apple Corps, the Beatles' company, has settled its £30 million ($59.2 million) royalties dispute with the band's label, EMI.

EMI would not disclose details of the settlement, which was reached last month. An EMI spokesperson tells Billboard.com, "I can confirm that we have reached a mutually acceptable settlement and that we are not going to say anything more than that."

Apple Corps launched its latest legal action in December 2005 at the High Court in London and New York's Supreme Court, against EMI and Capitol, respectively. The writ alleged unpaid royalties on Beatles albums based on an audit of sales between 1994 and 1999, a period which included the release of three "Anthology" compilations.

The latest settlement between Apple Corps and EMI follows a deal struck in February between Apple Corps and Apple Computer over the use of the Apple name.

That removed a major obstacle for Beatles tracks to appear on iTunes. Earlier this month, EMI chief executive, Eric Nicoli, confirmed the major was working on making the Beatles catalog available for legal download for the first time.

Apple Corps was created by the Beatles in 1968. The band's recordings are released under license by EMI. This week, the Beatles London-based company announced that CEO Neil Aspinall, who had worked with the Beatles for more than 45 years, had exited and was being replaced by Sony BMG executive Jeff Jones.

Fabolous Bumps Album Again, Preps New Single

2007-04-12T13:03:00.000-07:00

Fabolous has once again reset the release date for his Def Jam debut, "From Nothin' To Somethin'." The album is now due June 12. It was originally expected before the end of 2006, then pushed to February and most recently to March 27.

In the interim, the Brooklyn rapper will service his second single, "Make Me Better," produced by Timbaland and featuring labelmate Ne-Yo, to radio this week.

"From Nothin' To Somethin'" also features production from Just Blaze, Jermaine Dupri, Polow Da Don, Jazze Pha, and Steve Morales. Rihanna, Akon, Swizz Beatz and Lloyd make guest appearances.

First single "Diamonds" featuring Young Jeezy is No. 3 on Bilboard's Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart and debuts this week at No. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Fabolous was previously signed to Elektra and Atlantic. He hasn't released a new studio album since 2004's "Real Talk," which debuted at No. 6 on The Billboard 200 and spawned the hit single "Breathe." The track reached No. 2 on Hot Rap Tracks and No. 10 on the Hot 100.

Since then, he's turned up as a guest on albums from Jennifer Lopez, Syleena Johnson, Christina Milian, Tony Parker and DJ Clue.

Bullet For My Valentine In The Thick Of New Album

2007-04-12T12:57:00.000-07:00

Fans attending Bullet For My Valentine's current North American dates will hear a new song, "Scream, Aim and Fire." And guitarist Michael Padget says there's more where that came from.

The Welsh rockers recorded 11 songs for the as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2005's "The Poison" in January and February with producer Colin Richardson at Sonic Ranch Studios in El Paso, Texas. Frontman Matt Tuck is slated to finish his vocals after the group comes off the road in May, with a hoped-for release this fall.

"It's definitely a heavier progression than 'The Poison,'" Padget tells Billboard.com. "There's a lot more guitar work, as in solos and classic guitar parts. The drum work is a lot more upbeat. It's just a forward progression of Bullet -- heavier, upbeat, better."

Padget says the group drew inspiration for the new album from "'80s bands" -- none specifically but more, he explains, "just vibes from that time. You watch movies on TV, the old ones with the 80's soundtracks and stuff -- it really gets us off," Padget says. "We're trying to sound older -- more '80s than 2000, I guess."

Fans will also hear some political commentary in "Scream, Aim and Fire," which Padget says is "about war on the front lines," and he expects Tuck to have even more topical lyrics in the other songs.

Bullet is planning only a bit of down time, however, with tours of Europe, Japan and Australia set for the late spring, summer and early fall before the new album is released. The group is currently promoting a new single, "All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)," from "The Poison," but Padget thinks the album is nearing the end of its cycle.

"I think deep down inside we're all kind of getting a little bored of playing [those] songs live," he acknowledges. "We still like the album, but we just want to start playing some new stuff."

Police Cleared In Altercation With Rush's Lifeson

2007-04-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

Deputies didn't use excessive force in an altercation with Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson at a Florida hotel on New Year's Eve 2003, a federal judge has ruled.

Lifeson, whose real name is Alex Zivojinovich, had sued in federal court claiming that Collier County deputies violated his civil rights while subduing him and his son during a skirmish at a party at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Naples. Tasers were used on the pair, and Lifeson's nose was broken.

But U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson wrote in a ruling last week that deputies' actions "were objectively reasonable." The judge also ruled that the hotel and a security employee weren't negligent in the case. Lifeson's Naples lawyer, Michael McDonnell, said he plans to appeal.

The skirmish started when Lifeson's son, Justin Zivojinovich, agitated hotel security by getting up on a platform where the house band had been performing. Security called deputies, who escorted Justin out of the hotel with his father following behind. The two then fought with deputies in a stairwell.

Criminal charges resulted, and last year Lifeson, 53, and his son accepted a plea deal that included no jail time.

Rush's new album, "Snakes & Arrows," arrives May 1 via Atlantic. An extensive summer tour will follow.

'NOW 24' Trumps McBride, Duff, Timbaland At No. 1

2007-04-12T12:50:00.000-07:00

Amid five new releases debuting in the top 10 this week, the "NOW 24" hits compilation rises to the top of The Billboard 200 in its second week on the chart. Climbing 2-1, the set moved 213,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, a 7% drop from last week's sales. Despite a 46% drop in sales, last week's chart-topper, Tim McGraw's "Let It Go" (Curb), only slips to No. 2, moving 177,000 units.

Martina McBride's RCA album "Waking Up Laughing" enters the chart with 144,000 at No. 3, a tie for her best charting position yet. The country singer's 2006 covers release, "Timeless," had a similar start but sold more, at 185,000.

Hilary Duff scores her fourth straight top five debut this week with "Dignity," which climbs on at No. 4 with 140,000. The Hollywood release is the pop vocalist's fifth album, which includes her first holiday-themed set "Santa Claus Lane" and 2005's hits collection "Most Wanted." The latter album bowed at No. 1 with 208,000.

He's leant a hand to a number of other artists' chart-topping efforts recently (namely, Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado), but this week Timbaland earns chart ink for his own album, "Timbaland Presents Shock Value" at No. 5. Moving 138,000 copies, "Shock Value" (Mosley Music Group/Interscope) becomes the best charting and selling set of his solo career. His previous best was 2001's collaboration with Magoo, "Indecent Proposal," which debuted with 79,000 at No. 29.

Beyonce's "B'Day" pole-vaults 69-6 thanks to the release of a new double-disc version of the album with six new songs. That translates to a 903% gain to 126,000 units. Daughtry's self-titled RCA debut falls 6-7 despite a 48% sales increase at 98,000 copies.

Paul Wall's "Get Money, Stay True" (Swishahouse/Asylum/Atlantic) debuts at No. 8 with 92,000 copies. His last set, 2005's "The Peoples Champ" lived up top its title, crashing in at No. 1 with 176,000. Akon's "Konvicted" (SRC/Universal) slips 5-9 with 75,000 copies, a sales increase of 12%.

Country/bluegrass veteran Alison Krauss notches her best charting position ever with "A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection" (Rounder) at No. 10 with 73,000. Her previous high came in 1995, when another compilation "Now That I've Found You: A Collection," reached No. 13.

The trio of Alan Jackson, George Strait and Jimmy Buffett score the No. 11 spot with "Live at Texas Stadium," a 15-song live album from a 2004 Dallas concert. The MCA Nashville album sold 67,000.

Chicago rock act Chevelle's Epic set "Vena Sera" enters at No. 12 with 62,000, short of the No. 8/89,000 entry of 2004's "This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In)." Meanwhile, Blue Collar comedian Larry The Cable Guy's "Morning Constitutions" (Warner Bros.) bows at No. 16 with 56,000. His last album, "The Right to Bare Arms," started at No. 7 in 2005 with 92,000.

Other big debuts this week include a sales and charting best for Kings Of Leon with the RCA set "Because of the Times" (No. 25, 42,000); the Academy Is...' "Santi" (Atlantic, No. 32, 33,000); Static X's "Cannibal" (Warner Bros.) at No. 36 with 30,000; and the Almost's "Southern Weather" (Tooth & Nail) at No. 39 with 29,000. Shadows Fall, Black Sabbbath, Brandi Carlile, J. Moss, Anthony Hamilton and Fountains Of Wayne also boast debuts on The Billboard 200.

Album sales are up 15.7 % from last week's total at 10.6 million units and down 5.1 % compared to the same week last year.

Producer Nitti Inks Deal With Warner Bros.

2007-04-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

Atlanta-based producer Nitti has inked a production deal with Warner Bros. for his Playmaker Music label.

"I was looking for a home for my label where I could come in and bring new artists and they'd have a fair try," Nitti told Billboard.com during an exclusive interview. "I had a couple situations on the table for me. But when Warner reached out, it was the situation that I was trying to do."

The two-year deal also allows for Nitti, who produced and co-wrote the smash hit "It's Goin' Down" by Yung Joc, to continue to make music for other artists on the Warner Bros. urban roster. "We're slowly building our roster right now with Scrappy, E-40 and Crime Mob," explains Warner Bros. director of A&R Orlando McGhee. "One of the things we wanted to do was bring in a producer that can actually break brand new artists, and Nitti has done it twice with Boyz In The Hood and Yung Joc."

The first two acts Nitti hopes to bring over to his new home are rapper Young Capone and an R&B singer by the name of Tocarra Hamilton. He's also currently putting in studio time with a new Warner artist named Attitude, whose album will be co-produced by Timbaland. "That's gonna be real exciting cause I never been on an album that Timbaland produced on," says Nitti.

Nitti recently produced a track for T.I. and is also scheduled to work with Rick Ross for his next album.

Tobin, Cut Chemist, Spooky Spin For Stalin Series

2007-04-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

Amon Tobin, Cut Chemist, DJ Spooky and J-Rocc are among the acts scheduled to perform at Pravda -- a "progressive exploration of sounds, sights and philosophies of the Stalin era," set for May 26 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

The 10 p.m.-3 a.m. concert is part of the Shadow of Stalin series, presented by the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The event, which also features a May 24 performance from DeVotchka and Saul Williams, will explore the influence of political oppression on artistic expression in the Soviet Union during the era of Joseph Stalin.

Other confirmed artists for Pravda include Peanut Butter Wolf and Mumbles & Gone Beyond with special guests dublab soundsystem. The lineup of DJs, VJs and musicians will collaborate to remix the music of Russian composers Shostakovich, Prokofiev and Mosolov. The performances will be accompanied by footage from iconic Russian films and live onstage painting by Norton Wisdom, as well as a mobile video projection provided by MC This.

Pravda will also include a midnight performance led by German pipe-organist Christoph Bull, who will be accompanied by a 10-piece Theremin Orchestra. The performance is a re-creation of Leon Theremin's 1932 concert at New York's Carnegie Hall, and a birthday tribute to synthesizer pioneer Robert Moog, who died in 2005.

Tickets prices range between $30-$50 and are available through LAPhil.com.

Snoop Dogg Charged In Burbank Airport Arrest

2007-04-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

Rapper Snoop Dogg was charged at April 10 with sale or transportation of marijuana and possession of a gun by a convicted felon, a case that stems from his October arrest at a Los Angeles airport.

The 35-year-old performer, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, could face up to four years in state prison if he is convicted on both charges. He is due in court tomorrow for an arraignment.

Broadus was arrested on Oct. 25 after police at Burbank Airport, near Los Angeles, stopped him for leaving his car too long in a passenger loading area and found a gun and marijuana in the vehicle.

Prosecutors said they were unable to prove that the gun found in Broadus' car that day belonged to him, but that a later search of the performer's home turned up another firearm. He is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm because of his 1990 felony conviction for possession of drugs for sale.

In November, Broadus was charged with possession of a deadly weapon after police found him carrying a collapsible baton through security at Orange County's John Wayne Airport. And in March, Stockholm police arrested Broadus for suspected narcotics use.

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Klaxons, Midlake Join Chemical Brothers' Party

2007-04-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

The Klaxons, Midlake, Willy Mason, Fatlip and Ali Love are among the guests on the Chemical Brothers' sixth album, "We Are the Night." As previously reported, the set is due June 19 via Astralwerks. Ali Love is featured on first single "Do It Again," a release date for which is pending.

Upstart U.K. rock act the Klaxons appear on "All Nights Reversed," while indie rock outfit Midlake guests on closer "The Pills Won't Help You Now." Mason, who also records for Astralwerks, is featured on "Battle Scars."

The Chemical Brothers will tour North America in September, but beforehand, will make a number of festival appearances in Europe this summer, including at the U.K.'s Glastonbury Festival in late June

Here is the track list for "We Are the Night":.

"No Path To Follow"
"We Are The Night"
"All Rights Reversed" (featuring the Klaxons)
"Saturate"
"Do It Again" (featuring Ali Love)
"Das Spiegel"
"The Salmon Dance" (featuring Fatlip)
"Burst Generator"
"A Modern Midnight Conversation"
"Battle Scars" (featuring Willy Mason)
"Harpoons"
"The Pills Won't Help You Now" (featuring Midlake)

Babies, Soulmates Inspire New Bedingfield CD

2007-04-10T13:40:00.000-07:00

U.K. pop vocalist Natasha Bedingfield will return in August with her second Epic album, "N.B." The set, which is due next week internationally, is led by first single "I Wanna Have Your Babies." That cut debuted yesterday (April 8) at No. 25 on the U.K. singles chart.

Among the contributors to the new album are producer Mike Elizondo, Maroon 5 vocalist Adam Levine (on "Say It Again"), rapper Eve (on "No More What Ifs") songwriter Danielle Brisebois ("When You Know, You Know") and producers such as Nate "Danja" Hills ("Not Giving Up").

"A lot of what I wrote about on this album is relationships," Bedingfield tells Billboard.com. "Having gone away from home for a year-and-a-half and been independent and on the road, I really just value relationships. That gave me a lot of ammo to write with."

The artist describes "Soulmate," which was written and demoed in a single afternoon, as "probably the most universal song on the album. I tried later to re-record it and sing it again, but nothing was as good as that first day."

Another cut, "Smell the Roses," dates back to sessions for Bedingfield's 2004 smash debut, "Unwritten." She says, "We quit writing it halfway through, because we wanted to write something more upbeat. Two or three years later, we were listening to some stuff, and we realized, this is a gem that we just forgot about."

Bedingfield will hit the road for an extensive tour beginning in September. "I've done so much gigging in the past couple of years," she says. "That has really added a live feel to my music. I've got a lot more live instruments and my voice has changed a bit."

Documentary Chronicles Marley Birthday Bash

2007-04-09T15:54:00.000-07:00

"Africa Unite," the documentary film capturing the 2005 concert in Ethiopia that celebrated Bob Marley's 60th birthday, received a work-in-progress preview Saturday in New York, with a little help from Marley's family and actor Danny Glover.

Before the screening at Lincoln Center's Walter Reade Theater, Glover remembered being dragged to a 1970s performance by Marley, and being forever inspired. With the Marley family's Tuff Gong Pictures, Glover's Louverture Films executive produced "Africa Unite,"

The film blends on-the-street and behind-the-scenes footage with snippets of the 12-hour concert, attended by an estimated 350,000. It features performances by Lauryn Hill, Angelique Kidjo, reggae mainstays Bob Andy, Rita Marley and Marcia Griffiths, and several of Marley's children, including Ziggy, Damian, Stephen, Cedella, Julian and Ky-Mani.

The latter also performed renditions of "Redemption Song" and "No Woman No Cry" with a small backing group before the film.

Directed by Stephanie Black -- who had previously worked with the Marleys on "Life and Debt," a look at the saga of Jamaica's beleaguered, post-Independence economy -- "Africa Unite" also delves into the purpose behind the 2005 concert: to inspire Africans, especially youths, to help themselves.

It introduces the viewer to students hailing from across the continent who were brought together in the Ethiopian capital of Adidas Ababa as part of the concert to discuss ways in which they could spur economic and educational reform and combat poverty and strife in their respective nations. It also follows the Marley brothers and a Rastafarian elder on their journey to Ethiopia.

Following the film Saturday, Marley's eldest grandchild, and his widow, Rita Marley, made brief comments before a group of drummers led a Rasta chant.

ADA Spearheading Indie Rock Compilation Series

2007-04-09T15:46:00.000-07:00

Distributor ADA and top indie labels are teaming to create a series of compilations modeled after the very successful "NOW That's What I Call Music" series. However, sources tell Billboard.com the series is "still in the super-early discussion phase," particularly regarding other labels that may opt to release one of the albums in the future.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Vice Records, which declined comment to Billboard.com, will release volume one, being eyed for July. No formal deal is in place but "Matador has expressed interest in putting out volume two, and Sub Pop has shown interest in volume three," according to EW.

A Sub Pop source says the label was asked by ADA for permission to include a Shins song on the compilation, which it granted. But any discussion of Sub Pop releasing one of the albums down the road is "putting the cart before the horse," the source says.

According to the report, the yet-untitled series will feature artists such as Bloc Party, the Shins, Bright Eyes, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Silversun Pickups.

They Might Be Giants Prep New Kids DVD

2007-04-09T15:42:00.000-07:00

After breaking through to a new audience with the 2002 kids album "No!" and the 2005 DVD "Here Come the ABCs," They Might Be Giants are eyeing an August release for a sequel to the latter Disney project, "Here Come the 123s." The DVD will boast an hour of original music plus videos specially commissioned by the duo.

"Not to sound like it is completely derivative, but it is inspired by 'Sesame Street,'" group member John Flansburgh tells Billboard.com. "The attitude we took to the 'ABCs' project is the same we took with this one, which is about numbers -- kids are going to learn this stuff anyway. But it's this vehicle for entertaining kids, which is all we really know how to do. We don't have educator skills so much. But the last one was a big success. It was a very satisfying experience hearing back from parents."

In the fall, TMBG will continue is practice of playing family shows in the daytime and more rock-oriented gigs at night in support of their upcoming album, "The Else," due July 10. "We're not getting rich doing any of this stuff, but it is absolutely satisfying work," Flansburgh says. "It's also grooming the next generation of They Might Be Giants fans."

Of late, TMBG has also been writing music for an animated film based on Neil Gaiman's book "Coraline." Says Flansburgh, "A girl finds a door in her house that first opens to a brick wall, but at night, there's a crawlspace, a portal to another world. It seems appealing at first but it becomes very dark."

"We're having trouble being as creepy as we need to be; having to write songs that are sincerely scary," he continues. "We have some experience with the creepy. We're not completely unversed in writing creepy stuff. But we're also trying to cook up a pop song to go at the beginning and we're still working on that one."

Full Take That reunion a possibility

2007-04-08T12:28:00.000-07:00

Robbie Williams could rejoin boy band

A full reunion of Take That could be a possibility following hints Robbie Williams would consider re-joining the band.

The star's mother, Jan Williams, has told her local paper the Stoke Sentinel that she believed her son could get involved in the group again.

"On the question of him doing something with them, I feel that will happen," she declared. "It would be something he wanted to do."

Williams quit Take That in 1995, with the group originally confirming a full split a year later.

However the band's other members - Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Gary Barlow and Jason Orange - successfully revived the group last year with a series of sell out reunion shows and have since topped the album and singles charts with their comeback material.

In contrast, Williams fortunes have faded somewhat, with recent - and more experimental - album 'Rudebox' being panned by critics, while the singer has also recently been in rehab.

However his mother insisted the singer was on the mend.

"He's okay, he's fine, he's on a good recovery," she explained. "He's doing a lot of writing, he spends a lot of time in his studio. He's in a very good place."

Kaiser Chiefs kick off US tour in Philadelphia

2007-04-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

Kaiser Chiefs hit the US with a bang tonight (April 6) as they played the first night of their north American tour.

Taking to the stage at Philadelphia's Electric Factory, frontman Ricky Wilson introduced his band as "the world famous Kaiser Chiefs!" as the band began their NME Presents The Kaiser Chiefs dates in front of a delighted, all-ages crowd.

Following performances by suppprt groups Annuals and The Walkmen, the Leeds exports launched their set the 2000 capacity venue with 'Saturday Night', before playing a mix of material from both their albums, 'Employment' and their latest release 'Yours Truly, Angry Mob'.

With the crowd's inital head-bobbing quickly developing into mini-mosh pits, the likes of 'Na Na Na Na Naa' and 'Every Day I Love You Less And Less' sent the audience wild.

Meanwhile Wilson ensured the band themselves were not left out of the excitement, as the singer ventured deep into the crowd, even managing an impressive stage dive during a show-stopping rendition of 'I Predict A Riot'.

Kaiser Chiefs played:

'Saturday Night'
'Every Day I Love You Less And Less'
'Heat Dies Down'
'Ruby'
'Thank You Very Much'
'Na Na Na Na Naa'
'Everything Is Average Nowadays'
'Born To Be A Dancer'
'Modern Way'
'Highroyds'
'Try Your Best'
'I Predict A Riot'
'Take My Temperature'
'Retirement'
'The Angry Mob'
'Oh My God'

The band's tour now continues with the following shows:

Washington DC, 9:30 Club (7)
Boston MA, Avalon Ballroom (9)
New York NY, Roseland Ballroom (12)
Montreal QUE, Spectrum (17)
Toronto ONT, Kool Haus (18)
Chicago IL, Vic Theatre (20)
Minneapolic MN, Trocaderos (21)
Vancouver BC, Commodore Ballroom (24)
Seattle WA, Showbox Theatre (25)
Portland OR, Crystal Ballroom
San Francisco CA, Warfield

Oasis, The Killers to record new version of 'Sgt Pepper'

2007-04-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

Oasis, The Killers and Kaiser Chiefs are to cover songs from The Beatles' 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' to mark the 40th anniversary of the classic album's release.

The original album was released on June 1, 1967 and to mark the event the big names will all be covering tracks from the record for a BBC2 special to be aired on June 2.

Razorlight, James Morrison, The Fratellis and Travis are among the other acts taking part.

The BBC reports that Geoff Emerick, the engineer in charge of the original sessions will use the same equipment to record the new versions.

Radio 2 controller Lesley Douglas said: "This will be not only a unique radio event, but a very special musical moment.

"The range and quality of artists involved ensure that this will be a fitting tribute to one of the great albums of all time."

There is no news yet on which track the artists concerned will cover.

Smashing Pumpkins reunion won't include Iha

2007-04-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

"Guitarist says he's too busy with label, solo project"

James Iha has revealed that he has no intention of being a part of the upcoming Smashing Pumpkins reunion.

The band's former guitarist is busy working on a solo album and his indie record label, and is not planning on joining his former band mates on their upcoming tour dates scheduled for this spring and summer.

"No, I'm not part of the current Smashing Pumpkins album or tour, I haven't spoken to Billy (Corgan) in years," Iha told Rolling Stone.

"I'm writing for a solo record, which I'm going to record this year, and working on my indie label Scratchie Records," he said.

It appears that the only original members on board for The Smashing Pumpkins reunion so far are Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlain.

Springsteen Steals The Show At Springsteen Tribute

2007-04-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

Twenty artists paid tribute to the music of Bruce Springsteen at New York's Carnegie Hall last night (April 5), but it was the man himself who stole the show with a surprise performance. The lineup for the third in a continuing series of fundraisers for Music For Youth featured Odetta, Steve Earle, Ronnie Spector and Patti Smith, who sang the Springsteen-penned number that earned her a top 20 Billboard Hot 100 hit, "Because the Night."

Prior to the Boss' appearance, the evening comprised several memorable performances, including stark acoustic readings of "Born in the U.S.A." and "Dancing in the Dark" by Joseph Arthur and Pete Yorn, respectively; a passionate "Streets of Fire" by Elysian Fields; and an infectiously charged "Atlantic City" by the Hold Steady.

When Springsteen, acoustic guitar and harmonica in hand, arrived on stage just after the anticipated last act had exited, the crowd leapt to its feet, remaining there for nearly 30 minutes. Springsteen opened with some thoughts on the evening up to that point, noting how it was both "lovely and harrowing" to see his songs performed, and making special mention of Odetta, who he said "just did the greatest version of '57 Channels' I ever heard."

He then launched into an inspired version of "The Promised Land," his gruff voice sounding closer than ever to Bob Dylan's.

From there it was into fan-favorite "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)." But Springsteen interrupted it barely halfway through to joke that the song "was too damn long." A humorous nutshell-summary of his career followed, culminating with, "And then people came to New York City from miles around -- well, from the tri-state area, at least -- to hear his songs," drawing jubilant applause.

After closing the abridged "Rosalita," Springsteen called all the performers back to the stage for a group sing-along, this time for the complete, seven-minute "Rosalita." The Boss instructed they "trash the hell out of the thing," but it proved a rousing finish.

Charles Feldman, Music For Youth's chairman, said the benefit raised "well over" $100,000 for MFY. Meanwhile, the event's producer, Michael Dorf, revealed that the next MFY benefit is slated for Oct. 10, though the honoree is still to be named.

Ex-Kiss Guitarist Mark St. John Dies

2007-04-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

Former Kiss guitarist Mark St. John died yesterday morning (April 5) from an apparent brain hemorrhage. He was 51.

Born Mark Norton in Hollywood, Calif., St. John was Kiss' third official guitarist, having replaced Vinnie Vincent in 1984. By this point, Kiss had done away with its trademark makeup and costumes, but the group was enjoying a career renaissance. The lone Kiss album on which St. John appeared, "Animalize," re-established the group as one of the world's top arena metal bands. The album spawned the popular MTV video, "Heaven's on Fire" (the only Kiss video to feature St. John).

St. John's flashy playing reflected the era's Van Halen-influenced rock guitarists, but it certainly helped spark the material on "Animalize," which many fans consider one of Kiss' strongest non-makeup releases. However, right around the time Kiss was to launch a worldwide tour in support of the album, St. John was diagnosed with a form of arthritis called Reiter's Syndrome, which caused his hands and arms to swell, and prevented him from playing guitar.

Guitarist Bruce Kulick filled in (St. John did manage to play one full show with the group, and portions of a few others) and eventually replaced St. John as Kiss' permanent guitarist.

His medical condition improved after leaving Kiss, and St. John launched a pop/metal outfit, White Tiger, with ex-Black Sabbath singer David Donato. Since then, St. John briefly teamed up with original Kiss drummer Peter Criss in a group that didn't release any recordings, and appeared as a guest speaker at Kiss conventions. In 2001, he released an all-instrumental album, "Magic Bullet Theory."

Wilson Just 'One Of The Boys' On New CD

2007-04-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

Country star Gretchen Wilson has set a May 15 release date for her third album, "One of the Boys," which will be released by Columbia in the wake Epic Nashville's closure last year. Wilson co-produced the 11-track set with Mark Wright and her Muzik Mafia mate John Rich of Big & Rich.

Rich also guests on first single "Come To Bed," which has thus far topped out at No. 32 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. The new album is the follow-up to 2005's "All Jacked Up," which has sold 1.2 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"Lyrically, I think I reached a little further inside for a few of these songs," she tells Billboard. "But there is still a lot of ass-kicking country on it."

Wilson begins an extensive tour May 19 in Atlanta.

Here is the track list for "One of the Boys":

"The Girl I Am"
"Come To Bed" (featuring John Rich)
"One of the Boys"
"You Don't Have To Go Home"
"Heaven Help Me"
"There's a Place in the Whiskey"
"If You Want a Mother"
"Pain Killer"
"There Goes the Neighborhood"
"Good Ole Boy"
"To Tell You the Truth"

Chris Lighty: Hip-Hop's Dealmaker

2007-04-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Yes, 50 Cent is one of rap's most lucrative entertainers. Yes, he's sold more than 11 million albums, and yes, he has built a rap empire.

But no, 50 can't count on selling his usual million albums the first week in these troubled musical times _ which is why he needs manager Chris Lighty more than ever.

Lighty didn't get to be hip-hop's go-to dealmaker by accepting the status quo. So while sales may be down, Lighty is still working magic to make sure 50 _ and other high-profile clientele like Diddy and Busta Rhymes _ keep getting very paid.

During an interview in the swank cafe of the opulent Beverly Hills Hotel, Lighty rattles off various opportunities for 50, including a vitamin supplement deal, a role in a Brett Ratner movie, and his own condom line. Coming soon for another client, LL Cool J? A Chapstick deal for the rapper known for licking his lips.

"Now you have to as many strategic alliances as possible to market your music and market your brand, to grow the brand and then in turn hopefully grow and help another brand," says Lighty.

"As music sales go down because kids are stealing it off the Internet and trading it and iPod sales continue to rise, you can't rely on just the income that you would make off of being an artist."

It's an aggressive and diverse strategy as the recording industry grapples with sharply declining record sales _ but not a new one for the 38-year-old Lighty, who has been a player in the hip-hop game since he was a kid DJ some two decades ago. He rose through the ranks at Rush Management (Russell Simmons' first company) before eventually founding Violator Management 10 years ago (Mona Scott and James Cruz are partners).

"A lot of people look up to Chris Lighty because of the blueprint that he's laid over the years," says Grouchy Greg, founder of the leading rap Web site allhiphop.com. "He started with KRS-One and Scott La Rock, and if you listen to early hip-hop records, you'll hear early mentioning of him. He's been instrumental in a number of influential artists' careers."

Now, with a roster ranging from Academy Award-winners Three 6 Mafia to maverick Missy Elliott to up-and-comer Papoose, Lighty's mission is to not so much to make musical superstars, but multifaceted entertainers who can be marketed in an array of ways: a sneaker deal here, a soft drink partnership there, a movie role down the road.

"He has helped me establish accomplishments on the level of business moves that have been very, very, very, very lucrative for me," says Busta Rhymes, who has worked with Lighty for years.

On this day, a tour Lighty is setting up for Diddy and Snoop Dogg is causing him headaches. He constantly checks his Blackberry during the interview (he jokes that he only shuts the device off when he falls asleep, "whenever that is, and whenever I wake up I still look at it.")

Headaches and violence are part of the job, especially when you work with 50 Cent. The latest is the arrest of G-Unit member and 50 Cent BFF Tony Yayo, for an alleged assault on the 14-year-old son of a rap rival. Lighty was by Yayo's side after his recent arrest.

Then there are the more mundane troubles _ a client with sagging sales, another looking for more attention, another questioning the direction of his or her career.

"I've had the 'How'd you mess me up?'" Lighty says. "I rewind back in time, and say, 'I?' We always make this decision together ... we always collectively make the decision. When things go left, we come up with emergency plans, and plan B, and C and D if necessary to move a project around."

"We've gotten blamed, and then unblamed quickly," he adds with a laugh.

He's had to tell clients to stop throwing money at a project that's not doing well. Or he's worked even harder than expected to boost things for a client: "With Lil' Scrappy right now we're having a hard way with his album but I still believe in him as a star."

But the commitment remains, through hits or duds. His relationship with many of his clients go back years _ Diddy, an old friend, signed on recently for promotion of his latest album, "Press Play," and clients like LL Cool J, who is coming out with a new album later in the year, have been connected to Lighty for more than a decade.

That's why Rhymes stays with Lighty _ and why, he says, no other agency has even tried to steal him away.

"They see the loyalty, they see the commitment, they also see the success and they see the history. And I don't think a lot of people have the courage to compete yet," he said. "What they would have to be offering me doesn't even exist yet."

On the Net:

http://www.violator.com

U.K. Gets New Anti-Piracy Powers

2007-04-05T13:19:00.000-07:00

New powers giving U.K. trade officials the right to seize physical copies of pirated music come into effect for the first time (April 6).

The move had been recommended by the 2006 Gowers Review, an independent report that re-examined U.K. copyright law, conducted by former Financial Times editor Andrew Gowers.

The move updates the country's Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (1988). This allowed trading standard officials the power to seize pirated brands like fake handbags, clothing, and shoes but, until now, the legislation did not apply to physical copies of copyrighted works such as music and movies.

According to the most recent figures from the BPI, the U.K.'s music-industry trade body, the sector loses about 16.5 million units of albums to piracy. That is valued at an estimated £165 million ($326 million) a year.

Previously, only piracy raids backed by police authorities could seize illegal recordings. But the new additions to the Copyright Act give the U.K.'s Trading Standard officers similar powers to the police. Section 107a grants trade officers the power to seize illegal CDs and other pirated physical musical recordings; and Section 198a grants them the right to seize bootleg recordings of live performances.

The legislative move, which comes 13 years after the BPI started lobbying the British government to amend the law, has been welcomed by Geoff Taylor, the BPI's recently appointed CEO.

"We are pleased that the government has now corrected the long-standing anomaly that prevented the Trading Standards from protecting copyright in the same way that they protect brands," he said in a statement. "This opens a new front in the fight against music piracy."

McBride Song Soundtracks Anti-Violence Campaign

2007-04-04T16:12:00.000-07:00

Martina McBride, a longtime advocate of anti-domestic violence efforts, including the National Domestic Violence Hotline, is lending her support to Lifetime Television's anti-violence campaign.

McBride's current hit country single, "Anyway," which she co-wrote with Brad and Brett Warren, will anchor a video trailer that will feature scenes from her her "Anyway" video, faces of sexual assault survivors by photographer Nobuko Oyabu and scenes from a new Lifetime movie, "A Life Inspired."

The movie, which stars Lea Thompson, is the story of Debbie Smith, who after a brutal sexual assault in her own backyard, became the voice, face and name behind one of most effective pieces of anti-rape legislation in American history. The legislation, known as "The Debbie Smith Act," helped to eliminate the nationwide backlog of untested DNA kits.

The video trailer will air at the end of the film and will be highlighted in an online viral e-card encouraging involvement in the cause. "It's always great when your music not only entertains but makes a difference in others lives," McBride tells Billboard.com. "Lifetime Television also does that with their programming. It's a good fit for me."

McBride has done several projects with Lifetime, including speaking at an anti-domestic violence event in Washington, D.C., where she met Smith. "I'm always thrilled to be associated with this network," McBride says. "They appeal to women of all ages and they take that seriously by also enlightening and uplifting women. I have three daughters so this means a great deal to me."

The movie premieres April 23 at 9 p.m. ET on Lifetime. McBride's new album, "Waking Up Laughing," was released yesterday.