May 25, 2006 6:33 PM

Latest News: Pearl Jam, Diddy, Bob Dylan and More

PEARL JAM will donate one dollar from every ticket purchased for their Philadelphia concert on Saturday to the Innocence Project. Partnering with the band's charity, the Vitalogy Foundation, the nonprofit will use the donation to help free the wrongfully incarcerated through DNA testing. Since the organization's inception in 1992, more than 175 innocent people have been exonerated in the U.S.

Heath Ledger to Play Bob Dylan

Joining the cast for the BOB DYLAN biopic I'm Not There are new Hollywood power couple HEATH LEDGER and MICHELLE WILLIAMS. Shooting for the TODD HAYNES-directed (Velvet Goldmine, Far From Heaven) flick will begin in July. CATE BLANCHETT, CHRISTIAN BALE, JULIANNE MOORE and RICHARD GERE are also on board for the project. Last week, Dylan, who is also working on a new album, wrapped a jaunt with MERLE HAGGARD AND THE STRANGERS.

Rapper Beanie Sigel Shot by Robbers

Rapper BEANIE SIGEL was shot this morning in Philadelphia during an attempted robbery involving five unidentified males traveling in two cars. The culprits reportedly pulled up on Sigel, 32, before unleashing gunfire that stroke him in the upper arm. Sigel, who was released from prison last August after serving a year for a gun charge, was hospitalized for a few hours and on his way out he assured reporters, "I got shot. I'm cool." Sigel's attorney has said the crime appeared to be "a random act of violence."

Two Diddy TV Series in the Works

SEAN "DIDDY" COMBS has signed on to star in a TV adaptation of A Raisin in the Sun for ABC, slated to air in 2007. Combs will reprise his 2004 Broadway lead role as Walter Lee, which helped garner two Tonys for the production. Combs' Bad Boy Entertainment and MTV have also signed on for a reality series, with Diddy executive-producing, that follows street dance groups from around the country as they train, perform and try to make a living.

DMB's Tinsley Is Crazy for Tennis

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND violinist BOYD TINSLEY has been tapped by ESPN2 to compose the theme music to this year's Wimbledon Tennis Championships, set for June 25th through July 9th in London. Tinsley, a tennis devotee himself, hosts his own annual hometown tournament each year in Charlottesville, Virginia, and founded the Boyd Tinsley Tennis Program, which provides instruction and equipment to underprivileged kids. The violinist recently made a large contribution to the University of Virginia to help build a new tennis facility.

Bad Day for Pussycat Dolls, Good Day for Barbie

Toy manufacturer Hasbro has nixed a collection of dolls based on the sparsely clad strippers-turned-pop-act the PUSSYCAT DOLLS. The second largest toy maker claims that the Dolls are inappropriate to market to children due to their suggestive lyrics and barely-there outfits. The pop group, whose debut, PCD, has sold over a million copies, recently wrapped the 2006 Honda Civic tour with BLACK EYED PEAS.

The Subways, Lansing-Dreiden Hit the Road

After canceling their own summer tour, U.K trio the SUBWAYS will open for TAKING BACK SUNDAY's summer trek, kicking off June 22nd in Jackson, New Jersey . . . Shoegazers LANSING-DREIDEN will embark on a mini-tour in support of this month's release, The Dividing Island. Kicking off June 9th in Washington, D.C., the spring run wraps at the end of the month . . . Singer-songwriter BEN JELEN will tour with his band the ZODIAC 7 beginning June 3rd in Los Angeles. Jelen is working with producer LINDA PERRY for his next effort, tentatively titled East . . . MATCHBOOK ROMANCE will open for YELLOWCARD when the emo rockers hit the road for the summer, this Sunday, in Columbia, Maryland.

El Din, Mickey Hart Collaborator and Oud Player, Dead at 76

HAMZA EL DIN, who played the oud (a small, pear-shaped, multi-stringed instrument) and helped revive the musical culture of the ancient Upper Nile kingdom, Nubia, died Monday of complications from surgery. He was seventy-six. Born in Egypt and learned in the region's musical culture, El Din eventually relocated to America, where he took the stage at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival. He worked with the GRATEFUL DEAD's MICKEY HART, who produced his album, Eclipse. El Din also helped the jam-band pioneers organize their epic 1978 concert at the Great Pyramids of Egypt.

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May 17, 2006 5:27 PM

Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters, John Mayer and More

PAUL McCARTNEY and his second wife, Heather Mills, announced that they would be separating after nearly four years of marriage, blaming intrusion from the media and insisting their split is amicable. McCartney, 63, and animal-rights activist Mills, 38, were married in June 2002 and welcomed their only child together, daughter Beatrice, in October 2003. As recently as last month, the couple flew to Canada to protest the country's annual seal-slaughter harvest. In a statement the couple said, "Having tried exceptionally hard to make our relationship work given the daily pressures surrounding us, it is with sadness that we have decided to go our separate ways. Our parting is amicable and both of us still care about each other very much." McCartney -- who is worth around $1 billion -- reportedly does not have a prenuptial agreement with Mills . . . In more upbeat nuptial news, Australian country star KEITH URBAN and Oscar-winning actress NICOLE KIDMAN have officially announced their engagement. Speculation that the two were dating began after they were first spotted together in 2005. Kidman was previously married to Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001.

Foo Fighters Unplug, Hit the Road

FOO FIGHTERS have made their much anticipated summer acoustic tour official. The trek will launch on July 11th in Seattle, with seven dates total confirmed thus far, with more expected to be announced soon. The band will be touring behind Disc Two of their platinum-selling 2005 release, In Your Honor. Joining the band will be WALLFLOWERS keyboardist RAMI JAFFEE, violinist PETRA HADEN, percussionist DREW HESTER and former Foo Fighters guitarist PAT SMEAR (ex-GERMS). Tickets for the confirmed dates go on sale this Friday.

John Mayer, Tom Petty Hit the Festivals

JOHN MAYER, VAN MORRISON, the SHINS, MASSIVE ATTACK and WEEN will join previously announced acts the FLAMING LIPS, BEN HARPER AND THE INNOCENT CRIMINALS, WILLIE NELSON and TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS for the 2006 edition of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, set for September 15th to 17th at the city's Zilker Park. Other acts include the KINGS OF LEON, LOS LONELY BOYS, WOLF PARADE, GNARLS BARKLEY, the RACONTEURS, CAT POWER, the NEW PORNOGRAPHERS, SON VOLT, AIMEE MANN, NADA SURF, IRON AND WINE, TED LEO AND THE PHARMACISTS, KT TUNSTALL, SECRET MACHINES, MATISYAHU and GOMEZ. Tickets are currently on sale at aclfest.com . . . In other festival news, Petty and the Heartbreakers, the BLACK CROWES and NICKELBACK will join KEITH URBAN, BIG AND RICH, JOE COCKER, SAMMY HAGAR and CHEAP TRICK at the inaugural five-day Rock'n the Rally music festival. The fest, set for August 6th through 10th at the Glencoe Camp Resort in Sturgis, South Dakota, will coincide with the 68th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Isacc Hayes, Ex-Chef, Has New Baby

ISACC HAYES, 63, best known for his 1971 hit "Theme From Shaft," has announced that the soul singer and his wife, Adjowa, have had their first child together, a baby boy. Nana Kwadjo Hayes, which means "King boy born on Monday" in the Ghanaian language, was born April 10th. Hayes has been an honorary king of Ghana since 1992 for his humanitarian work there. The singer was recently the subject of controversy when he left his longtime role as the voice of South Park's Chef because of what he viewed as the show's insensitivity to religious belief's, especially its treatment of Scientology, which Hayes follows.

Hip-Hop, R&B Royalty Ready for BET Awards

MARY J. BLIGE, MISSY ELLIOTT, JAMIE FOXX and BUSTA RHYMES received four nominations each for the 2006 BET Awards, set for Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium on June 27th. Other nominees include KANYE WEST, LIL KIM, MARIAH CAREY, ANTHONY HAMILTON, PRINCE, KEYSHIA COLE and NE-YO. Oscar-winners THREE SIX MAFIA have another chance for a trophy, this time in the Best Group category, where they are up against the BLACK EYED PEAS, DESTINY'S CHILD, FLOETRY and MARY MARY. The event will air live on the network.

Daft Punk Takes Robotic Vision to Big Screen

French electronica two-piece DAFT PUNK have taken a break from beat making and are focusing their energies and vision into a film, entitled Daft Punk's Electroma, which chronicles two robots' journey to become human. The film will begin screening this week as a part of Director's Fortnight, an unofficial addition to the Cannes Film Festival, which begins May 18th. This is not the first time the pair have had a hand in filmmaking. In 2003, the DJs worked with Japanese director Leiji Matsumoto on his animated film Interstella 5555. Last year, the group released Human After All, which reached Number One on the Electronic Albums Chart. This month, the duo performed at the Coachella Festival, their first U.S. appearance in nearly a decade.

Perry Farrell Has a Satellite Party

Lollapalooza founder and former JANE'S ADDICTION and PORNO FOR PYROS frontman PERRY FARRELL hopes to release the debut album from his new band, SATELLITE PARTY, sometime late this summer. The self-titled effort, which includes former EXTREME guitarist NUNO BETTENCOURT, will feature guest appearances from RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS bassist FLEA and guitarist JOHN FRUSCIANTE, along with BLACK EYED PEAS singer FERGIE, NEW ORDER bassist PETER HOOK and Farrell's wife, Etty. The group's first public appearance was at last year's Lollapalooza festival, and, according to Farrell, the band hopes to make a second appearance this year. Satellite Party's first single, "Dogstar," is slated for release this summer. In the meantime, Rhino is preparing a Jane's Addiction box set and plans are in the works to release two of Farrell's films -- 1989's Soul Kiss and 1993's Gift -- on DVD.

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May 16, 2006 6:13 PM

Korn, INXS, the Raconteurs and More

This year's Family Values Tour main-stage acts -- KORN, the DEFTONES, STONE SOUR and FLYLEAF -- will preview the tour's summer sweat this Thursday when each metal act plays four separate U.S. cities. Korn will rock Chicago, the Deftones will kick it in their hometown of Sacramento, Stone Sour will play Kansas City and Flyleaf in Spokane, Washington. Specific venue info has yet to be announced. The thirty-city late summer North American trek is beginning to take shape, set to kick off July 27th in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and wrapping September 20th in West Palm Beach, Florida. Second-stage acts will be revealed in coming weeks. Tickets for the announced tour dates -- with lawn seats going for a measly ten bucks -- go on sale this weekend.

How Much Would You Pay to See INXS?

INXS have added an "all auction" show to their current tour, giving fans a chance to determine how much they're willing to shell out to see them play Santa Barbara, California's Lobero Theatre on June 14th through online ticket marketplace StubHub.com. The first round of auctions for the show, featuring opener SCOTT STAPP, begins Friday morning at stubhub.com/inxs.

The Raconteurs Rack Up Tour Dates

After making their stateside debut with a couple of New York shows last month, the RACONTEURS, who released their album Broken Boy Soldiers this week, will finally make their way across the country. The twelve-date tour, including an August 4th stop at Chicago's Lollapalooza festival, launches on July 16th from Denver, just days after the pop-rock outfit returns from their European tour. Before the summer trek, the Raconteurs will perform in-store at a New York Tower Records on Thursday.

Pop Queens Make -- and Allegedly Endanger -- Babies

Recovering SPICE GIRL GERI HALLIWELL (a.k.a. GINGER SPICE), 33, gave birth to her own Lil' Spice at London's Portland Hospital over the weekend. The actual name of the child, Halliwell's first, has not been announced . . . In other pop progeny news, paparazzi photographed BRITNEY SPEARS driving -- yet again -- with her son, Sean Preston, improperly fastened. The eight-month-old was strapped in the backseat of Spears' car facing forward rather than backward.

Young Jeezy Free and Breezy

Rapper YOUNG JEEZY was acquitted of charges -- two counts of carrying a concealed weapon without a permit -- that linked him to a March Miami Beach shootout. At a brief hearing on Tuesday, Florida prosecutors said they would not pursue the case against the twenty-eight-year-old, whose real name is Jay Jenkins, due to a lack of evidence. Lawyers for Jeezy, who had a gun under his passenger seat when police pulled over a car he was riding in, said the rapper was "simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Ryan Adams Joins Arthur Lee Tribute

Singer-songwriter RYAN ADAMS and NILS LOFGREN (guitarist for the E STREET BAND) have been added to the June 23rd benefit concert for ailing LOVE frontman ARTHUR LEE, at New York's Beacon Theater. DAVID JOHANSEN backed out after citing a new European tour (which we hear kicks off the day after the benefit on June 24th) with his reformed Seventies punk-glam outfit the NEW YORK DOLLS. The evening's main act, ROBERT PLANT, will perform an hour-long set, joined by IAN HUNTER and his band. Other artists on the bill include YO LA TENGO and the debut appearance of FLASHY PYTHON AND THE BODYSNATCHERS (a.k.a. CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH frontman ALEC OUNSWORTH's new side project). Tickets are currently on sale through Ticketmaster, while donations are being accepted for Lee's medical expenses at thelovesociety.com. Benefits in Los Angeles and London remain tentative.

Cohen Appears for Rare Self-Promotion

Legendary and reclusive singer-songwriter LEONARD COHEN appeared in Toronto May 13th to promote his new book, Book of Longing, the musician and author's first in twenty-two years and the twelfth of his decades-spanning career. The book contains poetry, as well as sketches and drawings, by Cohen. At the appearance, the seventy-one-year-old musician performed two of his more famous numbers, "So Long, Marianne" and "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye," with fellow Canadians the BARENAKED LADIES and RON SEXSMITH. Cohen recently won a $9 million lawsuit against his former manager, who stole $5 million from him, leaving the legend with approximately $150,000 to retire on.

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May 15, 2006 5:44 PM

Radiohead, Sum 41, Daniel Powter and More

RADIOHEAD frontman THOM YORKE will make his solo debut with the release of the nine-track album The Eraser, on July 11th. While Yorke and the rest of Radiohead have been working on new material for an upcoming 2007 release, he says he has their blessing for his electronica project -- also featuring production by longtime Radiohead collaborator NIGEL GODRICH (U2, PAUL McCARTNEY) and art by STANLEY DONWOOD (tapped by the band numerous times since working on Radiohead's 1994 EP, My Iron Lung). Radiohead, currently on tour in Europe, will play smaller North American venues -- including two new added dates in San Diego -- this June, breaking to headline the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival on the 17th. More information on The Eraser is available at theeraser.net.

Sum 41 Guitarist Quits the Band

SUM 41 guitarist DAVE BAKSH has left the band to concentrate on his own metal band, BROWN BRIGADE. According to a statement on the band's Web site, the split was friendly and came as no shock to the other members. "The fact is Dave lost interest a long time ago," wrote frontman DERYCK WHIBLEY. Whibley maintains that Baksh has not participated creatively for some time and that his departure will have little effect on the group, who are currently in the midst of recording the follow-up to their 2004 gold album, Chuck.

Daniel Powter to Star in "Idol" Finale

Canadian pop singer DANIEL POWTER will appear on the Season Five finale of FOX's American Idol on May 23rd to perform his hit single, "Bad Day." The song, which is currently Number Two on the singles chart and has sold more than one million digital downloads, has been the closing theme to the program this season, with an average thirty million viewers per episode. Powter is currently planning a North American mini-tour to begin in July.

DMX, True to M.O., Gets Arrested Again

Rapper and actor DMX was arrested and later released by British police Saturday following an incident in which he allegedly refused to fasten his seatbelt and became abusive on an American Airlines flight from New York to London. Like fellow rapper SNOOP DOOG last week, DMX, 35, received a caution from London police -- meaning he accepted responsibility for the incident and a record was filed. In 2004, the rapper served a seventy-day jail sentence for violating the terms of his parole after crashing his car through a security gate at New York's JFK airport. He will release his sixth album, Year of the Dog, Again, this summer.

Marley Bassist Loses Lawsuit, Foots the Bill

Longtime BOB MARLEY collaborator and WAILERS bassist ASTON "FAMILY MAN" BARRETT -- nicknamed for the fifty-two children he fathered -- today lost his lawsuit seeking a share of Marley's royalties. Barrett, who co-wrote "Rebel Music" and co-produced eleven Marley albums, sought $115 million in back royalties on behalf of himself and his late brother CARLTON, the band's drummer. Marley died in 1981 without leaving a will. However, the judge in the case ruled against Barrett, upholding a 1994 settlement in which he accepted $500,000 for his share of royalties. Barrett now faces legal fees of nearly four million dollars.

Duran Duran's LeBon in a Trance

Trance DJ FERRY CORSTEN, who recently re-mixed the theme to FOX's Prison Break, will release his second album, L.E.F. (Loud Electric Ferocious), on August 8th. The album's first single -- currently Number Nine on the Billboard Dance Chart -- features guest vocals by DURAN DURAN frontman SIMON LeBON. In June, Corsten will travel to the States for a short string of club dates.

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May 12, 2006 5:53 PM

Ozzy, a New Outkast Album, Bono and More

OZZY OSBOURNE -- who has helmed the main stage at his namesake festival each summer for a decade -- will make his second-stage headlining debut in San Bernadino, California on July 8th and will take the main stage only at nine of the festival's twenty-six shows. In a post on his Web site the notorious rocker said, "I think it's time for a change. I haven't had a chance to play this close to an audience in years, and I'm looking forward to it." Ozzy will grace the main stage for the last time this summer on August 8th in Bristow, Virginia . . . In other Ozzfest news, outspoken metal rockers SYSTEM OF A DOWN will go on hiatus after this summer's headlining stint. "We've done System for over 10 years, and I think it's healthy for us to get away from it for a while and come back to it later on," frontman DARON MALAKIAN said in a statement last week. "It's not a farewell tour, but it's going to be a little while before we go out again."

Bono Plans a Different Tour

BONO departs on a ten-day trip to Africa next Tuesday, where he will see first-hand the effects of his debt relief campaign for the continent. The U2 frontman will assess poverty and disease in Lesotho, Rwanda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Mali and Ghana. Bono's philanthropic campaign -- including the spearheading of last summer's worldwide Live 8 concerts and the ONE campaign -- paid off last June when G8 finance ministers agreed to cancel the debts of eighteen economically-stagnant countries, including among them all but Lesotho on Bono's forthcoming African itinerary.

Outkast Announce Another Release Date of "Idlewild"

OUTKAST's long-awaited Idlewild soundtrack -- the follow-up to the Grammy-winning blockbuster Speakerboxxx/The Love Below -- drops on August 22nd. But the hip-hop duo -- Andre 3000 and Big Boi -- will also grace the big screen in the Bryan Barber-directed film of the same name, which is slated to hit theaters on August 25th. The flick, set in the Depression-era South, follows the story of a struggling musician (played by Andre 3000) and a lovable Lothario (Big Boi) and will feature background music like "The Train," "Idlewild Blues," "Foot on the Gas," "Cock-A-Doodle Do" and the recently leaked first single "Mighty O."

Bjork, Miles Reissued and Remastered

Remastered versions of BJORK's six studio albums and soundtrack for the Matthew Barney-directed fantasy flick Drawing Restraint 9 will be released in a dual-disc box set collection, dubbed Surrounded, on June 27th. Each album will feature surround sound remixing and videos for songs off each Bjork release. Surrounded will, however, put a fan back $129.98 . . . In other reissues, The MILES DAVIS QUINTET: The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions, a three-disc box set of vintage material from the jazz ensemble -- trumpeter Davis, pianist RED GARLAND, bassist PAUL CHAMBERS, drummer PHILLY JOE JONES and saxophonist JOHN COLTRANE -- will be released on May 23rd.

Bloc Party Is Coming to America

BLOC PARTY -- set to headline both Toronto's Olympic Island festival and Chicago's Intonation Festival in June -- will return to the U.S. for a short late-summer run. Kicking off the run July 28th at Boston's Bank Pavilion with the London hipsters -- who are currently working on the follow-up to their 2005 debut Silent Alarm with producer JACKKNIFE LEE -- on select dates will be joined by psychedelic rockers SECRET MACHINES (July 28th in Boston and July 29th in Brooklyn, New York) and Canadian collective BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE (August 3rd in Los Angeles and August 4th in Berkeley, California). Denmark's MEW are also on board for the entire two-week jaunt. Tickets go on sale beginning May 20th, while pre-sale tickets become available to the band's fan club, Marshals, on May 15th.

Former Destiny's Child Delays Album Release

KELLY ROWLAND's sophomore solo effort, originally pegged for a July release, will be held until early 2007. The move is reportedly a result of the marketing strategy for My Story: Kelly Rowland, the follow-up to 2002's Simply Deep. Keeping busy in the meantime, Rowland will head for Atlanta on May 13th to kick off the five-city Soft-Sheen-Carson/Vixen Model Search for women of color.

Hot Hot Heat Steam Up Web Site

HOT HOT HEAT are heading back to the studio this week in their Vancouver, British Columbia hometown to finish work on their new studio album and follow-up to 2005's Elevator, with new guitarist LUKE PAQUIN. The band will preview their new material, some fifteen plus songs, via videotaped studio sessions appearing on their Web site (www.hothotheat.com) at the end of each week.

More and More and More Festivals

TREY ANASTASIO and MIKE GORDON have been added to the line-up of the 10th annual All Good Music Festival, set for July 14th through the 16th in Masontown, West Virginia. The former PHISH bandmates join a line-up that includes the BLACK CROWES, WEEN, LES CLAYPOOL, ROBERT RANDOLPH and the DISCO BISCUITS . . . In other Disco Biscuits news, the Philly-based jam band will host their fifth Camp Bisco. The annual weekend-long summer festival will be held this year for the first time at Hunter Mountain in New York's Catskills, on August 25th and 26th. This year's Camp Bisco will sport nearly twenty bands (to be announced in the coming weeks) on two stages, with the Disco Biscuits headlining two sets per night, as well as a late-night dance hall that will bump until 4 a.m.

Jeezy, Wall Perform for Community Service Volunteers

Southern-bred rappers YOUNG JEEZY and PAUL WALL will bring their rhymes back home this summer when they headline a concert for young community service volunteers on June 16th at Atlanta's Fox Theatre. ATL native Jeezy and Houston homeboy Wall -- who performed at a volunteer-only Radio City Music Hall show last year -- will perform for local Samaritans who volunteered four hours of community service through Boost Mobile Rock Corps -- a national volunteerism movement -- in exchange for tickets.

Paul Simon Throws a Summer "Surprise"

PAUL SIMON will embark on a month-long summer tour in support of his latest BRIAN ENO-produced album, Surprise, released earlier this week. Simon hit the road in the summer of 2001 with BEACH BOYS mastermind BRIAN WILSON and reunited on the road with his Sixties songwriting partner ART GARFUNKEL in 2003 and 2004. The Surprise tour, which launches July 1st at Milwaukee's annual Summerfest music marathon, will be Simon's first solo tour in North America since his 2001 jaunt in support of You're the One.

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May 11, 2006 6:17 PM

Snoop Dogg, the Stones, She Wants Revenge and More

SNOOP DOGG flew back to England this week to appear at a Heathrow police station where he accepted a "caution," a plea bargain that takes responsibility for an offense in return for no further action in the case. Late last month, Snoop and five members of his entourage were arrested for starting a fight when some were refused into a British Airways' first-class lounge at Heathrow airport. Seven police officers reportedly were treated for minor injuries, while one suffered a fractured hand during the incident. The airline has since banned the multiplatinum rapper from future flights.

Keith Richards Released From Hospital

ROLLING STONES guitarist KEITH RICHARDS was released from Auckland, New Zealand's Ascot Hospital Thursday after undergoing head surgery on Monday to relieve pressure and headaches. On April 27th, the sixty-two-year-old rocker was choppered to the hospital from Fiji where he was treated for a mild concussion, sustained after an undisclosed accident (initial reports varied from a fall from a coconut tree to a jet-ski spill). Richards released a statement thanking his doctors and "the beautiful ladies who make painful nights less painful and shorter." The rocker also added, "I hope I wasn't too much of a pain in the arse -- after all, it was my head that was fixed." Richards will remain under close observation as an outpatient to the hospital, returning for checkups. The Stones, who were scheduled to begin their European summer tour in Barcelona, Spain, later this month, have postponed the tour's launch to June. Openers will include GUNS N' ROSES, KASABIAN, KAISER CHIEFS and the CHARLATANS.

She Wants Revenge, Hold Steady Hit the Road

After the massive boost of opening for DEPECHE MODE's summer tour, Los Angeles indie rockers SHE WANTS REVENGE will headline their own North American jaunt, kicking off in their hometown on June 13th. In August, the band will hit both the Blossom Music Festival in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, on August 3rd before heading to Chicago's Lollapalooza where they will take the stage on August 6th . . . Also touring this summer are Brooklyn indie-punks the HOLD STEADY. The band -- currently in a Hoboken, New Jersey studio laying tracks for their upcoming album -- will preview new songs on the road, starting with a hometown show July 27th and wrapping August 8th in Pennsylvania.

Universal Coughs Up $12 Million in the Name of Payola

Universal Music Group -- the world's largest record label and home to METALLICA, U2, GWEN STEFANI, KANYE WEST, the KILLERS and others -- will pay a $12 million settlement in New York Attorney General ELIOT SPITZER's payola inquiries. Universal was charged with bribing radio station employees for air play. Along with the $12 million that will go toward charity, Spitzer has ordered the label to cough up an additional $100,000 in investigation costs and reform adjustments. Of the four major labels, Universal is the third to get slapped with a settlement: Last July Sony Corp. agreed to pay $10 million, while Warner Music Group followed agreeing to $5 million last November.

Aguilera Going "Back to Basics"

CHRISTINA AGUILERA's third studio album, Back to Basics, originally slated for release in June, will now hit stores August 15th. The pop diva's new album feeds off the vintage jazz of BILLIE HOLIDAY, ETTA JAMES and ELLA FITZGERALD, and reunites Aguilera with songwriter/producer LINDA PERRY, who worked on 2002's Stripped. Basics' first single, "Ain't No Other Man," which the singer will premiere live at the MTV Movie Awards on June 8th, is set to hit stores the following week on June 12th.

Site of Proof Shooting Shuttered

Detroit's 8 Mile Road's C.C.C. club -- where D12 rapper PROOF was shot to death in a gun battle early morning on April 11th -- will shut down operations for a year. Last month prosecutor Kym Worthy sued the notorious late-night spot's owners -- who now will have to pay fines for operating illegally after hours -- citing other disturbances and liquor violations within the past two years the club has been operating. Fine settlements are expected to be announced at a Thursday hearing.

Don't Mess With Tom Petty

TOM PETTY management and Ticketmaster have canceled more than 400 pre-sale tickets for the classic rocker's June 26th and 27th St. Paul, Minnesota shows (with PEARL JAM) after fans complained of finding jacked-up prices on scalper and other secondary market sites. An estimated 800 tickets for Petty's June 20th concert at New York's Madison Square Garden have also been canceled, according to a statement given by a Petty spokesperson to Billboard. Unlike the ROLLING STONES, MADONNA, ELTON JOHN and PAUL McCARTNEY, whose ticket prices reach over a hundred bucks a pop, Petty has remained adamant in keeping tickets for his tour stops priced reasonably, with prices ranging between $45 and $85 per ticket. Petty's summer tour, which will feature tracks off his forthcoming solo album Highway Companion -- launches June 9th in Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition to Pearl Jam, both TREY ANASTASIO and the ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND will support on different legs of the three-month run.

Alice Cooper Honored in North Dakota

Forget Hollywood, veteran rocker ALICE COOPER will put his handprint down on Fargo, North Dakota's Walk of Fame (which we're told is "bustling") when he play's the city's Civic Center on May 15th. But that's not all the Peace Garden State has in store for Cooper, with a population of some 60 -- yup, just 60 people -- the town of Alice, North Dakota will give Alice Cooper its key to the city. Cooper, who hosts the syndicated radio show Nights With Alice Cooper five times a week, hits the road this summer beginning June 30th in St. Paul, Minnesota.

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May 09, 2006 3:50 PM

Duran Duran, Kanye, Pharrell and More

DURAN DURAN will make their first-ever U.S. festival appearance as headliners at the 2006 Voodoo Music Experience, set for Halloween weekend in New Orleans. The glam pop-rockers will helm the stage on the closing night (October 29th) of the two-day event. (Opening night will be headlined by the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS.) Fans can purchase pre-sale tickets from Duran Duran's Web site, duranduranmusic.com. The group has been holed up in a London studio since September, working with producer MICHAEL PATTERSON (BECK, DIDDY) on the follow-up to 2004's Astronaut, due in early 2007.

Teamed-Up Kanye, Pharrell Promise "Number 1"

Celebrated producers KANYE WEST and PHARRELL WILLIAMS will soon be flowing in tandem: Kanye guest raps on "Number 1," the upcoming (and likely prescient) single from the N.E.R.D. frontman's solo LP, In My Mind , due July 25th. The duo recently wrapped shooting in Miami for the video. The much-awaited album -- originally slated for a February 2006 release -- also features cameos by rappers NELLY and SLIM THUG.

Legend's Son Does Dad Proud at Reggae Awards

In a six-nomination sweep, DAMIAN "Junior Gong" MARLEY took home a sextuplet of statues from Saturday night's 25th annual International Reggae and World Music Awards. Marley won such prestigious accolades as Entertainer of the Year, Best Album for Welcome to Jamrock and Best Songwriting Award, along with brother STEPHEN MARLEY. Other winners included Hasidic reggae artist MATISYAHU (Best New Entertainer) and DADDY YANKEE (Best Reggaeton Entertainer). The youngest son of reggae untouchable BOB MARLEY, Damian secured a crossover victory at the Grammy's earlier this year when he became the first reggae artist to win in a non-reggae category. Watch for a jam-packed tour schedule -- appearances include June's Bonnaroo Music Festival and a late-summer stint with BEN HAPPER that kicks off August 19th in Phoenix.

Against Me! and the Attack of the !!! !!! !!!

On August 22nd Against Me! will release their first-ever live album, Americans Abroad!!! Against Me!!! Live in London!!!. The punk rockers latest since 2005's studio release, Searching for a Former Clarity, was recorded during a UK stop at London's Mean Fiddler last March, during a tour in support of the album. Last week the band finished the tour with ALKALINO TRIO and are set to kick off a month-long European trek on May 12th. They'll be joining AFI, NOFX, THURSDAY and JOAN JETT AND THE BLACKHEARTS for this summer's Warped Tour, opening June 15th in Columbia, Maryland. Punk-rockers get your barbecues ready.

Trucks, Truckers Set Sail for a Jam

SPF 8 Patchouli oil? (check) Vacuum-Sealer? (check) Jam Cruise 5 will set sail January 2nd, 2007 for five days and five nights. The fourth annual floating festival -- featuring sets from the DEREK TRUCKS BAND, DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS, BURNING SPEAR, GALACTIC, PERPETUAL GROOVE, TEA LEAF GREEN and ALO -- will embark from Ft. Lauderdale on the luxurious ship MSC Opera, equipped with two pools, satellite TV, internet and for those late-night munchies, 24-hour room service. The boat will make stops in Turks and Caicos and a private island in the Dominican Republic. Online reservations can be made starting June 1st.

Rock Stars Draw, Write and Take Photos

New York-based singer-songwriter JOSEPH ARTHUR -- whose iTunes-exclusive, "In the Sun," was covered earlier this year by REM's MICHAEL STIPE and COLDPLAY's CHRIS MARTIN for Katrina relief efforts -- will release his debut book of original art on May 18th. We Almost Made It, a collection of drawings and poems, will be accompanied by a new instrumental soundtrack called The Invisible Parade . Arthur is currently finishing up a studio album set to be released this fall . . . In other art rock news, ROLLING STONES' bassist BILL WYMAN will unveil his collection of photographs in a self-titled exhibition on June 9th at the San Francisco Art Exchange. The gallery will feature portraits -- shot over four decades -- of Wyman's fellow Stones, as well as ERIC CLAPTON, RINGO STARR and THE WHO. Though never exhibited, Wyman's photography has been featured in five books he's authored since the 90s.

New Set Honors Late Soul Legend Pickett

A double dose of soul will hit shelves July 11th with the release of The Definitive Wilson Pickett, a remastered two-disc set of the late warbler's steamy R&B chart-toppers -- including "In the Midnight Hour," "Land of 1,000 Dances" and the oft-covered "Mustang Sally" -- recorded from 1962 to 1972.

Ghostface Killah, Pitbull Join Line-Ups

Unlikely bedfellows will be sharing the bill at the annual Intonation Music Festival, set for June 24th and 25th in Chicago's Union Park. Former WU-TANG CLAN member GHOSTFACE KILLAH and the reclusive 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS founder ROKY ERICKSON -- in his first appearance outside of Austin, TX in more than 30 years -- are recent additions to the genre-crossing lineup, which includes Brit grime MC LADY SOVEREIGN, Canadian indie rockers the STILLS and Swedish singer-songwriter JOSE GONZALEZ. Tickets are available through intonationmusicfest.com . . . Latino hip-hoppers N.O.R.E., PITBULL, TONY TOUCH and other Reggaeton sensations will hit New York's Nokia Theater May 18th with a Jose Cuervo-sponsored La Nueva Generacion Concert.

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