
- This spring’s Jazz Fest lineup is out, and it’s awesome. Performers include ZZ Top, Rod Stewart, Steely Dan, Van Morrison, Ludacris, Bonnie Raitt and Norah Jones. The festival spans two weekends in April (27-29) and May (4-6), takes place at the New Orleans Fair Grounds, and still boats serious Louisiana roots, as more than 80 percent of this year’s performers are Louisiana natives.
- Guess what? Jerry Lee Lewis is an amusing smartass. According to the New York Post, when Lee Lewis performed recently at B.B. King’s, the opening act, Jack Grace, asked Lewis to sign his guitar. “I don’t sign guitars. I only sign pianos,” The Killer reportedly said. Grace replied, “Yeah, I had a little trouble getting my piano down the stairs.” Jerry Lee’s response? “Well, tough luck, kid.” The man has principles.
- Some version of the Smashing Pumpkins will apparently be playing the “Rock am Ring” and “Rock im Park” festivals in Germany this summer. The band — plus a host of acts like My Chemical Romance, Muse, Wolfmother and Dave Matthews Band — are officially booked. Corgan wants you and your “beautiful souls” to report for hugging duty.
- Albert Hammond Jr. has been collaborating with the cops. On tour in Texas, Hammond Jr.’s tour bus helped stop a major police chase. Hammond wrote this account of the incident on his MySpace page: “It appeared that since our trailer has such a wide load…we proved an obstacle past which no mere pickup truck could speed ahead! But those crazy criminals will do anything to get a laugh, won’t they? Those knuckleheads smashed into our trailer and spun out of control, crashing into the side ramp, and awaited their vacation in the Texas State Penitentiary. Book ‘em, boys!”
- In a racy new biography of Billy Joel, author Mark Bego apparently reveals that Joel once attempted to take his own life. “Billy was so distraught he tried to commit suicide by swallowing furniture polish,” Bego reports. “Later on, he joked that he ended up ‘farting Lemon Pledge for a week.’ ” Gross and sad?
- This is why Madonna hires someone to dispose of her used toilet seats. As the Arctic Monkeys discovered when a group of fans stole a toilet seat from the space where they were shooting their new album cover, there’s always some group of crazy kids around looking to pilfer your throne.
- Mystikal is apparently out of prison. The rapper was being held in federal prison in Louisiana after being sentenced to a six-year sentence for sexual battery (his hairdresser stole from him, so he allegedly made her perform oral sex on him and his buddies) but has apparently been released after serving about half of his sentence.
Update: Reports that Mystikal was released from prison are apparently technically correct, in that he has served out his sentence for the misdemeanor tax conviction he received last year. But, according to AllHipHop.com, the rapper is still reportedly incarcerated, serving out his sentence for the extortion and sexual battery charges.

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- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.