George Jones Recovering
March 31, 2006
Even hard-livin' country music legends have to take it easy once in a while.
Veteran honky-tonk rocker and balladeer George Jones was hospitalized for pneumonia Thursday in Nashville, Jones' label Bandit Records announced.
The "He Stopped Loving Her Today" singer is "resting comfortably and is expected to make a full recovery," according to GeorgeJones.com.
Flaming Lips go to "War" on new set (Reuters)
March 31, 2006Reuters - Wayne Coyne says he will forever douse his audience with confetti, but make no mistake about it, the Flaming Lips frontman is angry.
Jazz Saxophonist Jackie McLean Dies at 73 (AP)
March 31, 2006AP - Jazz saxophonist Jackie McLean, a performer and teacher who played with legendary musicians including Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, died Friday. He was 73.
Q&A: Chrissie Hynde takes to the road again, briefly (Reuters)
March 31, 2006
Reuters - With unmistakable vocals, deft
songwriting skills and a cocksure guitar stance, Pretenders
frontwoman Chrissie Hynde has inspired many -- just as she has
surely pissed a few people off.
Yanni Cleared
March 31, 2006
Cue the synths, Yanni is ready to make some happy music.
The single-named New Age wonder has been cleared of roughing up his girlfriend.
The Florida state attorney in Palm Beach County announced Friday that the Grammy-winning Greek-born keyboardist won't face charges stemming from a fight with gal-pal Silvia Barthes earlier this month.
The 51-year-old performer, whose real name is John Yanni Christopher, was arrested Mar. 3 at his multimillion-dollar beachfront spread in the city of Manalpan on a misdemeanor domestic battery count.
Biggie's Big Payday
March 31, 2006
Los Angeles has agreed to write a hefty check to the family of the late Notorious B.I.G.
The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved a $1.1 million payment as a penalty for police negligence in last year's wrongful death trial.
U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper sanctioned the penalty in January, after it came to light mid-trial that a Los Angeles police officer had concealed evidence during the investigation and discovery process, intentionally withholding several documents that seemed to buffet the family's claims that rogue cops were involved in the rapper's death.
A hearing is set for Apr. 26 to determine a new trial date.
Simon Says "Surprise"
March 31, 2006
Paul Simon has a surprise for his fans.
The legendary folk rocker has announced his first album of new material in nearly six years, "Surprise," will hit stores via Warner Bros. Records on May 9. The collection, Simon's first solo foray since 2000's "You're the One," finds the 64-year-old singer-songwriter teaming up with avante garde composer and electronic mastermind Brian Eno.
Janet Jackson single on course for May release (Reuters)
March 31, 2006
Reuters - The first single from Janet
Jackson's as-yet-untitled new album is expected to hit U.S.
radio outlets in May, Virgin Urban president Jermaine Dupri
told Billboard. The album likely will follow at the end of
September.
Latin singer Durcal dies at 61 (Reuters)
March 31, 2006Reuters - The passing of Rocio Durcal, the grand dame of Latin pop and Mexican song, is among the first deaths in a generation of singers who defined a golden, international era in Latin music. Durcal died March 25 in her home city of Madrid. She was 61.
Cassandra Wilson explores new groove (Reuters)
March 31, 2006
Reuters - Cassandra Wilson needed a change.
Yanni in the Clear (E! Online)
March 31, 2006
E! Online - Cue the synths, Yanni is ready to make some happy music.
"Idol" searches for Latin star (Reuters)
March 31, 2006
Reuters - The "American Idol" franchise will go
pan-regional for the first time in its history with the launch
of "Latin American Idol."
Country looks healthy in Q1 (Reuters)
March 31, 2006Reuters - At the close of the first quarter, country is the only major genre to show album sales growth.
Music sales off 0.6 percent in 2005: group (Reuters)
March 31, 2006
Reuters - Despite healthy increases in
digital music revenues in 2005, overall U.S. music industry
sales fell 0.6 percent to $12.27 billion in 2005, according to
the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Yanni Won't Face Domestic Battery Charge (AP)
March 31, 2006
AP - Musician Yanni won't be charged with domestic battery in an alleged dispute with his girlfriend, authorities said Friday.
Russell Simmons and Kimora split (Reuters)
March 31, 2006
Reuters - Hip hop power couple Russell Simmons
and Kimora Lee Simmons, a model and head of the Baby Phat
fashion label, have separated after seven years of marriage,
Russell Simmons' agent said on Friday.
A Replacements Reunion (E! Online)
March 31, 2006
E! Online - More than 15 years
since splitting, the surviving members of seminal '80s alt-rock outfit
the Replacements--singer-guitarist Paul Westerberg, bassist Tommy
Stinson and drummer Chris Mars--have reunited to record two new tracks.
Digital Music Softens Drop in Album Sales (AP)
March 31, 2006
AP - Global sales of digital music are continuing to rise, generating revenues of $1.1 billion for record companies last year and softening an overall slump in music sales, the industry said Friday.
James Levine to Open the Boston Symphony (AP)
March 31, 2006AP - Conductor James Levine will open the Boston Symphony Orchestra's 2006-07 season on Sept. 29, after a shoulder injury kept him off the schedule for much of the current season, which ends in May.
Courtney & Nirvana: Smells Like a Sellout (E! Online)
March 31, 2006
E! Online - Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"--coming soon to a soap ad
near you?
Apple Corps, Apple Computer Feud Over Logo (AP)
March 31, 2006
AP - Apple Corps Ltd., is like a doting parent when it comes to The Beatles, looking after their interests and promoting their recordings, but it also makes sure no one tries to mess with the band's legacy.
Country Singer George Jones Hospitalized (AP)
March 31, 2006
AP - Country singer George Jones has been hospitalized for pneumonia, his record label said Friday.
A Replacements Reunion
March 31, 2006
Put out a welcome mat for the 'Mats.
More than 15 years since splitting, the surviving members of seminal '80s alt-rock outfit the Replacements--singer-guitarist Paul Westerberg, bassist Tommy Stinson and drummer Chris Mars--have reunited to record two new tracks.
The songs, "Message to the Boys" and "Pool & Dive," were written by Westerberg and will be included on "Don't You Know Who I Think I Was?: The Best of the Replacements" compilation due out June 13 on Rhino Records.
Nirvana Sells Out
March 31, 2006Courtney Love has sold off 25 percent of the publishing rights to her rock icon husband's song catalog, Rolling Stone reports. The deal, struck with Larry Mestel, the former COO of Virgin Records and current head of Primary Wave Music Publishing, not only adds a pretty penny to Love's pockets, but paves the way for the Nirvana catalog to be commercially optioned.
Russell Simmons, Kimora Lee Break Up (AP)
March 31, 2006
AP - The marriage of hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and his model-turned-entrepreneur wife, Kimora Lee, has come to an end.
Train disappoints at L.A. stop (Reuters)
March 31, 2006Reuters - Three years ago, Train rolled into the Wiltern with surprising power, reeling off a show so intense that it ranked among the best performances of 2003. Unfortunately, the 2006 edition couldn't quite reach the bar that singer Pat Monahan and crew had set. Wednesday's performance wasn't a Train wreck, but it wasn't an inspiring or motivating event, either.
Newcomer Carlile keeping busy on promotional trail (Reuters)
March 31, 2006Reuters - Brandi Carlile has been touring continuously since she released her self-titled debut album last summer. But the 23-year-old singer/songwriter wouldn't have it any other way.
Village People Cop Caught
March 31, 2006
The Village People's original cop has run afoul of the law once again.
Victor Willis, the flamboyant disco band's former lead singer, was collared in San Francisco Sunday after disappearing last year while drug and gun charges were pending against him. He was due in court Tuesday.
Graceland Forever
March 31, 2006
Elvis may have left it, but this building will be sticking around for a long time.
The U.S. Department of Interior officially designated Graceland, the beloved Memphis mansion where the King of Rock 'n' Roll died in 1977, a national historic landmark on Monday.
Lisa Tucker Voted Off 'American Idol' (AP)
March 31, 2006
AP - She chose the wrong song. Sixteen-year-old Lisa Tucker was voted off "American Idol" on Wednesday, with viewers clearly agreeing with judges who slammed her rendition of 2002 Idol winner Kelly Clarkson's ballad "Because of You."
Paris, Three 6 to Record
March 31, 2006
Three 6 Mafia just made it easier out there for an heiress.
The Oscar-winning rappers said Tuesday that they will produce and record tracks for Paris Hilton's upcoming debut album, which has been in the works practically since Hilton hit the party circuit.
"We ran into her at a William Morris Agency party, and she said she liked our song 'Stay Fly' and asked, could we work with her," Jordan "Juicy J" Houston told the Commercial Appeal, a Memphis, Tennessee, newspaper. The other members of the "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp"-rappin' trio are Paul "DJ Paul" Beauregard and Cedric Coleman.
Prince's Chart Coronation
March 31, 2006
Prince is purple reigning on the charts.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who launched his career nearly three decades ago, scored his first ever number one debut as "3121" rolled up sales of 183,000 copies for the week ended Sunday, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Here's a list of the top-selling albums:
1. "3121," Prince
2. "High School Musical" soundtrack, various
3. "Back to Bedlam," James Blunt
4. "The Greatest Songs of the Fifties," Barry Manilow
5. "In My Own Words," Ne-Yo
Britney Legal-palooza
March 31, 2006
Britney Spears hasn't released a new song for a couple of months, but that's not keeping the pop tart from being in heavy rotation--at least among the legal set.
The songwriters behind Spears' 2005 opus "Do Somethin'" have filed suit against a South Korean pop composer, alleging he ripped them off.
Meanwhile, three former bodyguards have sued Spears-affiliated companies for a litany of labor-law violations.
Spears isn't directly named in either legal action and had no comment on the lawsuits Wednesday.
Spector's Sex Suit
March 31, 2006
The hits keep coming for Phil Spector--much to his chagrin.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame music producer, and current murder defendant, is now being sued for $5 million by his former personal assistant for sexual harassment and breach of contract.
In a complaint filed last week in Los Angeles Superior Court, Michelle Blaine claims her ex-boss harassed her, appeared naked in front of her and once asked her to find him a prostitute. She also claims than on another occasion he asked her to join him and a prostitute in a hotel room.
Spector is due to go on trial in September for the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson. He has denied all charges.
Sambora's Bad Break
March 31, 2006
Seems Richie Sambora can't catch a break these days. Oh, wait...
Just weeks after Heather Locklear filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences, the Bon Jovi guitarist is nursing a broken arm suffered during a nasty spill in his Los Angeles home.
Sambora, 46, is expected to be cleared to play the band's tour of Japan next month.
K-Fed "Playing with Fire"
March 31, 2006
Who needs a record label when you have, umÂ… yeah.
Well, Kevin Federline has decided that he doesn't need no stinkin' contract. Federline--rapper, dancer, reality star and Mr. Britney Spears--announced Tuesday that his debut album "Playing with Fire" will come out in August, although he's still "weighing his options" regarding what record company to sign with, according to his rep Marilyn Lopez, per MTV News.
"My album is sure to set the dance floors across the world on fire!" Federline said in a statement. "The inspiration and meaning behind the title Playing with Fire is self-explanatory."