ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus has been accused by Swedish tax authorities
of "paying less tax" (about $2.1 million) than he should have done on royalties from the group's hits.
Essentially, Ulvaeus was told to pay 65 million kronor but the Swedish government initially demanded 87 million
kronor from him last year for royalties going back decades.
Russian billionaire Vladimir Potanin reportedly paid George Michael $2.9 million to perform in Moscow for him and
300 friends on New Year's Eve. A spokesman for the singer has said that a small fire started after Michael left
the venue. It is believed that the fire may have started from left-over pyrotechnics from the show and damage to
his equipment has yet to be assessed. Water by fire crews is believed to have caused the more damage than the flames.
Phish's Trey Anastasio, 42, appeared in court on Jan. 3rd in Whitehall, New York, and issued a not guilty plea
to a drug possession charge (which a prosecutor said could be bumped up to a felony.) He is due back in court on
Feb. 14th.
The class of 2007 Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame inductees have been announced. Van Halen (including both David Lee
Roth and Sammy Hagar), R.E.M., Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Patti Smith and the Ronettes will be inducted
on Mar. 12th in New York City.
The officially sanctioned remix of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall" by Eric Prydz vs. Floyd,
entitled "Proper Education," landed at #2 on the U.K. Singles chart last week followed by U2's "Window
In The Skies" at #4.
In an interview with Billboard.com, Black Eyed Peas principle Will.i.am confirmed long-standing rumors that he's
working with Michael Jackson on a new album which is tentatively due before the end of the year.
More than 300 items from Whitney Houston's 1999 world tour (including microphones, speakers, grand pianos, amplifiers,
drum kits, designer clothing, a vintage barber chair and a fork lift) will be auctioned off on Jan. 9th in an effort
to cover unpaid storage fees. Houston is divorcing Bobby Brown after 14 years together and some of his music awards
will be in the same auction. The couple's home in Alpharetta, Georgia, was sold at a court sale in November after
going into foreclosure. It will cost bidders $100 to enter the auction held at the Irvington warehouse by A.J.
Willner Auctions.
Missing Persons drummer Terry Bozzio, 56, will replace Korn drummer David Silveria during his temporary hiatus
according to a band spokesperson. He is expected to fill in for at least one album and tour.
Play.com has a U.K. release date of Apr. 16th set for the new currently untitled studio album by Nine Inch Nails.
Albums are usually released on Monday there leading one to believe the following day to be the U.S. date.
Paul McCartney plans to breathe new life into an abandoned John Lennon solo track, "Now And Then," for
inclusion on his next album. He, George Harrison and Ringo Starr reworked two other Lennon solo tracks ("Free
As A Bird" and "Real Love") for the Beatles' Anthology albums.
Former Ratt vocalist Stephen Pearcy has agreed to a management deal with Jeff Keller Management LLC. Keller will
represent Pearcy for his solo work and assist with development of Top Fuel Records (Pearcy's label.)
Kurtis Blow's new project (with Chris Flow and Ricky B.) released their album, Just Do It, in December featuring
the new single, "Crunk Wit It."
Norman Cook (a.k.a. Fatboy Slim) will plans to take a break this year. He will work with Danny Elfman on the soundtrack
to a new Disney animated film but other than that he reportedly will be resting.
Roger Waters has collaborated with composer Howard Shore and producer James Guthrie on the original song "Hello
(I Love You)" which will be featured in the upcoming sci-fi film The Last Mimzy which is due for release nationwide
on Mar. 23rd.
Alarm frontman Mike Peters is celebrating the birth of his son, Evan, who arrived on Jan. 2nd at Glan Clwyd hospital
at Dodelwyddan. This is Peters and wife Jules second son since undergoing fertility treatment in 2003.
Soft Cell vocalist Marc Almond has announced that his upcoming studio album, Dining With Panthers, should be his
last album of original songs when released in 2008. A collection of his favorite cover songs is due out this month.
Minuteman founding bassist Mike Watt was drafted by American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson to provide "fuzz bass,
fills and solos" for 6 tracks set to appear on her next album. Watt has been playing recent shows with the
reunited Stooges.
Celine Dion will end her 5-year run on the Las Vegas Strip with her final performance at Caesars Palace on Dec.
15th.
No More's Tina Sanudakura and Andy Schwarz are working on songs for a new studio album. Meanwhile, they recently
released a new double-disc compilation entitled REMAKE/REMODEL that contains a disc of past and present work and
a disc containing remixes and videos of their 1981 underground hit "Suicide Commando."
Greg Kihn celebrates his 10th anniversary on the airwaves in the greater San Francisco and Oakland area this year.
He also launches his new nationally syndicated radio program, Greg Kihn's Big Rock Beat, in the next few months.
Robert Plant plans to reunite his 1950s and 60s cover band The Honeydrippers for a concert billed as An Evening
Of Rhythm And Blues. The event will help pay for life-saving Proton Beam therapy for his friend Jackie Jennings.
There is no word on who will be in the band lineup.
Morrissey has released a U.S.-only iTunes download of a 6-track EP entitled I Want To See The Boy Happy. The collection
includes 4 live tracks (two versions of "I Want The One I Can't Have," "Speedway" and "Late
Night, Maudlin Street) as well as the title track and "Sweetie Pie."
Cocteau Twins vocalist Elizabeth Fraser will release her solo debut album in the spring. The singer did release
limited edition recording called Underwater in 2000 (of which only 200 were made.)
The recording of Judas Priest's new concept album about 16th century French physician, astrologer and prophet Nostradamus
is going so well that it could be released in the middle of this year.
Variety's Liz Smith has reported that Kirsten Dunst is "seriously mulling" over the idea of starring
in an upcoming Blondie biopic.
Former Spandau Ballet vocalist Tony Hadley starts his 8-week run as Billy Flynn in the London cast of Chicago starting
Jan. 29th.
Lisa Lisa is currently in the studio recording her seventh album which is due out this winter via Mass Appeal Entertainment
and Universal Records.
Uriah Heap have signed an exclusive worldwide recording deal with Sanctuary Records for what will be their 21st
official studio album. Recording is expected to take place as early as March with pre-production rehearsals next
month. The album could be out by late summer.
According to producer J.R. Rotem, Dr. Dre's highly anticipated new studio album, Detox, is the rapper's highest
priority this year (as last year Dre was focusing on albums by the Game and Busta Rhymes.)
Magazine will reissue four of their studio albums including 1980's The Correct Use Of Soap and 1981's Magic, Murder
And The Weather with bonus tracks in the U.K. on Mar. 5th. Vocalist Howard Devoto will see his 1983 solo album
Jerky Versions Of The Dream will be reissued the same day.
According to a post at their MySpace page, Poison are planning to record classic rock covers album. The group are
asking fans to post song suggestions before Jan. 10th with plans to release the album in late spring.
Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry has been recording an album of Bob Dylan covers. The 11-track album entitled Dylanesque
is expected out on Mar. 5th. The singer has also signed on to model Marks & Spencer's menswear line.
Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades's album, Influence, has been pushed back from a Feb. 20th release date to Mar. 6th.
Eddie Money's new single, "You Don't Know Me," has been sent to adult contemporary, classic rock and
album rock radio stations. His new album, Wanna Go Back, will be released on Mar. 13th. His song, "Everybody
Loves Christmas," recently peaked at #13 on the Holiday Singles chart.
Prince is reportedly in the development stages for his own music-centered publication, 3121 Magazine. The singer
has been talking with some Las Vegas publishers about the project as he started his residency at the 3121 club
at the Rio Hotel in November.
Wet Wet Wet vocalist Marti Pellow and singing partner (actress Hannah Waterman) have won performance BBC TV reality
series Just The Two Of Us. The series placed 8 celebrities with 8 singers to perform duets.
Former Stone Roses singer Ian Brown has recorded about 6 songs in his new Manchester 'supergroup' project, The
World Is Yours, with former Smiths bassist Andy Rourke and former Happy Mondays guitarist Paul Ryder. Meanwhile,
another 'supergroup' with Andy Rourke called Freebase are looking for a singer. The group includes Rourke, New
Order bassist Peter Hook and former Stone Roses bassist Mani.
Sananda Maitreya (formerly Terence Trent D'Arby) plans to be busy this year. He recently has posted a new song,
"Soldier's Groove," at his Web site (at http://www.sanandamaitreya.com/ecommerce/video.php) as a free
download.
Kylie Minogue's U.K. label Parlophone has released her first-ever live album, Showgirl Homecoming Live, this week
which features 29 of her greatest hits (including a few covers.)
Will To Power recently self-released their Spirit Warrior Remix EP. The disc contains new mixes from their 2005
studio album, Spirit Warrior, and a link to purchase the EP can be found at their MySpace page (myspace.com/willtopowermusic).
David Bowie turned 60 today. According to the U.K. newspaper The Independent, the Thin White Duke is worth an estimated
$230 million (25% of that was reportedly earned during his 2003-2004 Reality Tour.) A quiet birthday celebration
was planned with his family.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen will stream their debut album on their MySpace page starting today until the
Jan. 23rd album release. The band features Paul Simonon formerly of The Clash.
The Pet Shop Boys' album track "Kings Cross" from 1987's Actually has been covered by vocalist Tracey
Thorn of Everything But The Girl. The song will appear on her new solo album due out this spring.
Lillian Axe plan to release their new studio album, Water's Rising, early this year. The band recently signed a
new deal with Metro City Records, a division of Screaming Ferret Wreckords, and distributed by Fontana/Universal.
Singer/songwriter/actor/businessman Del Reeves (born Franklin Delano Reeves) lost his lengthy battle with emphysema
and other ailments on New Year's Day in his Centerville home at the age of 73. Reeves joined the Grand Ole Opry
in 1966 and recorded several edgy country hit singles. He released Here's Del Reeves and Let's Go To Heaven Tonight
in 1986 as well as Baby I Love You in 1987.
Vocalist Stuart "Snake" Neil of British metal act Tobruk passed away recently according to a post by
his cousin David Linger. "It is with regret I have to inform you that 'Snake' passed away today, being still
a young man. He lived his life fast and what a life he lived in Kettering Northants." Neil left Tobruk in
1988 and proceeded to work with the bands Idol Rich and the Wildhearts.