Phish lead singer Trey Anastasio missed one of his weekly court-ordered counseling sessions and wound up spending
two days recently in an upstate New York jail. The order stemmed from his guilty plea to possessing painkillers
without a prescription during a December 2006 traffic stop.
Bjork's headlining performance in Sydney, Australia's, Big Day Out festival on Jan. 25th was canceled due to swelling
of her vocal cords. Organizers were unable to find a replacement to fill her slot due to the late notice of the
cancellation.
Morrissey has been forced to reschedule the remaining dates of his residency at the Camden Roundhouse after the
singer lost his voice in the middle of his fourth number on Friday night's performance.
Garth Brooks' The Ultimate Hits fell 5 places to #14 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. The Eagles' Long Road
Out Of Eden dropped 7 spots to #15.
"Into The Night" by Santana featuring Chad Kroeger climbed one place to #26 on the Billboard Hot 100
Singles chart.
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' Raising Sand has ascended 3 spots to #2 on the U.K. Album chart. Garth Brooks'
The Ultimate Hits debuted at #11.
Recoil's latest album, subHuman, recently won the Best Electronic Album of 2007 at the Imagine Games Network awards.
The Career Achievement Award will be given to Charlie Daniels during the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame dinner and
awards ceremony to be held on Mar. 4th during the annual Country Radio Seminar in Nashville.
Vocalist Ali Campbell has left UB40 after 28 years. A post by the singer explains, "Contrary to some of the
misleading, false information and accusations that have been circulating in recent months, the reason for my departure
from the band is not, as has been stated, due to my wanting to pursue a solo career. That is not the truth!! The
reasons are, that because of management difficulties which have been ongoing for almost 5 years now, I felt I had
no other option but to resign from my band, as the situation became intolerable. This decision has not been taken
lightly and has come as a result of a long, painful and agonizing thought process." He does expect the band
to carry on without him and his last show with the group will be in Uganda in February. A spokesperson for the
band has denied that the band's management had anything to do with his departure and that it came up during the
last group meeting. The seven remaining members of the band are "deeply shocked and naturally disappointed
at receiving a letter from Ali's solicitors several weeks prior to his departure from the band." The group
reportedly held off on the release of their new studio album, 24/7, to allow Ali the time to promote his solo album,
Running Free. 24/7 will be released in May and no word on how this will affect their planned 2008 tour to support
it.
Steve Winwood has signed a deal with Columbia Records for the release of his new studio album, Nine Lives, on Apr.
8th.
Sham 69 frontman Jimmy Pursey and guitarist Dave Parsons have both laid claim to the band name after a bitter recent
split. Parsons is touring under the band name with bassist Rob Jefferson, drummer Ian Whitewood and new vocalist
Tim 'Scazz' Scargill. Last year Pursey began writing new material with former Sham bassist Matt Sargent under the
name Day 21 to avoid future confusion.
Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash recently told Billboard.com that he would like to start work on the band's third
album in April. He also hopes to start work on a solo album that will feature many guest vocalists.
During a meeting on Jan. 28th, Bono handed an iPod to Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda according to the New
York Daily News. Also attending the meeting were former U.K. prime minister Tony Blair and Bill Gates. The gift
was reportedly made in a bid to help end poverty in Africa.
The Charlatans U.K. will release their 10th studio album, You Cross My Path, as a free download at www.xfm.co.uk
and their www.thecharlatans.net on Mar. 3rd. A physical CD and vinyl release is planned for May 19th through Cooking
Vinyl. This is all preceded by the free download of their next single, "Oh! Vanity," on Feb. 25th.
"Supernatural Superserious" will be the first single from R.E.M.'s new studio album, Accelerate, due
out Apr. 1st. Meanwhile, frontman Michael Stipe was recently dismissed from jury duty after citing that he could
not be fair or impartial in a case of sexual assault on a 12 year-old by a 32 year-old male in a school restroom.
Former Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason will be considered and has accepted an invitation to run for president of
the Guild of Motoring Writers during their annual meeting in April. Mason has been involved in the sport since
the 1970s, has entered the Le Mans car race 5 different times, has contributed to a number of publications and
his late father was a former member of the Guild.
Dave Gahan's Hourglass Remixes is on the way. A special U.S. only vinyl + bonus CD will be released in North American
independent record stores on Mar. 11th. Meanwhile, depeche-mode.com reports that the group met earlier this month
and have agreed to enter the studio in March to work on the new album which could be out by the end of the year.
MC Lyte has a new hip-hop project named Almost September. The trio on the project are Lyte, producer/writer/vocalist
Whitey and producer/writer Jared Lee. They have been working in the studio finishing up their self-titled debut
album (due out the first quarter of 2008) which includes their first single, "Beautiful."
Metallica reportedly will release their ninth studio album in September. A band representative neither confirmed
nor denied the date when talking to Rock Radio. The album will be their first since 2003's St. Anger.
According to Todd Rundgren, the New Cars are on "indefinite hiatus at this point." The window is open
for them to get together for private and corporate dates. In the interim, Rundgren has plans to start working on
his new solo album in February.
Ringo Starr's appearance on Live with Regis and Kelly last week was abruptly canceled after he was given last-minute
notice (due to a miscommunication between his publicist and the musical director) that he would have to cut the
performance of his song on the show from over 4 minutes down to 2 1/2 minutes or less.
Guitarist Dave Navarro recently told Blabbermouth.net that Jane's Addiction could make amends in time to go on
tour in the next few months. "My love of music outweighs any old baggage that might have been." "As
I have said in the past... if Van Halen and the Eagles can get over their issues, I don't see why we can't."
This would be well timed as box set and DVD projects from the band's history are in the works.
Pere Ubu have recorded a cover of Kevin Coyne's "Turpentine" for a tribute CD that has been in the works.
The song can be purchased at: http://www.hearpen.com/hr122.html
After being dormant for a long time, www.nkotb.com, the official Web site of New Kids On The Block has relaunched.
The site features a television playing a video of their past accomplishments and teases to something more... possibly
soon. "Millions of fans around the world await their return. Are you ready?" Fans can hang tough for
the duration and sign up at their site for upcoming information. The reunion would coincide with the 20th anniversary
of their 8x platinum album, Hangin' Tough. Worldwide sales of the album exceed 20 million copies.
Michael Jackson has a new single... well, an old single that is new again. "Wanna Be Startin' Something 2008"
with Akon has been made available as a download at iTunes. It can also be heard at ClearChannelMusic.com. The song
comes from the 25th Anniversary Edition of Thriller due out on Feb. 12th. Meanwhile, former Fugee Wyclef Jean reportedly
told U.K. tabloid The Sun that Jackson still owes him thousands of dollars for his work in the studio with the
singer in 1997 after the release of the remix album, Blood On The Dancefloor.
A music video for Dream Theater's "Forsaken" has been created by Japanese animation studio GONZO and
director Yasufumi Soejima. The video premiered on MTV2's Headbanger's Ball on Jan. 26th. The song comes from their
latest album, Systematic Chaos. If you missed the premiere, you can catch it at the HeadBangersBlog.MTV.com with
a song summary by guitarist John Petrucci. (Look for the post on Jan. 24th.)
There are reports claiming the Rolling Stones are in talks with Warner Bros. Records about the possible sale of
their rights to their back catalogue. According to the Observer, rival labels Sony and Universal are considering
joining talks.
A rumor of a duet between Beyonce and Tina Turner occurring during the Grammy Awards has surfaced although unconfirmed.
Whitesnake will release their new studio album, Good To Be Bad, via SPV/Steamhammer in late April. The album comes
in time to celebrate the group's 30th anniversary.
Original members of Clannad (Moya Brennan, Ciaran Brennan, Noel Duggan and Padraig Duggan) have reunited with plans
to tour the U.K. for the first time in a decade.
Glenn Hughes posted a message to his GlennHughes.com official Web site saying that he has finished work on his
new studio album (due out in early May) and expects to announce the title of the album at the site and his MySpace
page shortly.
John Mellencamp's T-Bone Burnett-produced new studio album will be titled Life, Death, Love And Freedom when released
later this year. Mellencamp will also be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March.
Queensryche's Geoff Tate will make his long-awaited acting debut in a film entitled House Of Eternity. The film
will include music by Blackmore's Night (which features vocalist Candice Night who plays Tate's wife in the film.)
Canadian heavy metal act Anvil are the subject of a new documentary, Anvil! The True Story Of Anvil, that was screened
at the Sundance film festival last week.
Keep your eyes open during the Super Bowl on Feb. 3rd for a Bridgestone tire commercial. Why? Well, you have to
wonder what happens when you put Alice Cooper, Richard Simmons and an albino snake in the same room.
Joe Satriani's 13th solo studio album, Professor Satchafunkilus And The Musterion Of Rock, will be released via
Sony/BMG on Apr. 1st. Joe's son, ZZ Satriani, makes a special appearance on the disc playing tenor sax.
Willie Nelson will have a busy 2008. On Jan. 29th, he will release his new studio album, Moment Of Forever. Then
a new 4-disc 100-track boxed set, One Hell Of A Ride, will be released on Apr. 1st via Legacy Recordings. On top
of that, Legacy will celebrate his 75th birthday in style by releasing a single-disc compilation, #1s, on Apr.
29th (the day before his birthday.)
The new Morcheeba single, "Enjoy The Ride," from their upcoming album, Deep Dive, features vocalist Judie
Tzuke. Tzuke, best known for her 1981 hit single, "Stay With Me Till Dawn," is featured on three of the
tracks appearing on Deep Dive.
Caroline Records has announced that they will release collectible limited edition remastered versions of Hurricane's
3 albums (1985's Take What You Want, 1988's Over The Edge and 1990's Slave To The Thrill) on Feb. 2nd. Despite
a limited physical release, the albums will be made available digitally.
Dr. Dre has been recruited by rapper Trick Trick to appear on the song, "Hold On," which will surface
on the upcoming album, The Visitor.
The Levellers plan to release the songs "A Life Less Ordinary" and "The Cholera Well" from
their forthcoming new studio album as a free download on Mar. 3rd from www.levellers.co.uk.
Robbie Dupree is expected to release his new studio album, Time And Tide, in Europe via the Zinc Music label on
Apr. 23rd. The disc is his first collection of studio-recorded original songs in many years.
Barry Manilow's television special, Songs From The Seventies, filmed in September will be heading to stores as
a double-DVD set via Rhino Records on Jan. 29th.
Ministry & Co-Conspirators will release Cover Up (their tribute to rock songs mainly from the 8-track era)
on Apr. 1st.
Robert Plant will be touring with Alison Krauss until September. For those holding out hope that a full Led Zeppelin
tour may happen, you'll have to wait until after that tour for it to be a possibility.
Singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen, who will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Mar. 10th, has plans
to tour in Canada, the U.S. and Europe this year. This will be his first tour in 15 years.
Dokken have posted 3 song samples from their upcoming album, Lightning Strikes Again, on their official Web site's
Music section. The album is due out in April via Rhino Records (and Frontiers Records in Europe.)
Rhino has announced that they will release a remastered and expanded version of the Lemonheads' 1992 album, It's
A Shame About Ray," on Mar. 25th. The set will include 10 more tracks (23 songs in total) than the original
made up of demos, the B-side "Shaky Ground" as well as a bonus live DVD containing the previously-released
(1993 on video) Two Weeks In Australia.
Former Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm has reportedly started a new band with his brothers Richard and Ben Grammatico
(as well as drummer Don Mancuso and keyboardist Andy Knoll.) Plans are to record an album with the group as well
as a few other album projects.
Ted Nugent has lent his name to a line of tool storage units. The limited-edition Snap-on's Ted Nugent Spirit Of
The Wild roll cabinets and accessories are meant to serve hunting and other outdoor sports enthusiasts.
Statler Brothers founding members Don and Harold Reid will release a new book, Random Memories, on Feb. 19th.
According to Axl Rose's manager, Chinese Democracy was finished before Christmas and negotiations are underway
for the release of the album.
Tiffany plans to release a limited edition CD package (500 copies) which includes her Just Me and Dust Off And
Dance CDs as well as a demo disc. The demo CD contains early recordings (from her country days) and newer demos
from Color Of Silence and Just Me sessions, a demo of her single, "Higher," as well as an autographed
photo. Purchase information has been posted in the blog section of her MySpace page (www.myspace.com/tiffanymusic).
Slayer's Reign In Blood (33 1/3) will be the title of a new book by D.X. Ferris to be released via Continuum International
Publishing Group on Apr. 15th about the group's classic 1986 album.
Klaus Schulze plans to release the albums Virtual Outback and Live At KlangArt (a double-disc set from his 2001
performance at the festival) on Feb. 22nd via Revisited Records.
Keyboardist Ray Manzarek has signed a deal with Friday Music for the release of, Ballads Before The Rain, his collaboration
with guitarist Roy Rogers due out in April. The album will include reprisals of a few Doors favorites as well as
7 new songs.
Winger will release their new CD & DVD Winger Live '07 in the U.S. on Feb. 5th.