Singer Sammy Strain, who replaced William Powell in the O'Jays from 1976 to 1992, has filed a $15 million civil
lawsuit against his former partners and record label claiming that he never received any royalties from his 16
years with the group. The lawsuit alleges founding members Eddie Levert and Walter Williams conspired to deny him
his share of royalties. Named with Levert and Williams in the lawsuits are producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff
as well as Philadelphia International Records.
Bobby Brown was ordered last week to remain in Massachusetts county jail until he pays $19,000 in late child support
and court fees. According to his attorney Phaedra Parks, "We're diligently working on getting those funds
available from outside sources." The singer did come up with the funds and was released from jail after 3
days there. Parks also talked about the singer's struggle with meeting monthly child support payments to Kim Ward
(the mother of his two teenage kids.) "Although this agreement was put in place when he was Bobby Brown the
star, this agreement is being enforced when he is not always able to find work. He hasn't made an album in quite
some years." It was later reported that the singer's bail was paid for by local radio station 99.5 FM on the
condition that he appeared on their "The Kane Show" for a week. On Friday, Brown backed out of an interview
with the station's morning show and said that he hadn't agreed to be an employee of the station.
Former Phish frontman Trey Anastasio pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to drug charges stemming from a traffic stop
on Dec. 15th. Anastasio is charged with felony counts of illegally possessing prescription painkillers and driving
while impaired. Other misdemeanor charges include possession of heroin and possession of someone else's prescription
anti-anxiety medication. If convicted on all counts, he could get 14 years in prison (although the minimum sentences
involve no incarceration.) The singer was released on bail and is scheduled to return to court on Mar. 27th.
According to a lawyer for James Brown's partner Tomi Rae Hynie, an agreement has been reached over obtaining DNA
samples from the deceased singer in an effort to resolve several paternity claims made against the singer since
his death.
George Strait leads all nominees for the 42nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards with 8 (including entertainer
of the year and top male vocalist.) Vince Gill is up for 3 awards. The ceremony will be held on May 15th in Las
Vegas and air on CBS.
George Benson will be honored by the Society of Singers with the first Satchmo Award on Apr. 27th. The award was
created by the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation for artists who are both generous with their talent and their
time. The Society of Singers have presented the Ella Award for the last 15 years.
Jonathan Cain's remake of the Journey classic, "Faithfully," featuring country artist Mica Roberts holds
the #7 spot on mainstream Adult Contemporary radio. The song comes from his solo album, Where I Live.
Coldcut release their Sound Mirrors Videos & Remixes on DVD via the Ninja Tune imprint from Caroline Records
this week.
According to the BBC, George Michael will reportedly play the first concert at the new Wembley Stadium on June
9th which is expected to have a capacity of 90,000.
Steve Wynn, Camper Van Beethoven and the Smithereens are among the artists contributing tracks to the 36-track
double-disc Clash tribute album, The Sandinista! Project, due out on May 1st. Proceeds from the collection will
be donated to a few charities.
KMFDM are celebrating their 23rd anniversary by opening up communication with their fans. They've set aside a phone
number (1-206-388-3298) with hopes you'll leave original and thoughtful messages for the band. If they like a few
of them, they have opened up the option of possibly using them in the new album.
Reba McEntire has recorded an episode of CMT's Crossroads with Kelly Clarkson which is scheduled to air later this
year.
Bret Michaels is asking fans for help with his next studio effort. He has posted two demo versions of a new song,
"Start Again," on his MySpace page and wants you to vote on which version should be on the new album.
Currently, he has a new song, "Go That Far," available for download at iTunes.
TNT's first new studio album with vocalist Tony Mills, The New Territory, will be released in Europe in June and
Japan in May.
It seems that Toby Keith is turning his hit single with Willie Nelson, "Beer For My Horses," into a feature
film. Keith reportedly has asked Kris Kristofferson about taking a role. No word if Willie is on board. But, Nelson
has released his latest single, "Whatever Happened To Peace On Earth?," as an online download (at main.losthighwayrecords.com)
with proceeds benefitting the National Veterans Foundation.
VH1 Classic (in the U.K.) will have two programs, Top 20 Electric 80s and Top 40 Electric 80s, airing on Mar. 13th
and 14th which features music by Yazoo, Soft Cell, Erasure and Eurythmics.
W.A.S.P. have announced that they will release their new studio album, Dominator, in Scandinavia on Apr. 16th,
the rest of mainland Europe on Apr. 27th and South America and Russia are expected in May.
Bon Jovi and country act Big & Rich have written a new theme song, "We Got It Goin' On" for the 2007
Arena Football League season. The song will be played during the opening video for ESPN's 17-week AFL game telecast
on ABC beginning Mar. 4th. The song is also expected to be included on the upcoming Bon Jovi album.
Former Misfits frontman Michale Graves has released an Internet-exclusive collection of "demos and pre-production
drafts and live outtakes from CBGB in New York City" entitled Demos and Live Cuts Vol. 1.
"Let's Get Together," a song written by Vince Clarke pre-Depeche Mode (although there is a video of the
band messing around with the song in 1981 for Top Of The Pops floating around on YouTube) but never released. Clarke
has re-written the track (with a keyboard sample of "Just Can't Get Enough") for the Boston preteen girl
group Girl Authority for their upcoming album, Road Trip. The song could be heard at the Girl Authority MySpace
page.
Michael Jackson spent Thursday at the fan event he had to reschedule previously in Tokyo. The event gave those
purchasing a $3,500 'platinum ticket' a one-on-one moment (up to 60 seconds) with Jackson (photo taken together),
food, drinks and live music. The next day was 'Fan Appreciation Day with Michael Jackson' where Jackson was supposed
to 'hang out' for at least 3 hours and judge a fan-art contest.
Former Little River Band member Glenn Shorrock has been working on a solo acoustic album entitled Meanwhile...Acoustically
due out later this year.
Mute Records imprint The Grey Area will reissue remastered versions of classic albums by Can. One notable reissue
is the 1986 album Rite Time which saw an unexpected reunion with original vocalist Malcolm Mooney.
Beck's former drummer Matt Sherrod has been hired to replace the late Paul Hester in Crowded House. Sherrod was
on hand for the recording of their new album, Time On Earth. Former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr co-wrote and performs
on one of the album tracks.
A Deep Purple live album, Live At NEC 1993, has been withdrawn from sale by SonyBMG after vocalist Ian Gillian
had said the performance (recorded in Birmingham in 1993) was one of their worst concerts ever and had been re-released
without his knowledge. SonyBMG is investigating why Gillian hadn't heard about the re-release.
Merle Haggard has a few CDs on the way. He releases his collaboration with George Jones, Kickin' Out The Footlights...
Again. On March 20th, his disc with Willie Nelson and Ray Price, Last Of The Breed, hits stores. He also plans
to release his first-ever bluegrass album, Runaway Mama, later this year as well as a Cracker Barrel-exclusive
compilation featuring 6 hits and 6 new tracks.
Joe Lynn Turner will release his new solo studio album, Second Hand Life, via Frontier Records in Europe on Apr.
20th.
Rapper Schoolly D, who last released the album Funk 'n' Pussy, has been busy creating music and recording occasional
narration for the animated series Aqua Teen Hunger Force (which airs as part of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim line-up.)
A new version of Schoolly D's theme for the show has been recorded for the soundtrack to Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Colon Movie Film For Theaters.
Stevie Nicks will see the release of a new retrospective, The Crystal Visions: The Very Best Of Stevie Nicks on
Mar. 14th via Rhino Records. The 18-track collection also comes with a bonus DVD featuring 13 videos with commentary
by Nicks.
Alternative TV, Chris Connelly and the late Nikki Sudden are among the artists that have contributed songs to the
22-track Kevin Coyne tribute album, Whispers From The Offing. The album can be purchased at www.LifeAndLiving.net
Dream Theater have finished work on their new studio album, Systematic Chaos. This will be their first release
since signing with Roadrunner Records.
According to Billboard magazine, Bad Brain's new Adam Yauch-produced studio album, Build A Nation, is due out in
late May/early June via Megaforce Records. According to Yauch, the new Beastie Boys album will hopefully be out
this summer as well.
Megadeth and Image Entertainment have confirmed that on Mar. 6th they will release the new live DVD entitled That
One Night: Live In Buenos Aires. The performance was filmed on Oct. 9th of 2005 in front of over 25,000 fans.
Jayhawks co-founder Mark Olson will release his next solo studio album, The Salvation Blues, on June 15th via Hacktone.
REO Speedwagon have changed the title of their upcoming new studio album from Everyone Loves A Happy Ending to
Find Your Own Way Home. The album will be released on Apr. 3rd.
Alice Cooper has been working on his 31st album which will be titled Along Came A Spider when released in May.
Jason Mizell (Jam Master Jay) was murdered just months after Run DMC had performed at Montreux. On Apr. 3rd, a
DVD and CD are on the way documenting the performance under the title Run DMC Live At Montreux 2001.
Tangerine Dream have announced that they will be releasing, Springtime In Nagasaki, as the first part of an extraordinary
series via EastGate Music to be released in a limited edition on Mar. 23rd. The album was originally composed for
a Japanese business man as a private assignment. Meanwhile, the band has announced that they will release their
new studio album, Madcap's Flaming Duty, on Apr. 2nd.
Legendary country performer Porter Wagoner has recorded a cover of Johnny Cash's "Committed To Parkview"
which was hand-picked by Cash for Wagoner to sing one day. The song appears on his new studio album, Wagonmaster,
due out June 5th.
Bjork will release her new studio album, Volta, on May 7th. This would be her follow-up to 2004's Medulla.
King Diamond's upcoming 13-track new studio album, Gimme Your Soul...Please, is expected to be released as early
as June.
Megadeth are expected to release their new studio album, United Abominations, (tentatively) on May 15th via Roadrunner
Records.
Australian rock artist Billy Thorpe, 60, died on Wednesday in Sydney at Vincent Hospital after suffering a heart
attack. Thorpe fronted the Aztecs in the mid-60s and scored his biggest album in 1979 with the sci-fi/rock opera
Children Of The Sun which became a Top 20 album in the U.S. He followed that with 1980's East Of Eden's Gate, 1981's
Stimulation, 1981's 21st Century Man and in 1987 released Children Of The Sun (Children Of The Sun... Revisited.)
Aside from his recording, Thorpe founded a business that developed electronics for companies (Mattel, Disney and
Universal for example) and scored music for television series' Star Trek, Columbo and War Of The Worlds. He was
recently finishing work on a multimedia project named Tangier.
Drummer Ian Wallace, 60, died of complications from esophageal cancer at UCLA Medical Center last Thursday. Wallace
had stints with many bands but became a better known session drummer during the 1980s recording with: Roy Orbison,
The Traveling Wilburys, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Graham Nash, Chas & Dave, Don Henley, Jon Anderson, Stevie
Nicks, David Lindley and Ron Wood.