51 year-old pianist Yanni (a.k.a. John Yanni Christopher)
faces a domestic battery charge after he was arrested at his Manalpan, Florida, home after an alleged dispute with
his girlfriend. Yanni denies the allegations. According to the police report, the musician asked his girlfriend,
Silvia, to leave his home on Thursday night. She reported that he grabbed her arms and shook her, throwing her
on the bed, and jumped on top of her when she attempted to pack her clothes. Yanni told police that she kicked
him and may have injured his finger. He has also released a statement saying, "These allegations are cruel,
false, without merit and baseless."
Marvin Young (a.k.a. Young MC) has filed a lawsuit against music publisher Varry White Music, Inc. over the "commercial
exploitation" of his compositions (which include the Tone Loc hits "Funky Cold Medina" and "Wild
Thing") in which claims a breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and breach of implied covenant of good
fair dealing. Young alleges that his auditor has also been denied access to related documents to be able to conduct
a meaningful audit.
Bobby Brown was arrested on Friday night. Brown was attending his daughter's high school cheerleading tournament
when a police officer conducting a warrant check discovered 14 year-old misdemeanor charges of unlicensed operation
of a motor vehicle and having an uninsured motor vehicle trailer. Brown was reportedly cooperative while detained
for about an hour and was released on $40 bond.
The two men who have been charged with conspiracy stemming from their secretly videotaping Michael Jackson and
his lawyer 2 years ago on a private plane (which was heading to Santa Barbara where Jackson would submit to the
child-molestation investigation, trial and later acquittal) have pleaded guilty. Both men face 5 years of prison
and have a hearing scheduled for July 12th. Meanwhile, Jackson's Neverland Ranch has been closed. Workers at the
estate on Thursday were barred from the property by the state of California due to the expiration of their workers
compensation insurance policy for which Jackson has been fined $69,000. The "stop order" was issued only
after a worker reported on Tuesday that a co-worker (who had been injured) did not have the state-required health
coverage. Ranch operators have 5 days to appeal the order and fine. If workers violate the order and return to
work, the California Department of Industrial Relations can seek criminal charges or file a lawsuit. A letter was
sent on Tuesday by the department to an accounting firm handling Jackson's business demanding payment of $306,000
in wages. An investigation into the complaints is continuing.
Bernie Salazar Ortiz has been ordered to temporarily keep away from singer Linda Ronstadt until a case against
him can be heard in Arizona's Pima County Superior Court. The protective order comes after almost 10 years of stalking
according to Ronstadt's claims.
Boy George (a.k.a. George O'Dowd) pled guilty last week in Manhattan Criminal Court to falsely reporting a burglary
last October. The related drug possession charges were dropped although the singer was still ordered to attend
a drug rehabilitation program in England. George is due back in court on June 9th and must submit proof of his
rehab stay. He was fined $1,000, sentenced to 5 days community service and must pay $160 in court costs.
Axl Rose has filed a counterclaim in response to Slash's recent lawsuit and is asking the federal court to confirm
his ownership of his own creative works.
The Las Vegas Review Journal reports that not everything has been chummy with the VH1 reality TV show musicians.
Biohazard's Evan Seinfeld and former Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach "exchanged in fisticuffs" at the
Parisian Palace in Las Vegas after a night out last week.
According to a report by the Lexington Herald-Leader, Aerosmith had to cancel their performance on Tuesday due
to singer Steven Tyler's undisclosed illness. The band had to cancel their performance the previous Sunday in Pensacola,
Florida, for the same reason.
Metallica's James Hetfield will be honored on May 12th during the 2nd annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert
with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award recognizing his efforts to help other afflicted addicts. Meanwhile, Metallica
will induct Black Sabbath into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The second annual Music DVD Awards were held on Tuesday. The documentary, Brian Wilson's Smile, won top honors.
The Talking Heads' Brick won for best DualDisc. Paul McCartney in Red Square won for best TV concert. Bob Dylan:
No Direction Home won for best music documentary.
George Strait has been nominated for Top Male Vocalist at the 41st Academy of Country Music Awards which be held
at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 23rd and air live on CBS. Van Zant were nominated for Top Vocal
Duo. Alabama were nominated for Top Vocal Group. Bon Jovi's "Who Says You Can't Go Home" with Jennifer
Nettles has also been nominated for Vocal Event of the Year (the band's first ACM award nomination.)
According to vocalist Roger Daltrey, The Who's upcoming world tour starting this summer and lasting 18 months may
actually be their last.
Elvis Costello will have his career celebrated by the VH1 concert series Decades Rock Live. The concert will be
filmed on May 19th at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City.
Kenny Rogers will release his 11-track new studio album, Water & Bridges, on Mar. 21st. The first single from
the album, "I Can't Unlove You," has already started climbing the Country music charts.
"I'm With Stupid" will be the first single released from the Pet Shop Boy's new studio album, Fundamental.
The album is due out in the U.K on May 22nd.
Sammy Hagar will be taking his band the Wabos out this summer in support of the upcoming album, Livin' It Up, due
out later this spring.
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the rights to the documentary American Hardcore which focuses on the rise of
hardcore music in America (1980-1986) with performances by Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies, Bad Brains, Wasted
Youth and Jerry's Kids.
Previously set up at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, the I Can't Stop Loving You: Ray Charles And
Country Music exhibit will make the Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum in Nashville its home until December
2007.
U2 have postponed the remaining dates of their Vertigo tour (shows in March and April in Australia, New Zealand,
Japan and Hawaii) "due to the illness of an immediate family member of one of the band.
Former Steppenwolf vocalist/guitarist/songwriter John Kay will see his 2004 PBS special John Kay & Friends
released as a 2-hour DVD on May 8th via Warner Home Video.
Frank Black has finished work on his new 27-track double-disc solo album, Fastman/Raiderman, which is due out on
June 20th. Meanwhile, loudQuietloud: A Film About The Pixies premiered on Sunday at the South by Southwest film
festival. The documentary chronicles their year-long reunion tour.
NFD (formed by Fields Of The Nephilim bassist Tony Pettitt and drummer Simon Rippin with Sensorium's guitarist/vocalist
Peter "Bob" White) will release their new album, Dead Pool Rising, in the U.K. on May 20th. The first
single from the album, "Light My Way," will be released on Apr. 24th.
Jon Auer of the Posies is scheduled to release his first solo album, Songs From The Year Of Our Demise, on May
2nd.
Ozzy Osbourne has told Billboard magazine that he plans to get together with guitarist Zakk Wylde soon to begin
writing material for a new studio album with hopes to release it later this year.
Alan Jackson's new studio album, Precious Memories, debuted at #4 on the Billboard Album chart although it took
the top spot on both the charts for Top Country Albums and Top Christian Albums.
A double-disc Mission U.K. compilation entitled Anthology - The Phonogram Years is due out on Mar. 13th in the
U.K. featuring unreleased material, alternate versions, live and session versions. Also planned is a re-release
of their videos Carved In Sand and Crusade as one DVD entitled Waves Upon The Sand.
The Ricky Parent benefit CD, Labour of Love, will be released on Apr. 1st and include 2 previously rare and unreleased
tracks from Enuff Z'nuff and Trixter. Also making appearances on the disc are Richie Sambora, Jeff Pilson of Foreigner
and The Sy Klopps Blues band (composed of members of Journey, Europe and the Tubes.) Enuff Z'nuff drummer Parent
was diagnosed with cancer in 2004 and is working towards his recovery.
It has been reported that an official announcement for the second season of Rock Star will be made in the next
few days. From all reports, it looks like the next season will be a search for the frontman to record on drummer
Tommy Lee's next studio album and tour.
Outspoken Scientologist and singer Isaac Hayes has decided to quit voicing "Chef" on South Park saying,
"There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry
towards religious beliefs of others begins."
Melissa Etheridge mentioned last year that she hopes to release a new studio album this year with the new perspective
she gained since recovering from breast cancer. Etheridge has also told Rolling Stone magazine that she is developing
an ABC sitcom about what her life would be like if she'd stayed in her Leavenworth, Kansas, hometown.
According to the New York Daily News, lower ratings after replacing Howard Stern at WFNY have put David Lee Roth
on the hot seat. Roth has been asked to copy Stern's radio persona and play different music to woo more listeners
but Roth has fired back at the station management team calling them "social retards," "beige baby-food
sissies" and "ugly little dysfunctional worms" during a 'crisis talk' on Tuesday.
Rob Zombie will debut his brand new video for "Foxy, Foxy" on Yahoo! Music today. The single will be
the first from his third solo album, Educated Horses.
The remaining members of the Dead Boys have reunited and have scheduled performances as well as time in the studio.
Instead of replacing late vocalist Stiv Bators, guitarist Cheetah Chrome has been splitting vocal duties with second
guitarist Jimmy Zero. Chrome also is hoping to regroup Rocket From The Tombs (which included vocalist David Thomas
of Pere Ubu and Television guitarist Richard Lloyd.)
Judas Priest are expected to meet up later this month to toss around ideas for what will be their second album
since reuniting with vocalist Rob Halford.
Sonic Youth (who reissue their self-titled EP, Ciccone Youth album as well as singer/guitarist Thurston Moore's
only solo album this week) are in the mixing stage with their currently-untitled new studio album due out on June
13th.
Nine Inch Nails' latest single, "Every Day Is Exactly The Same," holds the top spot on Billboard's Modern
Rock airplay chart for a third week. A 6-track EP entitled Every Day Is Exactly The Same will be released on Apr.
4th containing 2 different mixes of each of the singles from the album With Teeth.
XYZ vocalist Terry Ilous has been busy. He recently recorded vocals for a Wrigleys gum commercial (TV and radio)
where he disguised his voice as he sang over the actor. He is also working on a 'best of' CD with rare and new
tracks.
Vince Gill has been busy recording tracks for his next studio album due out later this year. Gill has reportedly
recorded duets with Diana Krall and Gretchen Wilson for the album.
Aztec Camera's Roddy Frame has announced that he will be releasing his as-yet-untitled solo studio album in on
Apr. 24th supported by an extensive U.K. tour.
Primal Scream will release their new as-yet-untitled studio album on June 5th. The first single from the album,
"Country Girl," will be released on May 22nd.
Jazzy Jeff and Erik Sermon have reworked songs off the Black Eyed Peas 2005 album, Monkey Business, for the upcoming
Renegotiations: The Remixes due out on Mar. 21st.
Kevin Seconds is working out the details to release what would be his follow-up to 2001's Heaven's Near Wherever
You Are. He is currently working on lining up some performance dates prior to releasing the album via the Asian
Man label.
David Gilmour's third solo album, On An Island, has taken one island by storm... England. The album has become
his first #1 album under his own name.
Japanese female rock group Shonen Knife will release the English-language version of their Genki Shock! album on
Apr. 11th.
The Beastie Boys will see their fan-filmed documentary, Awesome: I F***in' Shot That!, screened at 200 movie theatres
on Mar. 23rd prior to a run in limited national theaters a week later.
Thrash metal act Defiance have reformed and signed a deal with Corporate Punishment Records to release their 4th
album later this year. A new DVD is also in the work entitled Decade(s) of Defiance which will contain live performances,
interviews and archival footage from their nearly 20 year history.
After leaving the music business for a nearly 15-year hiatus, Thomas Dolby has scheduled a 6-week U.S. tour beginning
in April. His show is expected to blend fresh ideas with original material and new songs but no word on any possible
recording.
The official announcement of the New Cars line-up, live album and tour is expected to take place during a press
conference tomorrow at the House Of Blues in Hollywood followed by a performance. The live album is expected to
include 3 newly written studio tracks including the new single, "Not Tonight."
According to their official Web site, Boston are currently in the studio working on their next album.
Ali Farka Toure (often called "the African John Lee Hooker), 66, passed away in his native homeland of Mali
on Tuesday due to complications from bone cancer. The "desert blues" pioneer (who won Grammy awards in
1994 and 2005) had just finished recording a new solo album.