Phil Collins and his wife Orianna have decided to divorce
after 6 years together. The couple announced the split is "in the interest of their two children." Collins
has two sons with Orianna and 3 other children from two previous marriages.
A July 31st trial date has been scheduled by Superior Court Judge Francis J. Darigan Jr. for Michael Derderian
who is one of the two owners of the Station nightclub where 100 people died in a fire in 2003. Derderian and his
brother, Jeffrey, are each charged with 200 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Jeffrey Derderian is expected to
go on trial after his brother but no trial date has been announced.
Michael Jackson averted a potential lawsuit by agreeing to pay more than $300,000 in wages to Neverland ranch employees
that have not been paid since Dec. 19th and $100,000 in penalties according to the California Department of Industrial
Relations. Jackson is also expected to face an estimated $69,000 fine for allowing the workers compensation coverage
to lapse. After the employees were paid their back pay on Thursday, they were notified that many were being laid
off.
Hank Williams Jr.'s daughters Holly and Hillary Williams were injured in a traffic accident in norther Mississippi
enroute to the funeral of their maternal grandfather in Louisiana. The two were hospitalized at the Regional Medical
Center in Memphis.
Hanoi Rocks have canceled/postponed their concerts in Italy and Austria in late March due to vocalist Michael Monroe's
persistent severe middle-ear infection that he's had for 3 weeks.
After dating on and off since the 1990s, singer Michael Bolton and Desperate Housewives actress Nicollette Sheridan
got engaged while in the Bahamas.
Kiss' Gene Simmons has officially been named the Grand Marshal of the 2006 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Blondie, Black Sabbath, the Sex Pistols, Lynyrd Skynyrd and the late Miles Davis were inducted into the Rock &
Roll Hall of Fame on Monday night during the 21st annual ceremony. Blondie plan to launch their final tour, Road
Rage Tour, on May 12th with the New Cars.
Sting's recently recorded duet with Sheryl Crow, "Always On Your Side," was the highest debut on the
Billboard Hot 100 chart last week. Sting is also reportedly behind plans to bring Hollywood hotspot Forty Deuce
to New York in partnership with founder Ivan Kane and possibly David Bowie.
Mike Reno recently told the Winnipeg Sun that Loverboy are working on material for their new studio album and plan
to release it in Canada first as they did with their first album. A possible subscription service could also be
in the works.
Some newly discovered, unreleased material from the late Eric Carr will be released by his family later this year.
All the songs by the former Kiss drummer were recorded between 1984 and 1991. More information is expected to be
released via the official Eric Carr Web site www.ericcarr.com.
A reunited Bauhaus has signed on to open for Nine Inch Nails during their 31-date summer With Teeth tour starting
May 26th.
World Party will return to the U.S. with their new studio album, Dumbing Up, on May 2nd. A lot happened to mainman
Karl Wallinger since 1997's Egyptology. Wallinger suffered an aneurysm, watched Robbie Williams take a version
of his song "She's The One" to win Brits Single Of The Year and he terminated his recording deal with
longtime label Chrysalis. He won back the rights to his entire catalogue and plans to reissue the albums via his
new Seaview Records label. Dumbing Up was 'partially' released only in the U.K. 4 years ago but has been remastered
with the addition of two new tracks (as well as artwork and a DVD.) The first single from the album will be, "What
Does It Mean Now?"
Cheap Trick have titled their new studio album, Rockford, (after their Illinois hometown) which will hit stores
on June 6th. The first single from the album, "Perfect Stranger," is already heading to radio stations.
Ice Cube is expected to begin production in June on the new film Are We Done Yet? which is a sequel to Are We There
Yet? The rapper has also agreed to star in and produce an adaptation of Welcome Back, Kotter.
Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman will release a deluxe 2-CD career-spanning collection, Stoned Alone - The Solo
Anthology 1974-2002, on Mar. 20th.
The Biography Channel will premiere Biography: Jerry Garcia on Mar. 21st featuring interviews with the Grateful
Dead guitarist's bandmates and friends.
It has been confirmed that the lead singer selected through the second season of CBS' Rock Star will front the
band Supernova which will include Motley Crue's Tommy Lee on drums, former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted and
former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke. The show premieres this summer and the band are expected to hit the
studio to record an album (due out in the fall) followed by a world tour early next year.
Teena Marie's new single, "Ooh Wee," from her upcoming new studio album Sapphire was the #1 most added
song at Urban AC Radio last week. Sapphire is expected to be released this spring.
Tom Petty is scheduled to release his new studio album, Highway Companion, in June followed by some summer dates
with Pearl Jam.
Belinda Carlisle has been working on her new solo album due out later
this year but until then a new career retrospective entitled The
Ultimate Collection is due out as early as July containing solo hits,
Go-Go's songs and previously-unreleased mixes.
Production on a VH1 Behind The Music special on Pantera has officially begun. Former Pantera/Damageplan drummer
Vinnie Paul has reportedly already been interviewed. Meanwhile, Rebel Meets Rebel (which features founding Pantera
members Vinnie Paul, the late "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and bassist Rex Brown with country singer David
Allan Coe) will release their debut album on May 2nd.
Roxy Music's reunion album just got more interesting as their fifth original member mega-producer Brian Eno has
joined in on the effort which will be their first album together since 1973. Prior to the release of the album
will be the release of a remix album of songs from Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry.
U.K. tabloids have been reporting the reunion of Genesis with Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and
Tony Banks. Although the idea has been tossed about in statements, there has been no official confirmation.
Shooter Jennings has started work on an album created around some experimental tracks he recorded in 1996 with
his late father Waylon which will be entitled Waylon Jennings and the 357's.
Jimmy Buffett has recorded two new songs including, "Barefootin'," a new duet with Alan Jackson for the
soundtrack to Hoot due out on Apr. 18th. Buffett has also recorded a reggae version of his song "Floridays"
as well as covers of Warren Zevon's "Werewolves Of London" and Bruce Cockburn's "Wondering Where
The Lions Are" for the album.
Earth To America will be title of Widespread Panic's new album due out on June 13th and also the title of a live
performance to be simulcast at 150 Regal, United Artists and Edwards theaters nationwide on May 9th.
Swedish rock act Treat will release a 21-track compilation album on Apr. 19th which includes two newly recorded
songs. "I Burn For You" is being released as the first radio single.
Elkie Brooks plans to release a live DVD entitled Elkie Brooks & Friends - Pearls which features 22 songs from
her career with special guests including Rick Wakeman on keyboards filmed last year.