According to the attorney for Billy Joe Shaver, the 67 year-old singer acted in self defense on Saturday night
when he shot and wounded a man in the cheek in the parking lot of Papa Joe's Texas Saloon in Lorena, Texas. The
attorney claims the other person was the aggressor as he was intoxicated and followed Shaver outside the bar with
a knife. Lorena police have not identified the victim, belive the wounds are not life-threatening and believe Shaver
didn't know the victim. Police did issue arrest warrants for Shaver on charges of aggravated assault and possessing
a firearm in a prohibited place. Shaver's attorney claims that he went with his client on Monday night in an attempt
to surrender to Austin police but the authorities didn't have a record of the warrants that had been issued only
hours earlier. Shaver turned himself in at a jail in Waco, Texas, the next day and was released after posting a
$50,000 bond.
Judge Franz Miller in Orange County has ruled that the divorce of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown will become final
on Apr. 24th. Brown did not show up for the hearing. Houston was granted sole custody of their 14 year-old daughter
Bobbi Kristina. According to reports by AP, Houston told the judge that Brown was an unreliable father. "If
he says he's going to come, sometimes he does. Usually he doesn't."
WPRI reports that Great White band members are asking to be dismissed from lawsuits stemming from the 2003 Station
nightclub fire. They have said that they weren't involved in the decision to use pyrotechnics and had no role in
setting them off on that night. Meanwhile, the group have signed a deal with Frontier Records to release their
25th anniversary/reunion all-original studio album due out in August.
During an interview with NME, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was asked what was the strangest thing that
he's tried to snort. The 63 year-old told the U.K. magazine, "My father. I snorted my father." His father
died in 2002. Richards further explained, "He was cremated and I couldn't resist grinding him up with a little
bit of blow. My dad wouldn't have cared." His spokesperson later said that Richards was joking when he said
it. Richards also later told Rolling Stone, "I was trying to say how tight Bert (his father) and I were. That
tight!!! I wouldn't take cocaine at this point in my life unless I wished to commit suicide." Disney Studio's
senior vice president for publicity has since said, "Keith won't be doing a lot of publicity for this movie."
referring to his appearing in the upcoming film Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End.
According to a representative for Michael Jackson, the singer is considering legal action to stop an auction of
more than 1,100 items previously owned by members of the Jackson family to be held in Las Vegas next month at the
Hard Rock hotel. The ownership of the items was questioned by the singer and sister Janet in 2006 but a Los Angeles
judge threw out the claim.
LAPD officers told TMZ that the home of Duran Duran bassist John Taylor was broken into on the night Apr. 2nd.
The house was reportedly ransacked and items were found missing from the home including a safe belonging to Taylor.
The investigation is ongoing.
Dolly Parton will be this year's recipient of the Johnny Mercer Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame on June 7th.
The award acknowledges a previous Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee's collection of work which upholds the standard
set by the songwriter Johnny Mercer.
Australian actor Alex O'Loughlin (born Alex O'Lachlan) has confirmed rumors that his is the son of late AC/DC frontman
Bon Scott. The Chicago Tribune referred to the lineage while promoting the new season of FX's "The Shield"
on which O'Loughlin will co-star.
Former Spice Girl Melanie Brown (Scary Spice) gave birth to her second child on Tuesday (April 3rd.) Brown has
long claimed that ex-boyfriend Eddie Murphy is the baby's father and odd enough shares the same birthdate. The
spot of the birth certificate for the baby's father was not filled in and the baby was not named yet. A blood test
is expected.
Marty Robbins: Among My Souvenirs will be a new exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee,
opening in their East Gallery on August 3rd running through June 2008.
Nine Inch Nails has become the second act to chart 4 consecutive #1 singles on Billboard's Modern Rock chart last
week with "Survivalism." Their upcoming album, Year Zero, can now be heard online at yearzero.nin.com.
Meanwhile, Launch Radio Networks has reported that the RIAA is going after websites like Idolator that posted leaked
tracks from Year Zero. Thee songs posted were actually leaked intentionally by the band in an effort to promote
the album which heads to stores on Apr. 17th.
George Michael is putting his purchase of John Lennon's piano to a peaceful cause. The piano is touring famous
sites of violence in an effort to promote peace.
The reunion of former Frankie Goes To Hollywood members Paul Rutherford, Peter Gill and Gerard O'Toole under their
original name isn't going to happen. The bandmates have decided to sidestep their trademark dispute with Holly
Johnson (who doesn't wish to join the reunion or see them use the name without him) by calling themselves Forbidden
Hollywood. New vocalist Ryan Molloy joined the band after auditions for their performance at the Prince's Trust.
A cover of the Smith's "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before" retitled "Stop Me"
by Mark Ronson featuring Daniel Merriweather became the highest U.K. entry last week. Meanwhile, holding the top
spot on the U.K. singles chart for a 3rd week is the Proclaimers' update of "(I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles"
featuring Brian Potter and Andy Pipkin. Released on the success of the song, The Best Of The Proclaimers landed
at #5 on the U.K. album chart. The Reid brothers have also signed a recording deal with Universal's W14 label with
plans to start recording a new studio album in May with a possible September release in sight.
Former Offspring drummer Ron Welty has a new project named Steady Ground that have completed their debut album,
Jettison. A release date has yet to be confirmed. Two songs from the album will appear in the upcoming film Player5150.
Barry Manilow is entering the beverage business with a line of wines and flavored teas. It seems that he won't
be stopping there as apparel, bobblehead dolls, license plate frames and pillowcases will join the items at manilow.com.
You knew there had to be a catch somewhere. In order to get two free tickets to Ozzfest, fans need to visit the
website of a select sponsor (Ozzfest.com, LiveNation.com, MonsterEnergy.com, JagerMusic.com and FYE.com) starting
May 12th to obtain a special code. Then return to the website a month later to get the tickets.
A new DVD and double-CD version of Bruce Springsteen's performance in Ireland at The Point in November of 2006
with the band he used to record The Seeger Sessions is on the way. Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band Live
In Dublin will head to stores on June 5th.
Poison will release, Poison'D, their first new studio album since 2002's Hollyweird on June 5th. The album is a
collection of covers including songs by Sweet, David Bowie, Alice Cooper, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, the
Marshall Tucker Band, the Romantics, the Rolling Stones, the Cars, Kiss, the Who and many others. Poison will support
the album this summer on tour with Ratt. Meanwhile, VH1 will premiere their new reality series, Rock of Love with
Bret Michaels, in July.
The Meat Puppets have placed a new song, "Disappear," from their upcoming album, Rise To Your Knees,
on their MySpace page. The album hits stores on July 17th.
Vince Neil has co-partnered in opening a rock-themed bar/eating establishment called Dr. Feelgood's Rock Bar in
West Palm Beach. The place will show off Neil's Motley Crue memorabilia and his Harley collection while designed
to look like a pharmacy.
Sinead O'Connor plans to return with a double-disc studio album, Theology, on June 26th. Each 11-track disc is
compiled from separate sessions (Dublin and London) which were recorded in different studio approaches (one acoustic
and minimal while one has a full band.)
John Mellencamp has sent his newest single from Freedom's Road, "The Americans," to U.S. Country radio
stations. The single, "Someday," recently went out to Adult Album Alternative stations.
Could the Police reunion be followed by a new studio album by the band? World Entertainment News Network reports
that the plans are in motion and, according to guitarist Andy Summers, if the concert dates go well, a 6th album
may happen. Current plans are to debut a few new songs during summer concert dates.
McFarlane Toys will release their action figures of Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora to stores in August.
Danzig release their 26-track double-disc collection of previously-unreleased material, The Lost Tracks Of Danzig,
on May 29th via evilive. Some of the songs required new instrumental and vocal parts while many were nearly finished.
Among the tracks are covers of the Germs' "Caught In My Eye," David Bowie's "Cat People" and
T-Rex's "Buick McKane" as well as an acoustic track, "Come To Silver," which was written for
Johnny Cash.
Rapper Kurtis Blow has been working on his new gospel/hip-hop album, Just Do It, which is due out in May. EMI is
also slated to release a compilation the same month.
After a 9-year studio hiatus, Buffalo Tom have finished work on their new 13-track album, Three Easy Pieces, due
out July 10th.
Former Missing Persons and Frank Zappa drummer Terry Bozzio has left the band Korn after 3 months replacing David
Silveria. The group is searching for a replacement in time for their tour in July.
Elton John's new hits collection, Rocket Man: Number Ones, sold 49,000 copies earning the singer his 16th top 10
album on the Billboard 200 (landing at #9.)
Former Extreme/Van Halen frontman Gary Cherone has a new project named Hurtsmile with Joe Pessia, Dana Spellman
and Markus Cherone. Their new MySpace page notes 4/10/07 will be a special day (being a Tuesday... could be a release
for the band.) Meanwhile, the original line-up of Extreme will reunite on May 18th for a benefit concert and auction
in New York City in honor of their music manager Steven Hoffman who died of lung cancer in 2003.
Foghat plan to release a self-produced double-CD set entitled Live II on May 22nd via Metro City Records and Foghat
Records.
Morrissey, Motorhead and Widespread Panic are among the acts that are expected to search for new recording deals
as their current label, Sanctuary's front-line, plans to 'wind down' their operations in the U.S. during the summer.
Welsh vocalist Shirley Bassey, 70, has been nudged into the studio by rock act Never The Bride. Two of the band
members offered her a copy of their 4th album and asked her to consider recording the song, "The Living Tree."
Bassey liked the song so much, she performed it on U.K. television and will release it as a single there on Apr.
16th. An album of the same name featuring the track with new recordings of her other songs is also on the way later
in the month.
A new Flaming Lips live DVD, UFOs At The Zoo, is being worked on for release via Warner Bros. in July. The set
was filmed in their hometown of Oklahoma City last September.
Dinosaur Jr.'s new studio album, Beyond, will be released via Fat Possum records on May 1st. Meanwhile, their Sebadoh
sideproject plan to reissue all but one of their albums over the next few years.
Rhino plan to release a double-CD and double-DVD version of Queensryche's Mindcrime At The Moore on June 26th.
The set comes from performances of the group's Operation: Mindcrime and Operation: Mindcrime II at the Moore Theater
in their Seattle hometown.
Due to a case of the flu, Tony Bennett was unable to perform on the second episode of American Idol last week and
Michael Buble stepped in to perform. Bennet also had to cancel his concert in Phoenix on Saturday.
The Haints (which features 3 members of the Groovie Ghoulies) will release their new studio album, Battle Of Wounded
Heart, on Apr. 17th. The Groovie Ghoulies will release their new album, 99 Lives, on May 15th.
John Anderson will release his new studio album, Easy Money, via Warner Bros. on May 15th which includes production
and co-writing by John Rich of Big & Rich.
Tuner's new album, 11-11, is scheduled for domestic release on June 4th. They plan to make a surprise mp3 download
available via their MySpace page in the next few days.
Guitarist Mark St. John, 51, died on the morning of Apr. 5th of an apparent brain hemorrhage. In 1984, St. John
replaced Vinnie Vincent in Kiss becoming the group's third official guitarist. St. John worked with the band on
the Animalize album but just as the support tour was to be launched, he was diagnosed with Reiter's Syndrome (a
form of arthritis causing the hands and arms to swell) preventing him from playing guitar. St. John's condition
improved enough later to form White Tiger with former Black Sabbath vocalist David Donato. Their 1986 album became
the first release by a former Kiss guitarist. St. John worked in the studio often for other artists afterward (including
Jeff Scott Soto, Peter Criss and David Hasselhoff.)