According to WSMV TV, David Allen Coe ranks #3 among residents in middle Tennessee who owe the most in unpaid
child support. Coe reportedly owes his ex-wife almost $300,000 in child support and is required to pay $4,000 a
month for his 4 children.
Nevada has passed a law making it illegal for bands to call themselves a tribute act unless they have a former
member associated with the act in the lineup. Mary Wilson of the Supremes reportedly lobbied for the law after
unsuccessfully suing 5 acts performing as the group and spending a lot of money to do so. Otherwise, the performing
act must label the production a "tribute" or "salute." Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts,
New Jersey and Illinois are among other states that have similar legislation.
According to his long-time manager and friend Margo Lewis, Bo Diddley is showing hopeful signs of a recovery after
the stroke he suffered on May 13th. "He loves country and western music so he listens to the country and western
station (in his hospital room.)" He has been humming along to the songs but is still dealing with impaired
speech and speech recognition. "His problem is only getting out the words sometimes, and in understanding.
I think it happens more when he's tired or excited," said Lewis. It is too early to tell how much therapy
he may need or if he will recover enough to perform again.
Michael Jackson has added to his music copyright collection. Jackson released a statement saying, "This is
a milestone event for Sony/ATV Music Publishing. The diverse collection of songs in this catalogue range from timeless
classics to contemporary hits, and I'm pleased to add the acquisition of Famous Music to Sony/ATV." The Famous
Music catalog includes the rights to songs by Bjork, Eminem, Beck and Shakira among others.
According to KNAC.com's interview with Rikki Rocket of Poison, White Lion will not be touring with them and Ratt
as former White Lion guitarist Vito Bratta has threatened to sue Mike Tramp over use of the name. Tramp has been
touring previously as Tramp's White Lion. No official statement has been released about the tour but many reports
claim that the band have been replaced by Vains Of Jenna.
Former Frankie Goes To Hollywood vocalist Holly Johnson has lost his fight with his former bandmates over the use
of the band name. The other members of the band recruited a new singer after Johnson refused to return to the band
after they recently reunited.
Simply Red's new album, Stay, climbed to #16 from #38 on the U.K. Album chart. Erasure's latest, Light At The End
Of The World, debuted on the chart at #29. Ozzy Osbourne's new Epic studio album, Black Rain, made its debut at
#8 on the U.K. Black Rain also gave Ozzy his highest debut on the Billboard 200 chart at #3 selling 152,000 copies.
The Cult have signed a deal with Roadrunner Records for the release of Born Into This, their new studio album,
due out Sept. 25th. The album will be released in conjunction with the band's label imprint, New Wilderness. Youth
has been brought to London as a producer to add the final touches and help with mixing.
Julian Lennon has produced a new film, The Gathering: Return of the Whale Dreamers, which he was at Cannes film
festival to promote. The film deals with the Japanese government's decision to resume whaling. The film may be
released later this year and Lennon will release a new album later this year.
The Adolescents have been working in the studio on material for their next album. They are also working on a song
for an upcoming Germs tribute album and have a few concert dates scheduled this summer.
Verizon subscribers who participate in an online demo of its new Song ID music identification service will be able
to get Prince's new single, "Guitar," free. The song is the first single from his upcoming new studio
album, Planet Earth, due out next month. Meanwhile, Prince will launch his 3121 fragrance (named after his last
album) on July 7th at a private show in Minneapolis. The fragrance will be is expected to be available at Macy's
this year as as their cosmetics and fragrance department is where fans can purchase a package (including a bottle
of the fragrance, special T-shirt and a ticket for the private show at Target Center) for $250. Prince reportedly
has declined an invitation by Michael Jackson to perform some dates together in an effort to relaunch Jackson's
career.
Agnostic Front will head into the studio to start recording 15 new song that may make up their next album, Warrior,
on June 20th. Freddy Cricien will produce and the album is expected out this fall.
Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones documentary, Shine A Light, will head to U.S. theaters on Sept. 21st via Paramount
Classics.
Charlie Daniels, Vince Gill and Wynonna Judd are among artists contributing to Cledus T. Judd's upcoming album,
Boogity, Boogity -- A Tribute To The Comedic Genius Of Ray Stevens due out this summer with a portion of proceeds
going to benefit the Minnie Pearl Foundation for childhood cancer. Stevens will make an appearance on the song
"The Streak."
Poison will appear on CBS' Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson to perform their rendition of the Romantics' classic
"What I Like About You" which also appears on their new album, Poison'D!, due out this week.
According to Heart's official Web site, Ann Wilson has been working on her solo debut album, Hope And Glory, which
will be released on Sept. 11th via Rounder Records. Wynonna, Elton John, k d lang and Nancy Wilson are among guests
appearing on the album.
While on stage in London, Joe Jackson announced to the audience that he and his band plan to enter a Berlin studio
shortly to begin recording their next studio album due out in 2008. A new compilation, Steppin' Out: The Very Best
Of Joe Jackson, was released in the U.K. last week.
R.E.M., U2 and the Flaming Lips are among artists that have recorded renditions of John Lennon songs for the Instant
Karma -- Save Darfur compilation. 90% of the proceeds from the album's first single benefits the Save Darfur-Amnesty
International Program. Meanwhile, a piano played by John Lennon on the night he died is for sale for $375,000.
Heaven And Hell's performance on Mar. 30th at New York's Radio City Music Hall is scheduled to be released as a
DVD (entitled Heaven And Hell Live From Radio City) on Aug. 28th via Rhino. The set will be available as a double-CD
set, single-disc DVD and deluxe 3-disc edition (containing CDs and the DVD only available at Rhino's Web site.)
New Order/Joy Division bassist and co-founder of The Hacienda Peter Hook is behind the launch of Hacienda 25. The
series of events this summer will celebrate the life of the legendary Hacienda nightclub on its 25th anniversary.
Meanwhile, the Anton Corbijn-directed Ian Curtis biopic Control won the Prix Regards Jeunes (Young Eyes Prize)
at the Cannes film festival.
KRS-One is a spokesperson for the new premium cable channel named The Real Hip-Hop Network. The channel is looking
to change hip-hop's image in a balanced way. The channel launches this summer and can be accessed through the web
at www.rhn.tv.
Alan Jackson's new single, "A Woman's Love," from the Like Red On A Rose album has become a top 5 hit
on the Billboard charts. The song was released previously by Jackson but was re-recorded with producer Alison Krauss
for the new album.
The Download Festival and Iron Maiden have teamed up for a live and exclusive streaming of the band's 4th headlining
appearance at Donington Park on June 10th. The stream can be seen for free at www.downloadfestival.co.uk and with
direct links from IronMaiden.com.
Paul McCartney will be heading over to the Home Shopping Network on May 30th to promote his new album, Memory Almost
Full. A special version of the disc will be available for purchase before it is officially released on June 5th.
The 30-minute broadcast will include cuts from the album as well as video segments and discussions with fans.
Billy Ocean has reportedly been working on new material for his next studio album. The singer will be heading to
the U.K. to tour for the first time in over two decades and showcase some of the new songs.
Juliana Hatfield has recorded a song with Nada Surf for their tentatively-titled new studio album, Time For Plan
A, due out in January.
According to an interview with Uncut magazine, Jim and William Reid will record their first new studio album with
the Jesus And Mary Chain in 9 years. They are currently on tour in Europe. Guitarist William has also been working
on a solo album.
Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford reunited recently to tour in support of a new best-of collection and reissues
of their Squeeze back-catalog. Those albums haven't been re-released in the U.S. by Universal and Tilbrook has
said that if they don't want to release the music, he'd like them to Difford and himself so that they can.
Ice Cube will be a featured guest on the song, "Choppas," on the sophomore effort by Southern rap act
Boyz N Da Hood entitled Back Up N Da Chevy due out Aug. 7th.
U2 have reportedly been working on their new studio album at Fez Morocco in Dublin with producers Daniel Lanois
and Brian Eno.
According to Scott Ian, Anthrax will announce the band's new lead singer by the end of next month. The band parted
ways with Joey Belladonna at the beginning of the year.
Emmylou Harris recently stopped work on her new studio album to finish an 80-track 4CD boxed set due out via Rhino
on Sept. 18th featuring 'off-the-beaten-path' studio recordings, rarities and previously-unreleased rarities. The
studio album is also due out in the next few months. Harris has also recorded guest spots on Dolly Parton's next
studio album and Anne Murray's new duets album.
A new licensing deal between EMI Music, Google and YouTube has been signed allowing access to audio and video material
from what is the last major label to partner with YouTube.
Perry Farrell has openly blamed his former bandmate Dave Navarro's participation in the reality TV series Rock
Star for the break up of Jane's Addiction.
MTV's Unplugged series will be returning this summer with new episodes featuring the Police, Bon Jovi and many
others. These episodes will be released via MTV, VH1, CMT and MTV.com. The Bon Jovi episode will start everything
on June 22nd on MTV. Different versions the Bon Jovi episode will air on VH1 and CMT specifically tailored for
those audiences. The band's new country-styled album, Lost Highway, heads to stores on June 19th. The Police are
expected to have their Unplugged show in July and are considering an album of acoustic versions of their hits.
Police drummer Stewart Copeland has been very critical of the first few performances by the band in posts at his
www.stewartcopeland.net Web sites although the reviews from the road have been glowing.
Former State Of Play and Curve guitarist Dean Garcia has collaborated with the duo Collide on a new project called
The Secret Meeting. The album entitled Ultrashiver is expected out this month via Collide's label Noiseplus Music.
According to group founder Mick Jones, Foreigner is looking to release a new album containing brand new tracks
as well as some hits. This will be the first Foreigner album featuring vocalist Kelly Hansen. The band may also
film a concert DVD later this year. The band currently has no plans to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their
self-titled debut album.
The Melvins, Bad Brains, the Vaselines, Butthole Surfers, the Vaselines, Scratch Acid, Mudhoney, Iggy Pop, R.E.M.,
David Bowie and Mark Lanegan are among the artists contributing tracks to the soundtrack to Kurt Cobain -- About
A Son due out Sept. 11th.
Wesley Snipes has reportedly been cast to portray the late James Brown in a new biopic about the singer by director
Spike Lee.
Peter Himmelman will release his 10th studio album, The Pigeons Couldn't Sleep, via his new label Himmasongs Recordings
distributed by Thirty Tigers/RED on Aug. 21st. Early editions of the disc will include a free DVD with a feature-length
documentary.
Bruce Springsteen has reportedly been working on his new studio album at the Southern Tracks Studios with members
of the E Street Band.
John Doe will release his new studio album, A Year In The Wilderness, on June 12th via Yep Roc Records. Doe also
appears in Joan Jett's new video for "Androgynous."
Former Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt recently told the Boston Herald that he has been writing material with
singer Steve Perry formerly of Journey. Bettencourt has been busy lately with his new project, Satellite Party,
with Perry Farrell.
Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett recently told the Australian Web site Krone.at that he thinks their new Rick Rubin-produced
studio album is "the best album we've put out in, say, fifteen years."
VH1 unveiled their latest countdown special on Friday entitled 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs. Topping the
list was Christopher Cross' Grammy-winning song "Sailing." Expect to see it re-aired ad-nauseum.
MVD Entertainment Group has been coordinating screenings of The Jesus Lizard "Live." The documentary
will head to stores on DVD on May 15th.
Often cited as Australia's first guitar hero, Lobby Loyde [born John Baslington Lyde], 65, died of lung cancer
on Apr. 21st. Loyde recorded for 3 decades and entered the 1980s with the album Live with Dubs before spending
more time producing (X, Machinations, Sunnyboys and Painters and Dockers.)