Fulton County Superior Court Judge Wendy Shoob has ordered
Sir Elton John and U.S. tax authorities to try resolving their dispute through mediation. John sought legal action
for his Georgia condo being over-valued by $900,000 (forcing him to pay $16,000 more a year.)
Hank Williams Jr. briefly appeared in a Memphis court last week on charges of assaulting a waitress at the Peabody
Hotel on Mar. 18th. A preliminary hearing is scheduled to be held on July 27th.
Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Anthony Ferrara vacated a warrant for Boy George (a.k.a. George O'Dowd) today, scolded
the singer for not complying with the terms of his sentence and will give him one more chance to complete a non-jail
sentence (of entering a drug program in England, 5 days of community service in Manhattan, paying $1,160 in fines
and surcharges and avoiding arrest during the next 6 months.) The judge has given O'Dowd until Aug. 28th to complete
the community service.
Trevor Horn's wife Jill Sinclair is in stable condition in intensive care after she was accidentally shot in the
neck by her 22 year-old son's air rifle on Sunday. The pellet caused serious arterial damage. Sinclair is a successful
television and film producer and was one of the founders of the ZTT record label.
Former Michael Jackson associate F. Marc Schaffel is suing the singer for $3.8 million in alleged unpaid loans,
expenses, his salary from the now canceled charity record and his share of the proceeds from Jackson's two TV specials.
Jackson is not expected to appear in court as he is currently traveling Europe.
Tigertailz members Pepsi Tate, Jay Pepper, Kim Hooker and Matt Blakout received good news for the U.K. Patent Office
over former vocalist Steevi Jaimz registering the band name as a trademark. After 2 years of legal issues, the
band won their case and have the right to the Tigertailz name.
According to Pennsylvania Congressman Curt Weldon, Cher has spent "well over $100,000" in an effort to
push through legislation that would provide soldiers with upgraded helmets.
Elvis Costello and wife Diana Krall will be celebrating their 3rd wedding anniversary in December with the birth
of their first child together. This will be Krall's first child and Costello's second.
After 42 years on the air, the legendary BBC television series Top Of The Pops will end with a final episode on
July 30th. A version of the show appeared in the U.S. in 1987 hosted by Nia Peeples. A new version of the show
in the U.S. was in the works to be launched late 2006 or 2007 but the cancellation of the U.K version may change
those plans.
A 43-track double-CD compilation entitled Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys will be released
on Aug. 22nd featuring contemporary reinterpretations of by Nick Cave, Sting, Bono, Richard Thompson, Gavin Friday,
Bryan Ferry, Bill Frisell, Stan Ridgway, Jarvis Cocker, Lou Reed and many others. It is also reported that 17 other
songs were recorded for the sessions and will be used in a future companion album. The idea for the project came
up in a conversation between director Gore Verbinski and actor Johnny Depp while filming Pirates Of The Caribbean:
Dead Man's Chest.
America will release their new studio album, Here & Now, on Oct. 17th. The album will include a second disc
they recorded during a live performance on XM Radio's Then...Again...Live!
A new 19-track compilation from Images In Vogue entitled Collection 3.0, Evolution is on the way in time to celebrate
their 25th anniversary.
This week Bjork will see the release of Surround which is a retrospective of her entire post-Sugarcubes career
as a collection of 7 DualDiscs containing 5.1 remastered versions of her studio albums (including the soundtrack
for Drawing Restraint 9) and all accompanying videos.
Despite vocalist Steven Tyler having throat surgery recently, Aerosmith are hard at work on their new studio album
which is due out next spring.
The Residents recently released their new double-CD package River Of Crime on June 13th. The packaging includes
two blank CDs with the idea that fans can download the five episodes of their 1940's-style radio serial via their
RiverOfCrime.com website and burn them to disc during the 10-week period they are released.
Red Hot Chili Peppers' single "Dani California" continues to dominate both the Modern Rock and Mainstream
Rock charts. The song has been #1 on both charts for 10 weeks (Modern) and 8 weeks (Mainstream.)
Los Lobos have plans to release their new studio album, The Town And The City, on Sept. 12th which chronicles the
immigrant experience in America. No lead single has been chosen at this point.
Primal Scream will release their new studio album, Riot City Blues, on Aug. 22nd. The first single, "Country
Girl," became their first U.K. top 10 single since 1997's "Kowalski." The second single from the
album will be, "Dolls (Sweet Rock n Roll)."
Journey will release remastered and expanded versions of 5 of their albums on Aug. 1st. 1980's Departure, 1981's
Escape and 1988's Greatest Hits will include new bonus tracks.
The Panic Channel's "Teahouse Of the Spirits" will be featured on Madden NFL 2006. The band are expected
to perform the song on ABC's Late Night With Jimmy Kimmel on Aug. 21st.
Jerry Reed, Los Lobos, Young M.C., Matthew Sweet, Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, John Hiatt and many other acts are
featured on the My Name Is Earl -- The Album. The soundtrack heads to stores on Sept. 5 and was compiled by Jason
Lee (who plays Earl) and the show's creator Greg Garci under the premise that it's a gift from Earl to his brother.
Front Line Assembly have been forced to cancel the remaining dates of their U.S. tour due to problems with the
band's tour bus but will play some of their scheduled concerts in Canada.
Chaka Khan has been working with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on a new studio album that could be released
as early as October.
Former Red Rider vocalist Tom Cochrane has returned to the U.S. singles chart with his 1992 hit "Life Is A
Highway" thanks to its inclusion on the Cars soundtrack. The song jumped from #25 to #7 last week earning
it the distinction of being the biggest sales gainer.
Rude Boy, the 1980 film starring the Clash, will be released on DVD on Aug. 1st. Meanwhile, director Julian Temple
is working on a Joe Strummer documentary which will be narrated by Strummer using an archive of recorded interviews.
Reba McEntire's string of scheduled concert dates at the Las Vegas Hilton will end on July 30th instead of in August.
The change is due to the renewal of her television series on newly formed CW network's fall schedule. Taping of
the show conflicts with the final 3 concert dates.
Iron Maiden's follow-up to 2003's Dance Of Death will be their 19th studio album, A Matter Of Life And Death, due
out Sept. 5th.
Annie Lennox is in the early stages of working on her follow-up to 2003's Bare. No producer or theme for the album
has been chosen at this time according to a recent interview with Billboard.
Stryper have released their 14-track live DVD, Greatest Hits Live In Puerto Rico, which was filmed in San Juan
in 2004.
A new Dream Theater live CD and DVD, Score, is scheduled for release on Aug. 29th via Rhino Records. The CD version
has 3 discs and the DVD has 2-discs recorded during their 20th Anniversary World Tour finale in New York on Apr.
1st.
Paul Weller will release his live DVD, As Is Now, on Aug. 21st. The disc contains footage of the Live At 100 Club
Concert, a documentary on the making of the As Is Now album and a full length interview with Weller.
Motorhead plan to release their new studio album, Kiss Of Death, via Sanctuary Records on Aug. 29th.
Kool And The Gang co-founder/songwriter/guitarist Claydes Charles Smith, 57, died on Tuesday in Maplewood, New
Jersey, of an undisclosed illness he'd been suffering from for a long time. This illness forced him to stop touring
with the group in January.
Former Molly Hatchet guitarist Duane Roland, 53, has died. A cause of death has yet to be announced. After 15 years
with Molly Hatchet, Roland continued on releasing albums with Tuesday Knight and Junkyard.
Former White Sister drummer Richard Wright, 44, passed away in his sleep on June 14th according to former bandmate
keyboardist/vocalist Gary Brandon.