A Los Angeles Superior Court judge awarded $216,837 as well as $39,177 in interest to the Torrance law firm
of Ayscough & Marar in their lawsuit to recover legal fees from Michael Jackson. The firm handled some side
issues during the 2005 child molestation trial and helped defend the singer in court against his former business
associate Marc Schaffel. Jackson's attorney Marshall Brubacher, who agreed in principle to the June 26th judgment,
told the judge that going to trial would be costlier and "we want to stop the hemorrhaging."
Paul McCartney and Heather Mills' divorce settlement has finally been reached. Mills will be paid $140 million
(broken up in to an initial $30 million payment with $7 million every year until their 3 year-old daughter turns
18.
Jon Bon Jovi has sent a cease-and-desist letter against Marcos Carrington's coffee-based energy drink Mijovi asking
them to change the name as it is too similar to his. Carrington claims the drink is named after his girlfriend,
Jovita. The letter from the singer's lawyer was sent on Jan. 22nd and objects to the name and promotional materials
using the phrases "itsmijovi" and "itsmilife" which is similar to the band's 2000 hit single,
"It's My Life." Printed on the can is the phrase "itsmienergy.itsmijovi.itsmilife."
Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates appeared on Your World with Neil Cavuto today and talked about his nearly 3-year
battle with Lyme disease. He had been struggling with unusual allergic reactions before diagnosing it. Hall mentioned
that he had been suffering from 4 tick-related diseases at one point and that hundreds of thousands of people go
undetected with the disease. To tour, he has been taking heavy antibiotics and is on the road to recovery.
Bon Jovi's Lost Highway fell two spots to #6 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Velvet Revolver's Libertad fell
14 spots to #19 in their second week. Bad Religion's New Maps Of Hell debuted at #35.
The Traveling Wilburys' Collection dropped a spot to #3 on the U.K. Album chart in their 5th week. Rod Stewart's
The Complete American Songbook 1-4 fell two spots to #18 followed by Crowded House's reunion album Time On Earth.
Howard Jones will be conducting a choir from 4 different schools and colleges singing the song "For The Sake
Of Peace" at the World Peace Day Celebration 2007 in Gloucestershire at Cheltenham Town Hall on Sept. 21st.
The event is presented by Peace2gether to celebrate the UN International Day of Peace.
Testament have signed a deal with Nuclear Blast for their new studio album. The band actually signed the deal onstage
on July 20th in front of 20,000 fans at the Earthshaker Festival in Rieden, Germany. The band features their original
line-up (with the addition of recent drummer Nick Barker.)
A Flock Of Seagulls biggest hit, "I Ran," has been remixed by the Angry Kids for a collection of remixes
of the track entitled I Ran (So Far Away) due out via Varese Sarabande.
Y&T will release a two-DVD/CD set, Live: One Hot Night, via Locomotive Records on Aug. 14th. The show was recorded
in the Netherlands in October 2006.
Hank Williams Jr. will be honored by CMT in November during his own two-hour special and will be named a CMT Giant.
The Waterboys' new single, "Crash Of Angel Wings," from their new album, Book Of Lightning, will be released
on July 30th. The B-side for the single will be a home demo of the song recorded by Mike Scott. Two previously-announced
B-sides ("Higherbound" and "The Wedding") are being kept back for future releases.
Former Warrant frontman Jani Lane has been focused on his Saints Of The Underground project. A tour with them in
the U.S., Europe and Japan are in the works before he starts writing new songs with Keri Kelli. He also has a new
solo album, Jabberwocky, in the pipeline.
Annie Lennox will release, Songs Of Mass Destruction, her follow-up to 2003's Bare on Oct. 2nd via Arista. The
album has been described as personal and intense. One song on the album, "Sing," was inspired by her
work with Nelson Mandela's 46664 campaign to curb the spread of AIDS and features 23 female guest vocalists including
Madonna, Sarah McLachlan, Faith Hill, Bonnie Raitt, Celine Dion, Gladys Knight and Melissa Etheridge. "Dark
Road" will be released as the first single on Sept. 24th in the U.K.
DJ Jazzy Jeff has released his new single, "The Return Of Hip Hop," which features Biz Markie, Method
Man, Pos and Peedi Peedi.
2009 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Cure's debut album, Three Imaginary Boys. To celebrate, frontman Robert
Smith has a DVD documentary in his plans and hopes to get longtime video director Tim Pope to assist with the project.
Meanwhile, expanded reissues of their albums Disintegration and Wish are expected in 2008. Smith also reportedly
hasn't done any work with Ashlee Simpson although he did see her in Chicago. He does have another odd pairing in
mind with someone in a different genre but doesn't plan to talk about it this early.
Dance duo Basement Jaxx have worked on some new material with Yoko Ono that may appear on their new album due out
in the spring.
New Order vocalist Bernard Sumner and drummer Stephen Morris released a statement on July 20th. "After 30
years in a band together we are very disappointed that Hooky has decided to go to the press and announce unilaterally
that New Order have split up. We would have hoped that he could have approached us personally first. He does not
speak for all the band, therefore we can only assume he no longer wants to be part of New Order." Bassist
Peter Hook insisted in an interview and later a post to his MySpace blog that the band had broken up. Sumner and
Morris also said, "Whatever happens musically or otherwise, New Order have not split up, they continue to
exist."
Former Ratt bassist Juan Croucier has formed a new band with former Quiet Riot guitarist Carlos Cavazo and former
Bret Michaels' drummer John Medina. The group doesn't have a name yet and more information will be released when
available.
Shirley Bassey has signed a worldwide recording deal with Universal Music Group's Decca Records. The deal will
include her current U.K. album, Get The Party Started, and next album.
Mark Knopfler will release his new 12-track solo studio effort, Kill To Get Crimson, on Sept. 18th via Warner Bros.
Meanwhile, he recently re-recorded the Dire Straits album Brothers In Arms for release as a download with proceeds
benefitting the South Atlantic Medal Association.
The Sex Gang Children's 1992 album, Blind, will be reissued by Cherry Red in September and will include B-sides
from the time period and new liner notes.
Canadian rock act Helix will release their new studio album, The Power Of Rock And Roll, in the U.S. via Perris
Records on Sept. 4th.
Frank Stallone is upset that his scheduled performance date at The Cutting Room in New York City on July 19th was
pulled and replaced with Peggi Young (Neil Young's wife.) According to Stallone, he even purchased a ticket for
the show for someone but they wouldn't reimburse him for it.
A 20th anniversary celebration of the release of Guns N' Roses classic debut album, Appetite For Destruction, will
be held on July 28th at Los Angeles' Key Club. According to former drummer Steven Adler, he will be attending as
will Slash, Izzy Stradlin and Duff McKagan. Axl Rose is doubtful but on the guest list. Meanwhile, Slash was honored
at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas with a permanent memorabilia case. The presenters were a bit shocked
when Slash gave them a guitar to place in it that he said he stole from the dressing room at a Florida Hard Rock
Cafe years ago and had been playing since. According to the guitarist, "I thought what better way to honor
the Hard Rock for honoring me than to give it back, sort of."
Former Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt has released a statement to announce that he is no longer with Perry
Farrell's Satellite Party. He mentions that although he's proud of 3 years of work that went into the music and
production on the Ultra Payloaded album, he has "felt uncomfortable with the direction of the line up and
live show."
Stevie Wonder will be a guest on Queen Latifah's new studio album, Trav'lin' Light, due out Sept. 25th via Verve.
Latifah's latest film, Hairspray, debuted at #3 at the box office during the weekend raking in $27.8 million.
Hanoi Rocks are scheduled to release their new studio album, Street Poetry, in Europe on Sept. 5th which features
their new single, "Fashion."
The VH1 premiere of Rock Of Love with Bret Michaels gave outstanding ratings for the network and received rave
reviews by national media outlets. The show airs on Sundays and is a 10-part reality series.
Former Dio guitarist Rowan Robertson, former Amored Saint guitarist Jeff Duncan, his brother drummer Shawn Duncan
and bassist Matt Duncan have been recording their new album, Explode. They are currently shopping labels but have
some copies up for purchase on their MySpace page.
A rare, never-before-seen collection of limited edition photographic prints of the famed U.K. act the Jam will
run in an exhibit, The Jam Unseen, from Oct. 6th to Oct. 20th in London's The Movie Poster Gallery.
Al Green recently told Billboard.com that he has recorded 15 songs for his (tentatively-titled) The Duet Album
with producer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson to be released early next year.
A new rock supergroup has formed, this time under the name Scrap Metal. The group features Eric Martin (Mr. Big),
Kelly Keagy (Night Ranger), Mark Slaughter (Slaughter) and Gunnar and Matthew Nelson (Nelson). The William Morris
Talent and Literary Agency has announced signing on to represent them.
Kim Wilde's new single, "Baby Obey Me" featuring Ill Inspecta, will be released on Aug. 3rd. B-sides
on the single include live versions of "Kids In America" and "Enjoy The Silence." The song
is the follow-up single to "Together We Belong" from her latest album, Never Say Never.
Guitarist Michael Schenker has threatened to not tour the U.S. in the future after having to cancel several Michael
Schenker Group dates due to customs and visa issues. "There will never be another tour in the U.S. unless
particular people stop interfering."
"Two Times Blue" will be the first single released from Deborah Harry's new solo studio album, Necessary
Evil.
Sanctuary Records UK will be releasing a new 29-track Glenn Hughes compilation, This Time Around: An Anthology
1970-2007, to be released on Sept. 3rd.
Roger McGuinn has plans to head into the studio to work on a new album in the next 6 months. McGuinn recently released
his Live From Spain album and heads back on tour in September.
Korn are planning a covers album. Recorded already are Nine Inch Nails' "Head Like A Hole," Psychedelic
Furs' "Love My Way" and Faith No More's "We Care Alot." Plans are to record versions of Ozzy
Osbourne's "Diary Of A Madman," Prince's "Erotic City" and Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam's version
of Debbie Deb's "Lookout Weekend."
Dennis DeYoung's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" will have a new production run at Chicago's Bailiwick
Repertory Theater starting next May. DeYoung plans to revise the show extensively for the new production.
The Durutti Column will release their first new studio album with vocalist Poppy Roberts, Idiot Savants, in the
U.K. on Sept. 3rd.
According to Max and Igor Cavalera, the new music they are working on will not be a Sepultura reunion album but
a new band named Inflikted.
Celine Dion will see her 1998 holiday album, These Are Special Times, reissued by Columbia/Legacy on Oct. 16th
with a bonus DVD of her CBS television special from Thanksgiving of that year.
According to James Hetfield, Metallica's 2003 album St. Anger "was more of a purge, just getting that sh*t
out of me, as a catalyst for the next chapter of Metallica. Their new 'more focused' album is due out early next
year. Meanwhile, the BBC has apologized to fans watching the Live Earth coverage as they cut away from Metallica's
set mid-song in favor of Crowded House's performance in Sydney.
Crystal Gayle will celebrate the 30th anniversary of her hit "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" with
a new 25-track greatest hits collection on Aug. 28th that will feature 13 of her #1 hits.
Slayer's 2006 album, Christ Illusion, will be released in a limited-edition version this week. Among the bonus
tracks is a new song called "The Final Six" which wasn't finished at the time the album was released.
A DVD with the video for their Grammy-winning song "Eyes Of The Insane" and other footage is included
in this version.
Kylie Minogue has been in the recording studio with the Scissor Sisters working on some new material.
The Scorpions will release their new studio album, Humanity: Hour 1, in North America on Aug. 28th via Universal.
Stephen Duffy will see his album, Designer Beatnik, (that was released in 1986 under the name Dr Calculus) reissued
with 5 bonus tracks as a digital download.
Girlschool lead guitarist Kelly Johnson, 49, died on July 15th after a 6-year battle with spinal cancer. According
friend and former tourmate Lemmy of Motorhead, "Kelly Johnson, on a good day, is as good as Jeff Beck in his
rock & roll days. She's a f***ing brilliant guitar player." Johnson was with the band from their 1980
debut album and left after 1983's Play Dirty. She would return to the band in 1993 before leaving the music business
entirely in 2000.