Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville refused to lower Michael
Jackson's $3 million bail on Wednesday citing evidence that he once planned to run to Brazil with his accuser's
family. Meanwhile, former Santa Barbara County sheriff Jim Thomas told Dateline NBC that his office investigated
Jackson in 1993 over one boy's claim and discovered a second accusation (the son of an employee at Neverland Ranch
in 1990 who is believed to have been paid $2 million as a settlement.) Both boys who are now in their 20s are not
expected to testify in the current case. Hours before the Dateline NBC broadcast, a statement was released by Jackson
admitting that in the past he has reached financial settlements with people to avoid the embarrassment of going
to court and that he would never harm a child. Jackson is also rumoured to be selling his Neverland ranch fearing
that it has been bugged by police and has refused to enter the home since his arrest although he's had it debugged
several times.
Tom Araya of Slayer was rushed to a hospital in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, on Wednesday after experiencing severe
pain during the Ozzfest tour from a kidney stone. Araya was treated, released and the band returned to the stage
on Thursday.
A lawsuit has been filed against Dwight Yoakam and his Dwight Yoakam Tours Inc. by Yoakam's longtime music director,
guitarist and producer Pete Anderson. Anderson (who worked with Yoakam from 1983 to 2003) alleges that Yoakam breached
an oral contract by not performing October 2002 tour dates in order to work on a film. Anderson (who was in charge
of assembling and rehearsing the band, preparing for the band's arrangements and leading them onstage) claims he
lost at least $44,285 in salary, $1,085 in per diem expenses and the 25% of the net proceeds he was promised from
the tour when Yoakam failed to perform.
DJ Paul Oakenfold has threatened to sue Rod Stewart unless his family gets an apology. According to The Sun, Oakenfold's
61 year-old father Vincenzo Costa was hit on the side of the head by a soccer ball kicked by Stewart as he was
leaving Rod's performance at Los Angeles' Hollywood Bowl. According to daughter Angela, her father went into convulsions
on a stretcher and had to be rushed to the hospital. Stewart's spokesperson has said, "We have no details
of this incident but will investigate when we have." During Stewart's performance he reunited on stage for
5 songs with former Faces bandmates Ronnie Wood and Ian McLagan. Meanwhile, Stewart will release The Great American
Songbook Vol. III on Oct. 19th.
Donna Summer, Barry White, the Bee Gees and Giorgio Moroder will be honored on Sept. 20th in New York during the
Dance Music Hall Of Fame inaugural induction ceremony.
The Melbourne City Council is expected to upset a lot of AC/DC fans by cancelling plans to honor the band by naming
a city street after them. Other options are being considered including a plaque placed on the footpath in Swanston
Street.
Producer Daniel Lanois is working with Peter Gabriel on a new DVD video compilation due out Oct. 21st. Lanois is
remixing the sound for 5.1 surround while some of the 18 to 20 videos will see minor editing with some new images.
"Weird Al" Yankovic was attacked while on stage at the Du Quoin State Fair in southern Illinois by green
moths, some of which nestled into his trademark curly, long hair.
Duran Duran are expected to expose themselves via a new book titled Please, Please Tell Me Now which would chronicle
among many other things Nick Rhodes relationships with Andy Warhol and Elizabeth Hurley as well as Simon LeBon's
affair and courtship of model Yasmine.
Anita Baker will release her first new studio album in a decade this week titled My Everything which was partially
produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. Babyface makes an appearance on the track, "Like You Used
To Do."
Fortune will be releasing a 20th Anniversary remastered version of their self-titled album this month which will
include 3 previously-unreleased tracks. This will be the first time the album has been available on CD.
Twisted Sister are expected to release their re-recorded version of their classic 1984 album, Stay Hungry, on Oct.
5 which will include 7 songs that didn't make the original album as well as a new album cover.
"Boom, Like That" will be the first single from Mark Knopfler's new studio album, Shangri-La, which is
due out on Sept. 27th.
Vanessa Williams has signed a new deal with Lava Records that will see her release a Christmas album, Silver &
Gold, on Oct. 12th as well as a collection of classic 70's love songs in February.
A double-DVD of performances from Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival back in June will be released on Oct.
19th. The footage contained includes highlights from Clapton, Carlos Santana, Robert Cray, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson,
Jeff Beck, B.B. King, Pat Metheny, Joe Walsh, Jimmy Vaughan, James Taylor, Vince Gill, J.J. Cale, ZZ Top and Buddy
Guy.
Kiss will release a new 40-track double-CD retrospective, Gold Sound+Vision on Oct. 5th which will also include
the DVD Kiss Exposed showing behind-the-scenes footage.
A Manchester brewery has named a beer after Madonna, Material Girl Ale, to commemorate her first visit to the city
in 10-years during her Re-invention tour. The bottle's label features a design similar to the cover of her Immaculate
Collection album.
The Thompson Twins classic 1983 album Quickstep And Sidekick has been remastered and will be reissued on Sept.
27th featuring 4 bonus tracks.
A 25-track soundtrack to the expired television series Freaks And Geeks will be released on Sept. 14th including
songs by Alice Cooper, Rush, Styx, Joan Jett and The Who.
Styx are planning to release their studio follow-up to 2003's Cyclorama in the 3rd or 4th quarter of next year.
They also are planning to release an EP with the songs they recorded with Koko Taylor and Johnny Johnson at Chess
Studios.
Lazyboy's debut album, Penguin Rock, will contain a vocal performance by Aztec Camera frontman Roddy Frame on the
dance track "Western Skies."
Janet Jackson has plans to release a 19-track DVD titled From Janet To Damita Jo - The Videos on Sept. 6th which
will also include interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. Meanwhile, the Federal Communications Commission is
(according to the Washington Post) expected to fine CBS-owned stations a whopping $791,650 for broadcasting Jackson's
exposure during the Super Bowl half-time show.
Delerium release a 14-track compilation this week titled The Best Of Delerium. Among the featured guest performances
is Sarah McLachlan on two different versions of "Silence."
Former Transvision Vamp vocalist Wendy James will release a new low-fi electronica meets punk album under the name
Racine titled Number One on Sept. 27th. James wrote and performed everything on the album which will be released
on her own Pia-K Recordings label. The album will be preceded by the single "Grease Monkey."
Mick Jagger has recorded a duet of "Alfie" with 17 year-old Joss Stone for inclusion on the soundtrack
to the new version of the film, Alfie, starring Jude Law.
W.A.S.P. are scheduled to release The Neon God Part II - The Demise on Sept. 28th via Sanctuary Records with a
second leg of the Neon God tour starting shortly.
Chaka Khan is taking on the standards. Khan has been in the studio working on classic jazz and contemporary tracks
for a new album due out later this year. Among the tracks is a cover of Lulu's 1967 hit "To Sir With Love."
Meanwhile, Khan has blamed strained vocal chords for her off-key performance of "Through The Wire" with
Kayne West during the MTV Video Music Awards. She reportedly cancelled her performance in Park City, Utah, two
days prior under doctor's orders. She received a cortisone shot just hours before her performance which helped
some. She is resting her chords completely this week.
The Tragically Hip will see their entire catalog reissued in the U.S. starting on Oct. 19th with their first three
albums: The Tragically Hip EP (1987), Up To Here (1989) and Road Apples (1991.) Their next three albums will be
reissued on Nov. 19th and three more shortly after.
Sanctuary Records will release The 1996 DEP Sessions by Iommi With Glenn Hughes on Sept. 28th. Tony Iommi is the
lead guitarist for Black Sabbath and Hughes previously was the co-lead vocalist and bassist for Deep Purple.
Lionel Richie will release his first concert album in North America on Sept. 28th entitled Encore! Live At Wembley
Arena. A previous release of the material was issued internationally in 2002 with more robust track-listing.
Roger Waters has released the songs "To Kill A Child" and "Leaving Beirut" for download via
his Web site as a means to protest the war in Iraq.
The Cramps have compiled a double-CD of previously-unreleased tracks, alternate takes, demos and live performances
for release under the title How To Make A Monster on Oct. 19th.
Bjork's new studio album, Medulla, debuted on the U.K. album charts at #9 followed by The Blue Nile's first new
studio album in 8 years, High, at #10 (becoming their first Top 10 album.) The Blue Nile have also released a new
single, "I Would Never."
It seems that Bryan Adams will be the first act to follow the marketing genius that is Prince. Adams is offering
a voucher for a copy of his new album, Room Service, to every gold/premium ticket holder during his Australian
tour. Whether he continues that in the U.S. (where the album has yet to be released,) is currently unknown.
A Flock Of Seagulls will see their 1983 album Listen remastered and reissued on Sept. 28th via Superfecta Records
which will include 3 bonus tracks.
Carlos Santana plans to head into the recording studio with Los Lonely Boys to record a version of a previously-unreleased
Los Lonely Boys track ("I Don't Want To Lose Your Love") to be included on Santana's upcoming album.
Derric LeFevre has been named the new lead vocalist for Lillian Axe replacing Ron Taylor. The band plan to release
a new Lillian Axe album next year.
Nirvana's highly anticipated 3-disc box set is expected to be released in November with limited edition versions
containing a DVD with footage of the band performing at a house party in 1987.
Nuclear Blast have signed Agnostic Front to a recording deal which will see the release of their new studio album,
Another Voice, via the label on Jan. 5th.
Former Fleetwood Mac member Christine McVie releases her first new solo studio album this week since her 1984 self-titled
effort. The 12-track album is titled In The Meantime which was co-produced by McVie herself.
The documentary, Edgeplay: A Film About The Runaways, which tells the story of the all-female rock group told by
the former members has been screened at several festivals and is expected to be released on DVD in January.
McFarlane Toys will be releasing a Deluxe Boxed Set of Motley Crue action-figures in November based on how they
looked during the Shout At The Devil album. Also in the works is a Slash action figure.
LaToya Jackson has returned to making music after divorcing husband/manager Jack Gordon. Jackson returned recently
to the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Music chart at #13 with her first single "Just Wanna Dance" under the
name Toy. She is currently working on a full-length album titled Startin' Over due out later this year.
Chris Isaak will release his first holiday album, Chris Isaak Christmas, on Oct. 12th featuring 11 traditional
songs and 5 originals along with a duet of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" with Stevie Nicks.
Dexter Holland of the Offspring has recorded vocals for the songs "Salt Lake City" and "Massacre"
for The Dwarves new album, The Dwarves Must Die, due out Sept. 21st.
Online retailer TheMusic.com will ship a limited run of 150 authorized double-disc sets compiled from the Who's
2004 tour on Sept. 20th. The collection retails for $820 and according to reports only 40 copies haven't been pre-ordered.
Queen's classic "Somebody To Love" will be covered by The Darkness with Queen guitarist Brian May on
board for the studio session. Girls Aloud are also eying a second Christmas #1 single with the planned released
of their rendition of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "The Power Of Love."