U.K. dance duo Underworld have been forced to cancel the remaining dates of their current tour starting Oct.
19th due to an illness in the band. Although no official word has been released, it is believed that Rick Smith
is unwell. Smith was among the injured and treated at a nearby Athens hospital back in June when 30 masked Greek
anarchists stormed the stadium with iron bars, baseball bats and CS gas.
According to reports from the Oct. 23rd opening night of Danzig's tour in Baltimore, Maryland, Glenn Danzig fell
off the stage while performing "How The Gods Kill." The show went on for two more songs after getting
back on stage but ended sooner than expected. Danzig injured his shoulder in the fall and was forced to cancel
their performance in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Oct. 25th.
Patti Smith tripped over a speaker while performing at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire on Oct. 21st. The 60 year-old
singer fell landing on her face and cutting her elbow. The show was dedicated to poet Arthur Rimbaud.
Tanya Tucker is currently staying in Las Vegas after her home was among many in the Malibu, California, area caught
fire which forced her to evacuate the residence on Oct. 21st with her 18 year-old daughter Presley and 4 dogs.
The home held a lot of memorabilia (stage clothing, belts, boots and wardrobe) since moving from Nashville.
TicketNews recently interviewed attorney Brandee Faria who is spearheading a class action lawsuit against Aerosmith.
The lawsuit is over the band's canceling their Sept. 26th concert on Maui last minute with no reason provided at
the time in favor of a larger, more profitable concert in Chicago. It was later announced that the cancellation
was due to logistics in getting their equipment to Hawaii. The band allegedly came to the islands with their equipment
for a few days vacationing on the island and performed a private show for Toyota on Oahu days after their canceled
concert. The lawyer mentioned that most of the 10,000 Hawaiian fans would have had to pay for airfare, hotel and
car rental as well as scheduled a day off work to attend the Wednesday performance. Those costs were not able to
be retrieved with the "last minute" cancellation. Representatives for the band have not responded to
requests to comment on the lawsuit.
The Michigan Court of Appeals has upheld a rejection of lawsuits filed by Ted Nugent against the organizers of
the 2003 Muskegon Summer Celebration who canceled his performance after the singer allegedly made offensive racially-charged
comments to a radio station. Nugent and his band had sued the organizers for libel, slander and breach of contract.
Papers were filed on Oct. 22nd in Santa Barbara County by Fortress Music Trust (doing business as DBCG LLC) claiming
that Michael Jackson has defaulted on a $23 million loan and that he has 90 days to pay the full amount (including
$212,963.83 in interest) or lose his Neverland Ranch. The loan is separate from his $300 million loan on his stake
in Sony/ATV Music Publishing.
The Associated Press have reported that according to documents they obtained last week U2's music publishing company,
U2 Ltd., pulled in more than $30 million last year with $25.8 million going to 5 unidentified "employees."
The band's public relations firms have refused to confirm suspicions that the 5 "employees" are the band
members and longtime manager Paul McGuinness even though the band members reportedly filed papers quitting the
U2 Ltd. board in June 2006 before the move of their corporate base from Ireland to the Netherlands where royalties
on music incur virtually no tax. The company paid $46,500 in taxes in 2005 and saw it jump to nearly $1.1 million
in 2006 before moving to the Netherlands.
The upcoming Anton Corbijn film Control (about Joy Division's Ian Curtis) has been nominated for a record-breaking
10 British Independent Film Awards.
Despite selling 42% less albums, Bruce Springsteen has returned to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart selling
77,000 copies. The album debuted at the top spot three weeks ago selling 335,000 copies but fell to #2 the next
week. Reba McEntire's Reba Duets climbed a spot to #6 with 59,000 copies sold. Santana's Ultimate Santana became
the group's fourth top 10 album entering the chart at #8 on sales of 56,000 copies.
Van Morrison's Still On Top - The Greatest Hits debuts at #2 on the U.K. Album chart. Eric Clapton's Complete Clapton
drops 4 spots to #7. Phil Collins' Hits fell a spot to #8. Neil Young's Chrome Dreams II debuted at #14. Santana's
Ultimate Santana debuted at #16. Bruce Springsteen's Magic dropped 7 places to #17. Jools Holland's Best Of Friends
fell 9 spots to #18.
George Strait scored his 76th top 10 single on the Hot Country Songs chart last week when his single, "How
'Bout Them Cowgirls," climbed two places to #9. Strait is third on the list of most top 10 singles on the
Hot Country Songs chart behind George Jones (78) and Eddy Arnold (92).
Mick Hucknall has announced that after the promotion and tour for the current Simply Red album, Stay, the band
will call it a day in 2009. Hucknall told the Gold radio network, "I've kind of decided that 25 years is going
to be enough. I've just recorded an album that is a tribute to Bobby Bland, a blues and R&B artist. It's a
solo project and I've really enjoyed it - so much that I feel the time has come now to put a book-end to the Simply
Red story." A limited-edition version of Stay with a bonus DVD has just been released in Europe.
Pat Travers has voiced his concern with Cleopatra/Deadline Records over the release of the CD Black Betty: The
Anthology in June. Travers claims that he was unaware of any intention for the recordings (which took place over
the course of a 2 to 3 year period) to be released by the label as a compilation. He believed the songs to be added
as single tracks to compilations that included work from other artists. Travers does plan to release an album with
new material next year.
Lenny Kravitz has sent out the first two singles ("I'll Be Waiting" and "Bring It On") from
his upcoming album, Love Revolution, to radio stations.
Mudhoney are scheduled to release their limited edition (only 500 pressed) live LP on Nov. 6th. The album is available
only through Sub Pop (http://www.subpop.com/releases/mudhoney/full_lengths/live_mud), select stores and international
distributor that deal directly with the label. Pre-orders come with a free download.
The Happy Mondays' new video for their new single, "Disfunktional Uncle," is now online at MySpaceTV.com.
The song is now available for download at iTunes.
The first new B-52's album in 16 years, Funplex, will be released on Feb. 28th via Astralwerks. A potential first
single, "Pump," from the album is expected out beforehand and is among songs they tested on the road.
The group's last studio album was 1992's Good Stuff.
CBS will be taping a star-studded concert on Dec. 2nd at Los Angeles' Kodak Theatre to be aired on the 7th. Elton
John will be among the performers taking part that will perform notable songs from classic films. John will reportedly
focus on music from animated films. The event will mirror the annual Fashion Rocks event with proceeds benefitting
the Entertainment Industry Foundation.
Genesis will chronicle the first portion of their reunion tour with a double-CD set, Live Over Europe, due out
Nov. 20th via Atlantic. The set includes songs the band hadn't performed in decades including songs from the Peter
Gabriel and Phil Collins eras and even the two-part instrumental "Duke's Intro."
If you were unsure of Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor's being serious about getting away from the traditional record
label, it might be well worth noting the people he works with. Poet, artist and musician Saul Williams will release
his new Reznor-produced album, The Inevitable Rise And Liberation Of NiggyTardust!, on Nov. 1st as a DRM-free download
for free or a $5 artist contribution.
The World Series has been graced by opening performances by James Taylor during game 2 and Denver native Philip
Bailey during game 3.
Motley Crue vocalist Vince Neil plans to open his new bar in West Palm Beach, Florida, called Vince Neil's Dr.
Feelgood's in late November. He has hopes to open them in Atlantic City and Las Vegas in the future.
Icicle Works, Elvis Costello, China Crisis, OMD, Ian McCulloch, The Farm, The Christians, Dr and the Medics, The
Real Thing and Deacon Blue featuring Connie Lush are among the tentative list of artists who have contributed music
to The Number One Project. The project aims to mark Liverpool's status as the European Capital of Culture for 2008
with the celebration of its world beating 56 number one singles. A concert is planned on Jan. 19th followed by
a single on Jan. 21st and an album entitled Covers And Collaborations on Jan. 28th (featuring versions of those
hits by the previously mentioned artists.) More information can be found at www.thenumberoneproject.org. All net
proceeds from the project are going to six selected charities.
The Goo Goo Dolls will release their new compilation, Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 - The Singles, on Nov. 13th via Warner
Bros. Records. Greatest Hits Vol. 2 is expected early next year which will include new recordings, remixes, rarities
and cover songs.
Tangerine Dream have released copies of their special limited edition EP, One Night In Space, via the EastGate
Music Online Shop. The live disc was recorded during their Frankfurt concert at the Alte Oper early this month.
A DVD of the show is expected out before Christmas.
Former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony has formed his own trio, Mad Anthony Express, which performs some cover
songs as well as some 'more obscure' Van Halen tracks. Anthony has said that the trio (which features the guitarist
and drummer from Sammy Hagar's Wabos) could push him to launching his own group or recording project. He expects
to evaluate the options after his current tour with Hagar. Meanwhile, Hagar is reportedly about half-way through
with recording his follow-up to last year's Livin' It Up. He expects to finish recording in December and January
with a release date around the second quarter of 2008.
Dave Gahan's Oct. 23rd in-store performance at New York's Soho Apple store in support of his new release, Hourglass,
was recorded as a 7-track set to be sold exclusively via iTunes on a currently-undetermined date.
Pink Floyd will see their entire studio discography bundled under the title Oh By The Way for release as a 16-disc
limited edition (only 10,000 will be pressed) set on Dec. 4th via Capitol/EMI. Each album (from their 1967 debut,
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, up to 1994's final album, The Division Bell,) is a reproduction of the original
vinyl release. Live albums, compilations and rarities sets are not among the releases in the set.
Morrissey has dismissed his tour's opening act, duo KRISTEENYOUNG, who replied to audience members chanting for
the singer, "Morrissey gives good head, I mean, er, cunnilingus..."
A 21-track Van Morrison hits collection, Still On Top - The Greatest Hits, is on the way via Hip-O/UMe on Nov.
6th featuring digitally remastered versions of his classic singles.
You may have to hold back on your expectations if you were anticipating a new Black Sabbath reunion album with
Ozzy Osbourne. According to a press release issued by Noble PR, founding member Geezer Butler has adamantly denied
those rumors. "Heaven And Hell are currently in discussions with various record labels about recording a brand
new studio album in 2008," said Butler.
American Music Club will release their ninth album, The Golden Age, via Merge on Feb. 18th. The 13-track set sees
the band add a few members and avoid some of the editing that was evident on their 2004 album Love Songs For Patriots.
A biopic about the Plasmatics' Wendy O. Williams is reportedly in the works (filming to start next year and a 2009
release.) Rumored to portray the late frontwoman is Heroes star Hayden Panettiere.
A-ha vocalist Morten Harket will release his new solo album, Letter From Egypt, later this year preceeded by the
new single, "Movies." "Movies" is a slightly re-written version of the 1999 song "My Woman"
by fellow Norwegian act Locomotives. The album will be Harket's first English-speaking release since 1995's Wild
Seed.
The 1991 album, Mavericks, by former dB's Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey will be reissued on Jan. 15th via Collectors'
Choice Music with an additional 6 previously-unreleased tracks.
A double-CD version of Can's compilation album, Anthology, has been released to stores and as a digital download.
The collection contains 29 all recently remastered tracks (most likely pulled from their recently released remastered
albums.)
A new book entitled The Encyclopaedia Metallica will be released via Chrome Dreams on Nov. 1st. The paperback is
compiled from exclusive interviews with the band. Meanwhile, the group's new studio album is expected to be released
in February.
Howard Jones plans to release a concert album, Live In Birkenhead, in November featuring songs performed with Robin
Boult. The release will coincide with a revamp of Jones' Web site.
ZZ Top will be filming their performance at the Nokia Theater in Dallas for a live DVD. No release date or title
has been announced.
Arlen Roth will release his new album, Toolin' Around Woodstock -- Featuring Levon Helm, on his own Aquinnah label
on Feb. 5th.
A campaign has launched to encourage Portrait and Epic record labels to re-release Cyndi Lauper's first 3 albums
(with extra tracks) internationally as well as a DVD collection of all her videos (including some that have never
been released previously in any format.) The Cyndi Lauper Re-Issue Campaign is lead by fans of the singer and can
be found at www.cyndilauperuk.com/ReissuesPage.html.
Guitarist Paul Fox, 56, of The Ruts has passed away following a fight with lung cancer. Fox had been performing
as recently as this last summer with surviving members of The Ruts and fronted by Henry Rollins. He had also remained
active in his other band the Dubcats.
Porter Wagoner, 80, died on Sunday due to complications from lung cancer. The country icon was recently released
from the hospital and moved to hospice care. Wagoner was hospitalized on Oct. 15th in Nashville and recently diagnosed
with the illness.