Boy George (a.k.a. George O'Dowd) was charged this week with the Apr. 28th false imprisonment of 28 year-old
male escort Auden Carlsen (whom he met on the gay dating Web site Gaydar and allegedly invited over to his apartment
for a midnight photo shoot.) The singer is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 22nd. Meanwhile, the singer has
announced a full U.K. tour for 2008.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers have filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Showtime Networks, Twilight
Time Films, Aggressive Mediocrity and Tom Kapinos over the television series Californication which bears the same
name as their 1999 Grammy-nominated album and a popular single from the album. The U.S. Trademark Office records
show that Showtime did file an application to trademark "Californication" as an ongoing TV series but
the rights have yet to be granted.
Although they were able to perform in Japan in 2005, Japanese immigration authorities have denied Velvet Revolver's
request for visas which has forced them to cancel 4 shows there from Nov. 26th to 30th. The band are appealing
the decision but the process may take months. Meanwhile, according to TMZ, Slash (a.k.a. Saul Hudson) and his wife
have filed a lawsuit against real estate agent Gregory Holcomb and Sotheby's International Realty in Los Angeles
Superior Court. The Hudsons claim that they were told the house was on a private, gated street and 7800 sq. ft.
(in the listing) but it turned out to be on a public street with little parking and much smaller. There were also
alleged issues with the home's title.
After just completing his doctorate in astrophysics, Queen guitarist Brian May has been named as the next chancellor
to Liverpool John Moores University. May is expected to take up the role early next year which includes acting
as an ambassador for the university and its staff and students.
According to a representative, rumors of Jon Bon Jovi looking to run for political office in his home state of
New Jersey have been greatly exaggerated. The band's Lost Highway album was recently certified platinum by the
RIAA.
Los Lobos has handed over a $195,000 check to Garfield High School to replace the fire-damaged roof of their new
sports auditorium. Many of the band members graduated from the school and funds were raised by staging a benefit
concert on Oct. 14th.
Eddie Money's Wanna Go Back has reportedly received a Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Performance Male for the
Rock/Pop Album Category. The final ballots for Grammy nominations will be announced on Dec. 7th.
The Eagles' Long Road Out Of Eden sold 359,000 copies last week earning it the #2 spot on the Billboard 200 album
chart. Garth Brooks' The Ultimate Hits followed at #3 selling 352,000 units. Reba McEntire's Reba Duets climbs
to #12 and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' Raising Sand drops to #16.
Led Zeppelin's Mothership debuted at #4 on the U.K. Album chart last week followed by Celine Dion's Taking Chances
(#5), the Eagles' Long Road Out Of Eden (#6), Whitney Houston's The Ultimate Collection (#12), Cliff Richard's
Love - The Album (#13), Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' Raising Sand (#15) and The Beautiful South/Housemartins'
Soup - Cream Of The Beautiful South and Housemartins (#16).
Garth Brooks' Ultimate Hits holds the #1 spot on the Canadian Album chart. Reba McEntire's Reba Duets climbed 5
spots during the week to #14 and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' Raising Sand drops 8 places to #19. Stevie Nicks'
single "Stand Back" jumped back to #12 in its 11th week back on the charts.
The Police took home honors for Top Tour and Top Draw during the 4th annual Billboard Touring Awards on Nov. 15th.
Prince received the Top Boxscore award for his 21-night sold-out stand at the O2 in London.
A deluxe edition of the Lemonheads' 1992 album, It's A Shame About Ray, is in the pipeline for release in March
via Rhino. The set will include demos, B-sides and a DVD from that time period. Singer/songwriter Evan Dando has
mentioned that things are in the process of being finalized for the recording of a new album in January. Some of
those songs as well as obscure early tracks may pop up during their short tour starting at the end of the month.
After 18 years, The Blow Monkeys have reformed with their original four members (songwriter/singer/guitarist Dr
Robert, saxophonist Neville Henry, bassist Mick Anker and drummer Tony Kiley) with plans to record a new album
and go on an extensive tour next year.
Recorded on Apr. 12th, 1986, in front of 25,000 fans at UCLA in Los Angeles for their first-ever satellite transmission
to millions of homes around the globe, The Alarm's Spirit Of '86 Concert will finally head to DVD on Nov. 21st.
A video of the show was originally available immediately after the show but the band requested it withdrawn due
to the unmixed sound quality on it.
Gazebo mainman Paul Mazzolini has been working on his new studio album, The Syndrone. Last year he released the
new single, "Tears For Galileo," and is readying his new single, "Ladies!"
A new NBC holiday talent competition is heading to television from Dec. 17th to 20th. Michael Bolton and Patti
LaBelle are among 5 celebrity choirmasters that will head back to their hometowns to assemble a choir of 20 amateur
singers. After rehearsing with their choirmasters in their hometowns, the choirs head to New York to perform live.
Each night, viewers will vote off one choir. The winning choir will choose a prize to help their community.
Gary Numan will release his 3-track Jagged Live EP for digital download via his official Web site and MusicTVStation.com.
The video EP is due out shortly.
Peter Hook is ready to stick a fork in New Order. He has recently mentioned a plan for a New Order box set and
expanded reissues that would be similar to Joy Division's catalog, but believes that their recent falling out is
keeping it from happening right now.
Lou Reed has composed and recorded two new songs ("Gravity" and "Safety Zone") that were inspired
by the soon-to-be released film Nanking -- a documentary telling the story of the Japanese invasion of Nanking,
China, in the early days of World War II.
The March Violets have uploaded a new pre-release version of the new track, "Cut Down Pretty," to their
MySpace page for fans to download free. The song is expected to be one of the tracks making up a CD of new material
to be sold at their one-off reunion performance on Dec. 8th in their hometown of Leeds.
Donny Osmond has apologized to CNN talk-show host Larry King after criticizing him for revealing that Marie's 16
year-old son had entered rehab. Osmond told NBC's Today Show, "I was very upset about it. I thought it was
very unfair for Larry King to throw that question at Marie the way he did." He later said that, "I have
to back up and apologize publicly to Larry King because I came out and said some things against him." "...
In hindsight, Larry King did Marie a favor. She was able to make a statement about the situation. ...And so she's
grateful to Larry."
Don't expect a new Kiss album soon. According a Billboard interview of Gene Simmons, "There is nothing in
me that wants to go in there and do new music. How are you going to deliver it? How are you going to get paid for
it if people can just get it for free?" The one thing that you can bet on are another Kiss boxed set of unreleased
music next year and Simmon's solo recording boxed set, Monster, (which will feature "150 unreleased songs.")
The band will perform 15 dates next year holding "Kiss festivals around the Indy car racing series."
A new in depth book, Songs: From The Edge Of The World, that chronologically looks at every song released or performed
by Siouxsie & The Banshees (including photos, artwork, release dates, chart positions, tour dates and reviews)
is now available at lulu.com.
Henry Rollins will release his new book, Fanatic! Vol. 2, via the 21261.com Web site. Both volumes can be purchased
there for $15. Rollins also expects to release Vol. 3 next year as well as a book entitled A Preferred Blur and
possibly a few new spoken word releases from his last two tours.
The Simple Minds have signed a deal with W14 for the recording of their next studio album due out next year. Siouxsie
Sioux, Alison Moyet, Level 42, The Proclaimers, J.J. Cale and the Waterboys are signed to the label.
Boston rock act Big Dipper have plans to reunite after 16 years. A 3-disc collection called Supercluster: The Big
Dipper Anthology, which contains their first two albums, an EP, 9 bonus tracks, a video and a previously-unreleased
CD from their final recording sessions), heads to stores on Mar. 18th. The group plan 4 dates on the east coast
in April and possibly more if things go well.
One track that is expected to join the new version of U2's The Joshua Tree will be "Wave Of Sorrow" which
was a demo left unfinished at the end of the recording sessions. Bono has re-recorded his vocal for the track.
It is also being said that the band have written about 20 songs for the Broadway show based on Spider-Man.
According to Z Rock Records, Britny Fox have signed on to perform at Z Rock 08 on May 10th in Birmingham and will
record a live album during the performance.
Gene Simmons, Bruce Willis, Patrick Swayze, Eddie Murphy, David Hasselhoff, Barbra Streisand, Darryl McDaniels
(DMC of Run-DMC) and Earth, Wind And Fire were on-hand and amongst a mass of celebrities that came to celebrate
the grand opening of the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas during the weekend.
Visage have made their new song, "Diary Of A Madman," available as a free download to anyone that donates
to the Children In Need charity through their www.visagemusic.com Web site.
Marc Almond's current album, Stardom Road, has been released and the iTunes version includes two bonus songs (covers
of Johnny Ray's "Cry" (which features Jools Holland) and Antony Hegerty's "River Of Sorrow.")
Sepultura guitarist Andreas Kisser has been spending time in the recording studio working on his first solo album,
Hubris I & II, to be released early next year via Mascot Records.
Duran Duran's new studio album, Red Carpet Massacre, was released last week. The iTunes version includes the bonus
track "Cry Baby Cry." It also seems that the Writer's Strike has affected the band again as they've been
forced to postpone their appearance on the Late Show With Craig Ferguson and possibly Jimmy Kimmel Live. Unaffected
will be their appearances on Ellen (on Nov. 20th) and A&E Private Sessions (Nov. 25th.)
Paul Mirkovich, the musical director for the Rock Star television series, has replaced longtime Foreigner keyboardist
Jeff Jacobs in the band. A reason for Jacobs departure hasn't been announced at this time. Jacobs early credits
include keyboards/synthesizer on Billy Joel's Storm Front and Joel's Souvenir: The Ultimate Collection.
Due out in time for Christmas Eve will be the 7-DVD Throbbing Gristle box set, TGV. The numbered and limited (only
2000 copies) set is initially only available at Throbbing-Gristle.com
According to Rob Zombie, Ozzy Osbourne invited him over to his house in the mid-90's and played him an impressive
album of unreleased pop music he recorded with producer/songwriter Mark Hudson.
Kate Bush has recorded a new song, "Lyra," that will be included on The Golden Compass soundtrack due
out in December. The song is named after the film's lead character Lyra Belacqua.
According to former Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul, a DVD tribute to his brother, late Pantera/Damageplan guitarist
"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, is in production under the title Dimevision 2. A photo book is also due out
next year.
An upcoming Madonna tribute album is on the way entitled Through The Wilderness which will also benefit Madonna's
own Raising Malawi Organization. There are also reports on one fan site that the singer has collaborated with Kanye
West on a song that could appear on her next album.
Testament have announced the title of their new studio album will be The Formation Of Damnation. They are currently
recording at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California.
Reba McEntire's pairing with Kelly Clarkson on "Because Of You" will yield a tour for the singers early
next year entitled 2 Worlds 2 Voices.