Tuesday, May 28, 2002
In Brief: Robert Plant, U2, Ozzy Osbourne
Also: More news on House of Blues Concerts and Destiny’s Child’s Michelle Williams.
Also: More news on House of Blues Concerts and Destiny’s Child’s Michelle Williams.
____________________
According to Canadian press reports, Robert Plant will release “Head First,” his first studio album in nine years, in July.
____________________
From U2‘s official website:
U2?s manager Paul McGuinness issued a short statement today, revealing that the band are in the studio and working on new material.
“U2 would like to clarify that, contrary to certain speculation in the press, they will be neither touring Europe this summer, nor splitting up.” said the statement. “Instead, they are spending time in the studio working on new material for a possible release later this year.”
According to published reports, the new material will be used on a new greatest hits compilation.
____________________
British tabloid the Express reports that Ozzy Osbourne has been invited to a White House dinner. President George W. Bush is supposedly a fan of the MTV program “The Osbournes,” which documents the Osbourne family’s home life. The White House has yet to confirm or deny the reports.
____________________
Denver’s Rocky Mountain News reports that Clear Channel Communications--by far the largest concert promoter in the U.S.--may make a bid to purchase No. 2 promoter House of Blues Concerts. Concerts West--a fledgling promotions firm headed by Denver billionaire Phil Anschutz--and Fred Rosen, the former head of Ticketmaster, reportedly have already made separate formal bids for HOB Concerts.
____________________
Destiny’s Child‘s Michelle Williams will release a solo gospel album titled “Heart to Yours” on April 16. Tracks are currently streaming at Williams’ official Sony Music http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/MichelleWilliams/ >website.
Album Chart: Ashanti takes No. 1, Tweet debuts in Top 10
R&B singer-songwriter Ashanti has scored big with her self-titled debut, which sold about 500,000 copies during its first week out, according to industry sources.
R&B singer-songwriter Ashanti has scored big with her self-titled debut, which sold about 500,000 copies during its first week out, according to industry sources.
The solid first-week performance will place “Ashanti” atop the forthcoming Billboard 200 album chart, a slot previously held by Celine Dion’s latest, “A New Day Has Come.” “Foolish,” the first single from “Ashanti,” fueled sales of the newcomer’s first album; the song is No. 1 on Billboard’s latest Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
This week’s only other Top-10 debut comes from Tweet, whose “Southern Hummingbird” moved about 195,000 copies during its first week in stores. Spurring sales were the hit single “Oops (Oh My),” and Tweet’s appearance on MTV’s “TRL” the day before she released her album.
Sales of the eight previously released albums gracing this week’s Top-10 charts were down significantly, starting with Dion’s “A New Day Has Come,” which finds itself sandwiched at No. 2 between Ashanti and Tweet. After making its No. 1 debut last week thanks to sales of about 527,000 copies, the album’s tally was roughly halved during its second week out, down to about 263,000 copies.
“Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol. 9"--a compilation of previously released radio hits from acts such as Britney Spears, Shakira, Aerosmith, U2, ‘NSync, Nelly Furtado, Lenny Kravitz, Jennifer Lopez and others--saw sales drop off about 270,000 copies, which leaves it down two spots to No. 4.
The Grammy-winning “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack stays put at No. 5 despite its own one-week drop from about 129,000 copies to about 91,000 copies, while Jay-Z and R. Kelly’s “The Best of Both Worlds"--which experienced a one-week sales slip from about 138,000 copies to about 82,000 copies--drops two spots to No. 6.
Last week’s No. 6 debut, Avant’s “Ecstasy,” slips a notch to No. 7 after seeing its sales erode from about 122,000 copies during its first week out to about 76,000 copies.
“The Scorpion King” soundtrack suffered a lesser drop off, down to about 73,000 copies for the week compared to first-week figures of about 93,000 copies. It stays put at No. 8.
Ludacris’ “Word of Mouf,” despite experiencing a one-week drop from sales of about 85,000 copies to about 67,000, still manages to grab some traction by climbing from No. 11 to No. 9.
With a one-week drop from about 108,000 copies sold to about 65,000 copies sold, Pink’s “Missundaztood” continues to bounce around the Top-10’s lower rungs. It drops three spots this week to close things out at No. 10.
Making a notable departure from the Top 10 this week is Linkin Park’s “Hybrid Theory,” which is now in its 76th week on the chart. The album, which has spent the past several months in the Top 10, slips from No. 9 to No. 13.
This week’s only other debuts take place much further down the chart, including Jagged Little Pill’s “Jagged Little Thrill” at No. 113, Lil’ J’s “All About J” at No. 148 and Apex Theory’s “Topsy-Turvy” at No. 157.
Click here to read last week’s “Album Chart” feature.
In Brief: The Eagles, ‘NSync
Plus news on Sarah McLachlan, the “Spiderman” soundtrack and Notorious B.I.G.
Plus news on Sarah McLachlan, the “Spiderman” soundtrack and Notorious B.I.G.
_________________________
The Eagles plan to open a 30-city tour of U.S. arena tours in late May, Billboard.com reported. The band hasn’t toured North America since the mid-’90s, but it has played occasional concerts. The group reportedly is in the studio, working on what will be its band’s first all-new studio album since 1979’s “The Long Run.”
_________________________
“‘NSync: Bigger Than Live,” which was originally released to large-screen IMAX theaters, will air on the WB Network on April 5. The one-hour film, which was recorded during the group’s 2000 “No Strings Attached” tour, features a mix of performances and interviews.
_________________________
Sarah McLachlan gave birth to a healthy baby girl named India on April 6, she and her husband, Ashwin Sood, announced. McLachlan is expected to release a new album later this year.
_________________________
“Spider-Man (Music From and Inspired By)’’ hits stores on April 30, three days before the “Spiderman” motion picture opens nationwide. The album’s lead singles and videos are “What We’re All About (The Original Version)” from Sum 41 featuring a guitar solo from Slayer‘s Kerry King; and “Hero,” a new track from Nickelback vocalist/guitarist Chad Kroeger featuring Josey Scott (the vocalist from Saliva), written for the film by Kroeger.
The album also features new music from Alien Ant Farm, Slipknot‘s Corey Taylor, Pete Yorn, Black Lab, Bleu, and Greenwheel as well as Tom Morello‘s rock remix of Macy Gray‘s “My Nutmeg Phantasy.” Other featured artists include the Hives, Default, the Strokes, Jerry Cantrell, Theory of a Dead Man, Injected, and composer Danny Elfman. The record opens with the original “Theme from Spider Man” and closes with a new version of the theme by Aerosmith.
_________________________
The family of slain rapper Notorious B.I.G.--including his widow, singer Faith Evans--reportedly has filed a wrongful death suit against the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Police Chief Bernard Parks, and others. The family claims that police didn’t do enough to protect the rapper, who was slain in a 1997 drive-by shooting in Los Angeles.
In Brief: Elton John, Willie Nelson & Friends
Plus news on Kid Rock, Frank Sinatra Jr., and the Cincinnati Jazz festival.
Plus news on Kid Rock, Frank Sinatra Jr., and the Cincinnati Jazz festival.
_________________________
Elton John, in Thursday testimony before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, urged lawmakers to commit more resources to preventing the spread of AIDS throughout the world, the Associated Press reported. Congress is considering a proposal to add $500 million in funding to fight AIDS overseas.
_________________________
The line-up for Willie Nelson & Friends: Stars & Guitars,” which tapes Sunday (4/14) at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, will include Ryan Adams, Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora, Sheryl Crow, Dixie Chicks, Vince Gill, Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Norah Jones, Toby Keith, Mark Knopfler Band, Matchbox Twenty, Dave Matthews, Brian McKnight, Aaron Neville, Ray Price, Hank Williams III and Lee Ann Womack.
The concert, which will include a mix of Nelson’s compositions and his favorite songs, will air as a two-hour USA Cable network telecast on May 27.
_________________________
Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson are engaged to be married, Reuters reported.
_________________________
Frank Sinatra Jr. will sing songs that were popularized by his father during a May 8-15 run at the MGM Grand hotel-casino in Las Vegas. The show, dubbed “Sinatra Sings Sinatra,” will feature a 36-piece orchestra.
_________________________
For the first time in the event’s 40-year history, promoters have called off the Cincinnati Jazz Festival, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. Organizers haven’t been able to line up a corporate sponsor, ticket sales have been slumping, and headliners reportedly have been canceling. A group called Artists of Conscience, angry about recent police shootings of African-Americans in Cincinnati, is urging performers not to perform in the city.
Street Date April 16: Sheryl Crow, Phish
[B]Also:[EB] New albums from Michelle Williams, Jello Biafra, the Melvins, the Flying Tigers and more.
[B]Also:[EB] New albums from Michelle Williams, Jello Biafra, the Melvins, the Flying Tigers and more.
____________________
Sheryl Crow - “C’mon, C’mon” (A&M/Interscope)
Stevie Nicks, Don Henley, Lenny Kravitz, Emmylou Harris and Dixie Chicks’ Natalie Maines are among the guests who contribute to Crow’s fourth studio album, her first in nearly four years. The album’s initial single, “Soak Up the Sun,” features vocals from Liz Phair, and has been garnering airplay on radio and on VH1 for well over a month. In an interview posted on her official website, Crow says she sought to record an album “in the flavor of ‘70s and ‘80s classic rock--rock songs that were crafted, that you could sing; songs that were like the soundtrack to your summer--songs that were really committed to rock.”
____________________
Phish - “Live Phish Vols. 07-12”
This is the second of a planned six groups of six multi-disc live albums that this popular jam band plans to release--one group every six months. Each album is a recording of a Phish concert in its entirety. Vol. 7 was recorded in 1993 in Tinley Park, Ill; Vol. 8 in 1999 in Camden, N.J.; Vol. 9 in 1989 in Townshend, Vt.; Vol. 10 in 1994 in Columbus, Ohio; Vol. 11 in 1997 in Denver; and Vol. 12 in 1996 in Noblesville, Ind.
____________________
Michelle Williams - “From My Heart to Yours” (Columbia)
One third of R&B-soul trio Destiny’s Child, Williams strikes out on her own with this solo gospel debut. The album’s track “Gospel Medley"--an amalgam of the songs “You’ve Been So Good,” “Now Behold the Lamb,” “Jesus Loves Me” and “Total Praise"--features back-up vocals from Desitiny’s Child’s Beyoncé Knowles and Kelly Rowlands. Samples of all of the album’s tracks can be heard at Williams’ official website, which also features information on the singer’s scheduled April 15 online chat.
____________________
Jello Biafra - “Big Ka-Boom, Part One” (Alternative Tentacles)
According to the label, this spoken-word album, which clocks in at about 34 minutes and is priced accordingly, “focuses entirely on the September 11 terrorist attacks and the even-uglier aftermath.” (That adjective “even-uglier” should give the unfamiliar some idea of Biafra’s worldview.) The album was recorded last November during the Spitfire Tour, which toured college campuses and focused largely on free speech, and which was co-created by former Rage Against the Machine frontman Zach de la Rocha.
____________________
The Melvins - “Hostile Ambient Takeover” (Ipecac)
The Melvins’ latest is the follow up to their April 2 live album, “Millennium Monsterwork,” which features performances by both the Melvins and Fantomas (the new outfit of Ipecac Recordings’ co-founder and former Faith No More frontman Mike Patton). The new album’s single “Brain Center” is available in its entirety as an mp3 download at Ipecac’s official website. In May, the Melvins launch a U.S. tour behind the release.
____________________
Flying Tigers - “The Flying Tigers” (Atlantic)
“The Flying Tigers” is the self-titled debut from this Los Angeles-based trio, which features former Powerman 5000 bassist Dorian Heartsong, who left PM5K last year. The album includes the first single “Maybe.” A sample of that song, as well as samples of the rest of the album’s tracks, can be heard at Atlantic’s official Flying Tigers website. Marquee producer Brendan O’Brien (Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Rage Against the Machine) produced the collection.
____________________
Other new releases:
A Global Threat - “Here We Are” (Punkcore)
Craig Armstrong - “As If to Nothing” (Astralwerks)
Steve Azar - “Waitin’ on Joe” (Mercury Nashville)
The Beards - “Funtown” (Sympathy 4 the R.I.)
Denali - “Denali” (Jade Tree)
Dianogah - “Millions of Brazilians” (Southern)
DJ Evolution & Lucien Foort - “Fluid” (Bliss)
Isaac Freeman & the Bluebloods - “Beautiful Stars” (Lost Highway)
Grand Magus - “Grand Magus” (The Music Cartel)
Legends of Rodeo - “A Thousand Friday Nights” (MCA)
Maktub - “Khronos” (w/cover of Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter") (Ossia)
Midtown - “Living Well Is the Best Revenge” (MCA)
MU330 - “Ultra Panic” (Asian Man)
Bob Ostertag - “Say No More, Volumes 1 & 2” (Seeland)
Paris Combo - “Attraction” (Ark 21)
Pedro the Lion - “Control” (Jade Tree)
Ribeye Brothers - “If I Had a Horse?” (Meteor City)
The Selby Tigers - “The Curse of the Selby Tigers” (Hopeless)
Vital Information - “Show ‘Em Where You Live” (Tone Center)
Sufjan Stevens - “Enjoy Your Rabbit” (Asthmatic Kitty)
Sukilove - “Talking in the Dark” (Hidden Agenda)
Supersuckers/Electric Frankenstein - “Splitsville” (Music Cartel)
Toog - “Easy Toog for Beginners” (Le Grand Magistery)
Matt Zarley - “Debut” (Varese)
Various artists - “Apocalypse Always” (Alternative Tentacles)
Various artists - “Purified: The Liquid Lounge Chill Out 2” (Varese)
Soundtracks and scores:
“Enigma" (Decca)
“The Panic Room” (Varese)
“We Were Soldiers” (Sony Classical)
SoundSpike publishes “Street Date” each Monday morning.
Click here for last week’s “Street Date” feature.
Weezer launches North American tour in July
Weezer, a band that’s been on the road for much of the last two years, has confirmed the initial dates of its “Enlightment Tour,” which opens in early July.
Weezer, a band that’s been on the road for much of the last two years, has confirmed the initial dates of its “Enlightment Tour,” which opens in early July.
Dashboard Confessional has been booked as an opener for the entire tour, while the Strokes and Sparta--the latter of which features former members of At the Drive-In--will support on select dates.
Weezer is touring in support of “Maladroit” (Interscope), which hit stores on May 14 and debuted at No. 3 at on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album features the single Dope Nose.”
Before tickets go on sale to the general market, pre-sales will be offered for many of the shows. Information is available at Weezer’s official website.
The band is also confirmed to play the U.K.’s Reading Festival on Aug. 23 with the Strokes, Jane’s Addiction, Pulp and others, as well as the Leeds Festival on Aug. 24.
Barenaked Ladies plan ‘Circus,’ Creeggan’s side-project on tour
Barenaked Ladies have scheduled a one-off show as part of “The Barenaked Circus,” a Toronto festival that also features performances by the band members’ side projects.
Barenaked Ladies have scheduled a one-off show as part of “The Barenaked Circus,” a Toronto festival that also features performances by the band members’ side projects.
Keyboardist Kevin Hearn will bring along Thin Buckle, while bassist Jim
Creeggan will play with the Brothers Creeggan for the show, which takes place June 8 at Molson Amphitheatre. All proceeds support ServeCanada, a community youth-outreach program that gives kids the opportunity to organize local projects. Besides the concert, Barenaked Ladies will auction off collectibles.
The Brothers Creeggan’s June 8 set is part of their tour in support of their latest album, “Sleepyhead.” Their jaunt wraps up July 5 in Los Angeles.
Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle recently released “H-Wing.”
The Toronto-based rock band the Flashing Lights, led by former Super Friendz frontman Matt Murphy, and Boyce’s Road, a band that includes Matthew Page (brother of BNL lead singer Steven Page), are also scheduled to perform at “The Barenaked Circus.”
This summer and fall, Barenaked Ladies are scheduled to record the follow-up to 2000’s “Maroon.”
Album Chart: Eminem sprints to top slot
The album officially spent only one day in stores, but that didn’t stop sales of “The Eminem Show” from eclipsing all of the other albums on Billboard’s forthcoming album chart.
The album officially spent only one day in stores, but that didn’t stop sales of “The Eminem Show” from eclipsing all of the other albums on Billboard’s forthcoming album chart.
The latest from controversial rapper Eminem--which was originally set for release on June 4, but, due to widespread bootlegging, was bumped up to Sunday (5/26)--logged sales of about 284,000 copies for the week of May 20-May 26, according to an Interscope Records press release. The label also said that some retailers began selling the album as early as Friday (5/24).
The album’s fast start places it well ahead of P. Diddy & Bad Boy Records’ “We Invented the Remix,” which debuted in the top slot last week. P. Diddy’s album sold about 144,000 copies last week, placing it at No. 2 on the chart, according to industry sources.
This week’s only other Top 10 debut comes courtesy of Marc Anthony, whose “Mended"--which features the hit single “Tragedy"--lands at No. 3 after selling about 111,000 copies.
A pair of last week’s Top 10 debuts drop two spots each this week: Cam’ron’s “Come Home With Me” slips from No. 2 to No. 4, and Musiq’s “Juslisen” is down from No. 5 to No. 7.
Sandwiched between Cam’ron and Musiq are Celine Dion’s “A New Day Has Come” and Ashanti’s self-titled debut, both of which climb two spots to land at Nos. 5 and 6, respectively.
Rounding out the Top 10 are the “Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol. 9” hits compilation, up one spot to No. 8; Kenny Chesney’s “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems,” which claws its way back to No. 9 from No. 13; and Moby’s “18,” which drops from its No. 4 debut of last week to No. 10.
Ducking out of the Top 10 in a hurry are last week’s debuts from Weezer and Rush; Weezer’s “Maladroit,” which entered the chart at No. 3, drops to No. 16, while Rush’s “Vapor Trails” free-falls from No. 6 to No. 29.
Landing just outside of the Top 10 is the self-titled debut from Box Car Racer--a quartet that features Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge (guitar, vocals) and Travis Barker (drums)--at No. 12, and “Now Presents: Off the Hook - R&B and Hip Hop Hits"--a compilation featuring previously released tracks from Mystikal, Aaliyah, Nas, Ruff Endz, India.Arie and more--at No. 13.
Other noteworthy debuts in the Top 100 include: Amy Grant’s “Legacy ... Hymns & Faith” at No. 21; Tommy Lee’s “Never a Dull Moment” at No. 39; Phil Lesh and Friends’ “There & Back Again” at No. 79; NOFX’s “45 or 46 Songs That Weren’t Good Enough to Go On Our Other Records” at No. 80; Superjoint Ritual’s “Use Once and Destroy” at No. 87; the “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron” soundtrack at No. 89; and the “NASCAR: Crank It Up” rock compilation at No. 90.
Monday, May 27, 2002
Creed sets three months of U.S. dates
After wrapping up its March tour of Australia, rock juggernaut Creed is taking a month off, but will return to the road in late April for the second leg of its U.S. outing behind “Weathered.”
After wrapping up its March tour of Australia, rock juggernaut Creed is taking a month off, but will return to the road in late April for the second leg of its U.S. outing behind “Weathered.”
The month-long jaunt comprises dates throughout the western half of the country. Beginning May 3, the tour will feature opening acts 12 Stones and Default, according to a band spokesperson. No opening act has been named for the run’s first two dates.
In January, Creed launched the first leg of its U.S. tour, which canvassed the eastern U.S. before wrapping up with a Feb. 19 performance in Salt Lake City at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. The group sold an average of about 14,500 tickets per stop on that leg of its tour, with the average ticket price set at $39, according to Pollstar.
“Weathered," Creed’s chart-topping third album, was released in November and sold about 887,000 copies during its first week out. The album spent its first eight weeks of release in the No. 1 slot on the Billboard 200 album chart, and in January was certified multi-platinum for shipping 5 million copies in the U.S.
Creed’s labelmates 12 Stones are due to release their self-titled debut CD on April 23. The album’s first single, “Broken,” is available as an mp3 download at the group’s official website.
New tracks from both Creed and 12 Stones are included on the March 26 soundtrack to the film “The Scorpion King,” according to the soundtrack’s official website.
Default released “The Fallout,” its debut album, last year.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Ticket Window: Cher, the Rolling Stones, Aaron Carter, Santana
This week’s major new on-sales also include tickets for the Allman Brothers Band, Heart, the Jeep World Outside Festival with Sheryl Crow, Jethro Tull, Locobazooka with Filter and Sevendust, and Snoop Dogg.
This week’s major new on-sales also include tickets for the Allman Brothers Band, Heart, the Jeep World Outside Festival with Sheryl Crow, Jethro Tull, Locobazooka with Filter and Sevendust, and Snoop Dogg.
_________________________
Aaron Carter
Read about the tour.
- Charlotte, N.C. (8/25), tickets on sale 5/24 at 10 a.m. ET (Ticketmaster)
_________________________
Allman Brothers Band
Read about the tour.
- Antioch, Tenn. (7/4), tickets on sale 5/24 at 5 p.m. CT (Ticketmaster)
_________________________
Cher
Read about the tour.
- Kansas City, Mo. (7/16), tickets on sale 5/25 at 10 a.m. CT (Ticketmaster)
- Vancouver, B.C. (7/30), on sale 5/25 at 9:30 a.m. PT (Ticketmaster Canada)
_________________________
Heart
Read about the tour.
- Robinsonville, Miss. (7/18), tickets on sale 5/24 at noon CT (Ticketmaster)
_________________________
Jeep World Outside Festival with Sheryl Crow
Read about the tour.
- Burgettstown, Pa. (8/9), tickets on sale on 5/25 at 10 a.m. ET (Ticketmaster)
_________________________
Jethro Tull
Read about the tour.
- Verona, N.Y. (8/27), tickets on sale 5/28 at noon ET (Ticketmaster)
_________________________
Locobazooka tour with Filter and Sevendust
Read about the tour.
- Portland, Maine (7/14), tickets on sale 5/24 at 10 a.m. ET (Ticketmaster)
_________________________
Santana
Read about the tour.
- Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (8/16), tickest on sale 5/24 at 10 a.m. ET (Ticketmaster)
_________________________
The Rolling Stones
Read about the tour.
- Toronto, Ontario (Air Canada Centre), tickets on sale 5/25 at 10 a.m. ET (Ticketmaster Canada)
- Toronto, Ontario (SkyDome), on sale 5/25 at 10 a.m. ET (Ticketmaster Canada)
_________________________
Snoop Dogg
_________________________
All ticket on-sale times and concert dates are subject to change without notice. Confirm with your local venue and/or ticket seller.
SoundSpike’s Ticket Window feature is updated each Thursday evening.