Tuesday, June 04, 2002
Ozzfest adds Down, promotes Zombie to main stage
Ozzfest, which was left in the lurch after the now-defunct band comprising Chris Cornell and the former members of Rage Against the Machine dropped off the tour’s roster, has recovered by adding new second-stage headliner Down to the bill.
Ozzfest, which was left in the lurch after the now-defunct band comprising Chris Cornell and the former members of Rage Against the Machine dropped off the tour’s roster, has recovered by adding new second-stage headliner Down to the bill.
The addition means that Rob Zombie, who was originally scheduled to headline the second stage, has been bumped up to the main stage, where he fills the hole left by Cornell and company.
Zombie is touring in support of last year’s “The Sinister Urge.” Known for an elaborate, costume-heavy and effects-laden stage production, the rocker has said that he plans to give a more stripped-down performance during Ozzfest.
Down, meanwhile, has just released its second album, ”Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow.” The group, which comprises Pantera members Phil Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass), Corrosion of Conformity’s Pepper Kennan (guitar-vocals), Eyehategod’s Jim Bower (drums) and Crowbar’s Kirk Windstein (guitar)--will precede its Ozzfest run with a series of headlining dates that gets underway next month, according to the group’s official website.
Joining tour-founder Ozzy Osbourne and Zombie on the mainstage bill are System of a Down, P.O.D., Drowning Pool, Adema and Osbourne guitarst Zakk Wylde’s side project, Black Label Society.
In addition to Down, the second stage lineup features Hatebreed, Meshuggah, Apex Theory, Lost Prophets, Pulse Ultra and Neurotica throughout the tour. Rockers Andrew W.K., Flaw, 3rd Strike, Otep, Soil and Ill Niņo will grace the second stage from the July 6 tour kick-off through August 7, while Mushroomhead, Seether, the Used, Glassjaw, Chevelle and Switched are slated from Aug. 10 through Sept. 8.
Additional details can be found at the official Ozzfest website.
European Ozzfest dates canceled due to Zakk Wylde’s exhaustion
The remaining dates on the European leg of Ozzfest 2002 have been called off because guitarist Zakk Wylde is suffering from exhaustion, organizers announced.
The remaining dates on the European leg of Ozzfest 2002 have been called off because guitarist Zakk Wylde is suffering from exhaustion, organizers announced.
Wylde has been serving double duty on the tour, opening the show with his band Black Label Society and closing the show as the guitarist in Ozzy Osbourne’s band.
According to a statement on the official Ozzfest website, “Wylde has worked non-stop for over a year recording and touring with Ozzy and recording his own record 1919 Eternal with his band Black Label Society.”
The canceled shows--which won’t be rescheduled--were to have taken place in Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland and Russia.
The North American leg of Ozzfest is scheduled to open in the Washington, D.C., area on July 6.
R. Kelly arrested on child pornography charges
R. Kelly was indicted and arrested Wednesday (6/5) on child pornography charges stemming from a videotape that allegedly shows the R&B star having sex with an underage girl.
R. Kelly was indicted and arrested Wednesday (6/5) on child pornography charges stemming from a videotape that allegedly shows the R&B star having sex with an underage girl.
According to press reports, a grand jury investigation resulted in the filing of the 21-count indictment against Kelly. The indictment cites experts who found that the videotape--which reportedly was sent anonymously to the Chicago Sun-Times in February and turned over to police--was authentic, and that the people depicted on it were, in fact, Kelly and the underage girl.
If convicted, Kelly could face 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
Kelly has repeatedly proclaimed that he is innocent of the charges, and continued to do so in a statement issued after the indictment.
“Even though I don’t believe any of these charges are warranted, I’m grateful that I will have a chance to establish the truth about me in a court of law,” he said. “I have complete faith in our system of justice, and I am confident that when all the facts come out, people will see that I’m no criminal.”
At least three lawsuits have been filed against Kelly alleging that he had sex with an underage girl. His attorneys recently announced that two of the cases have been settled out of court, and that they would fight the third.
Album Chart: Eminem spends second week in top slot
"The Eminem Show” sold just over 1.3 million copies during its first full week of release, according to industry sources, which is the highest one-week sales total earned by any 2002 release thus far.
"The Eminem Show” sold just over 1.3 million copies during its first full week of release, according to industry sources, which is the highest one-week sales total earned by any 2002 release thus far.
Had the new album been released on Tuesday, May 28 (Tuesday release dates are the industry standard), it likely would have scored a larger one-week sales figure, but Interscope pushed its release back to May 26 due to widespread bootlegging. Some retailers began selling the album as early as May 24. The 280,000 copies that the album sold during that three-day period were subsequently credited to the week of May 20-May 26.
The album’s total 10-day sales figure of about 1.6 million copies places it behind the 1.7 million-copy debut week of 2000’s “The Marshall Mathers LP,” but overwhelmingly eclipses the one-week sales figures garnered by its closest competition on the forthcoming Billboard 200 album chart.
P. Diddy & Bad Boy Records’ “We Invented the Remix” sold less than one-tenth as many copies as Eminem’s latest--about 117,000 copies--but it will still spend its second consecutive week at No. 2.
Ashanti’s self-titled debut continues to grab traction thanks to its hit single “Foolish” which recently topped Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart; after climbing two spots to No. 5 last week, the album is up two more places to No. 3.
Celine Dion’s “A New Day Has Come,” following VH1’s airing last week of a special about the singer, gets a slight bump from No. 6 to No. 5, while Marc Anthony’s “Mended,” which debuted at No. 3 last week, slips to No. 6.
Sheryl Crow’s “C’mon, C’mon” jumps from No. 11 to No. 7 thanks to its hit single “Soak Up the Sun,” which is lodged at No. 1 on Billboard’s latest Adult Top 40 chart.
Kenny Chesney’s “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems” moves up a notch to No. 8, trading places with “Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol. 9,” which slips a spot to No. 9.
Musiq’s “Juslisen” closes out the Top 10, down from No. 7 last week.
Moby’s “18,” which occupied the No. 10 spot last week after debuting at No. 4 the previous week, continues its descent by sliding to No. 15. Also running out of steam quickly is Rush’s “Vapor Trails,” which debuted at No. 6 two weeks back, slipped to No. 29 last week and is down to No. 43 this week.
The May 27 Memorial Day holiday kept May 28 releases to a minimum; the soundtrack for the film “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood,” which debuts at No. 99, is the only new blood in the Top 100.
Wyclef Jean arrested at New York City demonstration
Hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean was among the 10 people arrested and charged with disorderly conduct during a Tuesday (6/5) protest in New York City.
Hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean was among the 10 people arrested and charged with disorderly conduct during a Tuesday (6/5) protest in New York City.
Jean was among the thousands of protesters--many of whom were students and teachers--who descended on New York’s to rally against proposed school budget cuts. Police arrested Jean when he attempted to perform. The event’s permit did not allow performances.
The protest was organized by the United Federation of Teachers and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, a group organized by Def Jam mogul Russell Simmons.
Police estimated that 20,000 protesters were on hand; organizers put the number at 100,000. Among the musicians who spoke out against the proposed budget cuts were P. Diddy, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys and Erykah Badu.
Monday, June 03, 2002
Prince brings the funk to U.S. theaters
Originally due to hit the road last summer, Prince and the New Power Generation pushed back to March 1 the start-date of a U.S. tour.
Originally due to hit the road last summer, Prince and the New Power Generation pushed back to March 1 the start-date of a U.S. tour.
The group is backing its latest album, “The Rainbow Children.”
Subscribers to Prince’s [L=http://www.npgmusicclub.com]NPG Music Club[EL], a paid-subscriber online service, have first crack at concert tickets via Internet pre-sales. The club’s site also promises to its members “priority access 2 any open soundchecks and afterparties that take place all during the Tour,” as well as four new Prince albums this year.
Prince, whose history of battling major record labels and long-term contracts is well documented, launched the NPG Music Club last year in order to distribute his music without major-label involvement. Membership requires a $100 annual fee.
Though “The Rainbow Children” arrived in stores last November, club members were able to download the album in its entirety more than one month before its retail release.
Last June, Prince and company launched a tour that was set to run into October, but scrapped the run in early July after performing the first few shows. That tour was an arena tour, but the rescheduled jaunt is booked into theater-sized venues.
In mid-July, a posting on the Music Club?s website posed the question:
“What do U, as members of the NPG Music Club, think of the latest ‘Best of’ CD Time Warner has released, keeping in mind of course the fact that Prince makes virtually no money from the CD?”
The post led to speculation that Prince canceled the tour to avoid lending any promotion to that album.
Prince opens his studio for weeklong celebration
Prince, who turns 44 on June 7, will throw himself a belated, weeklong birthday party June 21-27 at his Paisley Park recording facility in Chinhassen, Minn.
Prince, who turns 44 on June 7, will throw himself a belated, weeklong birthday party June 21-27 at his Paisley Park recording facility in Chinhassen, Minn.
The open house, dubbed “Xenophobia” (which means “fear of foreigners"), will feature performances by Prince and his NPG band. Other scheduled performers include Sheila E, Maceo Parker, Rachelle Ferrell, Musiq, Victor Wooton, Norah Jones and Bernard Allison.
Besides live performances, the event will feature musician workshops, discussions and listening sessions of new Prince music.
Members of Prince’s online fan club snapped up most tickets at $250 a pop, and the remainder of the tickets have already sold out, according to Prince’s NPG Music Club website.
Prince hosted a similar open house at Paisley Park in 2000. Last year, he celebrated his 43rd birthday by performing two shows at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn.
Mary J. Blige preps for spring and summer road work
Hip-hop/soul queen Mary J. Blige spends the spring and summer on the amphitheater circuit as she continues to support her double-platinum 2001 album “No More Drama.”
Hip-hop/soul queen Mary J. Blige spends the spring and summer on the amphitheater circuit as she continues to support her double-platinum 2001 album “No More Drama.”
Two festival appearances book-end her tour: June 15’s KIIS-FM’s Wango Tango at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., and Aug. 14’s Detroit Music Festival at Comerica Park.
Tweet will open several dates during the first half of the tour, and Wyclef Jean will open most shows after mid-July.
“Family Affair,” the first single from “No More Drama,” spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart in 2001. The album picked up a Grammy nomination in the Best R&B Album category, and “Family Affair was nominated for Best R&B Vocal Performance.
Last month, Blige appeared on “VH1 Divas Las Vegas,” which raised more than $1.4 million to support music education in U.S. public schools. She performed “No More Drama,” and was joined on stage by Whitney Houston for a rendition of “Rainy Dayz.”
Dave Matthews Band to include bonus DVD with new album
The forthcoming Dave Matthews Band CD “Busted Stuff,” scheduled for release on July 18, will be packaged with a free DVD that features live performances and a 5.1 surround-sound audio mix of the track “Bartender.”
The forthcoming Dave Matthews Band CD “Busted Stuff,” scheduled for release on July 18, will be packaged with a free DVD that features live performances and a 5.1 surround-sound audio mix of the track “Bartender.”
When placed in a computer, the enhanced portion of the CD will give fans access to unreleased material, video footage, performances and interviews, according to the band’s official website.
In an effort to wean fans from illegal downloads, record companies are beginning to add extras to major CD releases. For instance, a bonus DVD was also included in the initial pressing of Eminem’s new CD.
Produced by the group’s longtime engineer Steve Harris, “Busted Stuff” contains 11 new songs. One of its tracks, “Where Are You Going,” is the lead single from the soundtrack to the upcoming comedy “Mr. Deeds.”
Dave Matthews Band returns to the road in July.
In Brief: VH1 to air two-hour Queen’s Jubilee special
Plus: KISS condoms. Wyclef Jean at Coney Island. Def Leppard’s 10th. South Park Mexican gets 45 years. Frampton on the Fourth.
Plus: KISS condoms. Wyclef Jean at Coney Island. Def Leppard’s 10th. South Park Mexican gets 45 years. Frampton on the Fourth.
_________________________
VH1 will debut the two-hour special “The Queen’s Jubilee: Party at the Palace” on Sunday (6/9) at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The show, hosted by Sharon Osbourne, spotlights performances by Eric Clapton, Phil Collins, Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Ray Davies, among others. The event is one of two open-air concerts taking place at the U.K.’s Buckingham Palace in celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s 50-year reign.
_________________________
Condomania is now selling “Tongue Lubricated” KISS Kondoms, a bright red lubricated latex condom featuring the band’s Gene Simmons, tongue extended, on the condom wrapper and box. A second in the product line, Studded Paul Kondoms (studded condoms and images of Paul Stanley on the packaging) will be released this fall. Love Gun Protection Kondoms will follow, extra strength latex condoms with images of the whole group on the packaging.
_________________________
Wyclef Jean performs a free concert at New York City’s Astroland amusement park on Coney Island on June 14. The show will be taped for broadcast on MuchMusic USA, and kicks the 75th anniversary celebration of the park’s famous Cyclone roller coaster.
_________________________
Def Leppard releases its 10th album--its first since 1999’s “Euphoria"--on July 30. Titled “X,” the album was recorded over the last year, primarily in vocalist Joe Elliot‘s home studio in Dublin, Ireland.
_________________________
Rapper South Park Mexican (whose real name is Carlos Coy), who was convicted last month of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison.
_________________________
Peter Frampton performs a free concert at Cooper River Park on Pennsauken, N.J., on July 4th. The show will be followed by a fireworks show.