Sunday, December 08, 2002
Street Date Dec. 10: Whitney Houston, Aaliyah
Also: Alanis Morissette, “Lord of the Rings” soundtrack, Phish, Swizz Beatz.
Also: Alanis Morissette, “Lord of the Rings” soundtrack, Phish, Swizz Beatz.
_________________________
Whitney Houston - “Just Whitney” (Arista)
After grabbing the public’s attention last week with her strange behavior during a prime time interview on ABC-TV, Houston delivers her first album since 1998’s “My Love Is Your Love.” The new 10-song collection includes the track “Watchulookinat!,” which is streaming at Houston’s official website. A limited-edition version of the album features a bonus DVD that includes the “Whatchulookinat!” music video.
_________________________
Aaliyah - “I Care 4 U” (Blackground)
This retrospective album combines seven of the late R&B singer’s hits with six previously unreleased tracks. The first single is a previously unreleased track titled “Miss You.” The initial shipment of the album contains a DVD that features various Aaliyah music videos, including the hits “Try Again” and “One in a Million.”
_________________________
Alanis Morissette - “Feast On Scraps” (Warner Bros.)
Morissette’s latest is a CD/DVD combo set. The DVD features a 21-song live performance shot during her most recent European tour, as well as studio footage from “Under Rug Swept,” which she released in February. The CD contains eight new tracks recorded during the “Under Rug Swept” sessions, as well as an acoustic version of the previously released track “Hands Clean.” Detailed information about the set is available at Morissette’s official website.
_________________________
Howard Shore - “Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers” (Warner Bros.)
The week before the second installment of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy hits theaters, Warner Bros. delivers this follow-up to the series’ gold-certified predecessor. Composer Howard Shore again teamed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra to record this work, which he wrote, orchestrated and conducted. Detailed information about the release, including the scoop on a limited-edition Internet version that features lots of extras, is available at the soundtrack’s official website.
_________________________
Phish - “Round Room” (Elektra)
Phish’s first album since since 2000’s “Farmhouse” grew from rehearsals for the band’s upcoming New Year’s shows. The album’s 12 tracks, recorded in four days in October by producer Bryce Goggin (Pavement, The Ramones), clock in at more than 70 minutes.
_________________________
Swizz Beatz - “G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories” (DreamWorks)
The debut album from this Bronx-raised producer-rapper-songwriter features a slew of well-known guests, including Busta Rhymes, Judakiss, L.L. Cool J, Shyne, Lil’ Kim, Nas and Eve. The track “We Did It Again” features Metallica and Ja Rule.
Guns N’ Roses scrap remainder of tour
The remaining dates of Guns N’ Roses first tour since 1993 have been called off, according to officials at various U.S. arenas. The reasons for the cancellations were not immediately announced.
The remaining dates of Guns N’ Roses first tour since 1993 have been called off, according to officials at various U.S. arenas. The reasons for the cancellations were not immediately announced.
Word that the tour has been scrapped comes on the heels of frontman Axl Rose’s second no-show, which resulted in the cancellation of the band’s concert at First Union Center in Philadelphia on Friday (12/6).
According to news reports from Philadelphia, after opening act CKY played its set and DJ Mix Master Mike performed for about an hour, it was announced over the P.A. system that Guns N’ Roses wouldn’t be appearing.
Angry fans reportedly responded by throwing bottles, chairs and other items. Fights broke out, and five people reportedly were hospitalized. There were no reports of major injuries or of any arrests.
Last month, the tour’s Nov. 7 kick-off in Vancouver was canceled, which led to rioting at that venue.
Thursday, December 05, 2002
Cher extends farewell tour into 2003
Cher, who is currently wrapping up her 2002 touring schedule, will return to the road in February for another round of farewell-tour dates.
Cher, who is currently wrapping up her 2002 touring schedule, will return to the road in February for another round of farewell-tour dates.
The singer-actress, whose recording career began in 1965, has been on the road almost non-stop since her latest tour--which she says will be her last--kicked off in June.
In addition to serving as her swan song, the tour also supports her most recent release, February’s “Living Proof,” which features the hit single “A Song for the Lonely.”
Cher’s farewell-tour setlist includes material from throughout her nearly 40-year career, according to organizers.
Cher, who celebrated her 56th birthday in May, first rose to fame in the mid-’60s with partner and then-spouse Sonny Bono. She went on to a solo career that went through several cycles of prominent commercial success, the most recent of which occurred in 1998, thanks to the No. 1 hit single “Believe,” featured on the album of the same name.
The song “Believe” garnered Cher the 1999 Grammy award for Best Dance Recording.
Allman Brothers set annual Beacon Theatre run
Continuing an over-decade-long tradition, the Allman Brothers Band will open its 2003 touring season with a lengthy run of dates at New York’s Beacon Theatre.
Continuing an over-decade-long tradition, the Allman Brothers Band will open its 2003 touring season with a lengthy run of dates at New York’s Beacon Theatre.
The Southern rockers are scheduled to perform at the venue on March 13-15, 17-18 and 20-22, according to promoters. Tickets for all shows hit the market at 10 a.m. on Friday (12/6).
The band’s sold-out, nine-show run at the Beacon in 2002 grossed more than $1.6 million, according to Pollstar. In 2000, the band released the live album “Peakin’ at the Beacon,” which was culled from that year’s concert series at the venue.
The band’s lineup for most 2002 dates included Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards), Butch Trucks (percussion), Derek Trucks (guitar), Marc Quinones (percussion), Oteil Burbridge (bass), Jaimoe (percussion) and Warren Haynes (guitar).
Dicky Betts, the band’s founding guitarist, hasn’t toured with the Allmans since a falling-out with the group in 2000.
A new Allman Brothers Band studio album has been in the works, but no release date has been set.
Click here to read SoundSpike’s May 2002 interview with Gregg Allman.
Wednesday, December 04, 2002
Album Chart: Shania Twain keeps it ‘Up!’
New albums from Tim McGraw, Tupac Shakur, Jennifer Lopez and Paul McCartney all make Top 10 debuts, but none are able to topple Shania Twain’s “Up!” from the top slot.
New albums from Tim McGraw, Tupac Shakur, Jennifer Lopez and Paul McCartney all make Top 10 debuts, but none are able to topple Shania Twain’s “Up!” from the top slot.
During its second week in stores, “Up!” sold another 625,000 copies, according to industry sources, which brings the album’s total sales to 1.5 million. That will keep the album seated at No. 1 on the forthcoming Billboard 200 album chart.
Nipping at Twain’s heels is fellow country singer Tim McGraw, whose “Tim McGraw & the Dancehall Doctors” debuts at No. 2. The album, which likely got a boost from McGraw’s Nov. 27 primetime television special, sold just over 600,000 copies.
McGraw’s wife, Faith Hill, followed suit with a television special of her own on the 28th, and subsequently sees her latest album, “Cry,” jump from No. 15 to No. 7.
Holiday shoppers snatched up a whole lot of copies of the “8 Mile” soundtrack, which will remain at No. 3. The album sold about 394,000 copies, an increase of about 110,000 over the previous week.
“Now that’s What I Call Music! 11,” which debuted at No. 2 last week, slips to No. 4 despite selling 60,000 copies more than it did during its first week out.
Making debuts at Nos. 5 and 6, respectively, are Tupac Shakur’s latest posthumous release, “Better Dayz,” and Jennifer Lopez’s sophomore effort, “This Is Me ... Then.”
Paul McCartney’s live set, “Back in the U.S.A.,” which moved about 224,000 copies during its first week in stores, closes out the roster of this week’s Top 10 debuts by coming in at No. 8.
Avril Lavigne’s “Let Go” stays put at No. 9, while Christina Aguilera climbs its way back into the Top 10, up two spots from No. 12.
Snoop Dogg falls just short of a Top 10 debut with “Paid tha Cost to Be Da Bo$$,” which comes in at No. 12, while System of a Down’s “Steal This Album” makes its debut at No. 15.
Other notable debuts include: Dru Hill’s “Dru World Order” at No. 21, Baby a.k.a. the #1 Stunna’s “Birdman” at No. 24, the Roots’ “Phrenology” at No. 28, Sum 41’s “Does This Look Infected?” at No. 32, Barbra Streisand’s “Duets” at No. 38, Busta Rhymes’ “It Ain’t Safe No More” at No. 43, Bob Dylan’s “Bootleg Series: Vol. 5” at No. 56, K-Ci & JoJo’s “Emotional” at No. 61 and Kelly Osbourne’s “Shut Up” at No. 101.
New Nas album gets an early release
Citing rampant Internet piracy of the album’s tracks, Columbia Records has moved the release date of Nas’ forthcoming album “God’s Son” up four days to Dec. 13.
Citing rampant Internet piracy of the album’s tracks, Columbia Records has moved the release date of Nas’ forthcoming album “God’s Son” up four days to Dec. 13.
According to a press release issued by his label, “rather than risk having fans experience inferior and incomplete versions of his new album, Nas has decided to break the music industry’s standard Tuesday release practice and get ‘God’s Son’ into stores as soon as possible.”
“God’s Son is my most personal album and I poured my heart and spirit into it,” Nas said in a statement. “It’s important to me that the fans hear my album the way I intended. When you buy a bootleg or pirate a download off the net, you don’t get the real thing. The sound sucks, the sequencing is wrong, you’re probably missing some tracks, and you don’t even get the artwork and CD bonuses.”
“God’s Son"--Nas’ first full-length album of new material since the December 2001 release of the platinum-selling Stillmatic--features production from Eminem, Alicia Keys, Salaam Remi, and Alchemist.
Earlier this year, Eminem’s third album, “The Eminem Show,” was released on a Sunday--more than a week before it was initially scheduled to go on sale--because of widespread bootlegging and piracy.
AC/DC signs deal with Sony, reissues due in 2003
AC/DC, which has been recording for the Warner Music Group for more than a quarter of a century, has signed a multi-album deal with Sony’s Epic label.
AC/DC, which has been recording for the Warner Music Group for more than a quarter of a century, has signed a multi-album deal with Sony’s Epic label.
Epic has also acquired the rights to AC/DC’s entire catalog of recordings, and will begin to re-release the albums in early 2003.
First to get reissue treatment will be “Back in Black,” “Live ‘92,” “High Voltage,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” and “Highway to Hell.” Additional reissues are planned for later in the year, according to Sony.
The re-released albums will feature “restored album art, as well as enhanced packaging including additional rare and historic photos, new liner notes and comprehensive track information,” according to a press release. Each album will also include Sony’s proprietary ConnecteD which allows fans who purchase the disc to view exclusive content on a special web site created specifically for each release.
AC/DC, which was formed in 1973 by Australian brothers Malcolm and Angus Young, has sold more than 140 million albums worldwide, according to Sony. The group will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2003.
Billboard.com reported that AC/DC is expected to fulfill its previous contract with Warner Bros. by releasing a new album on Electra sometime in 2003.
Tuesday, December 03, 2002
Pearl Jam sets rare Seattle club gigs
Pearl Jam, which is scheduled to play sold-out benefit shows at Seattle’s Key Arena on Sunday and Monday (12/8-9), will warm up for those gigs with a pair of club performances.
Pearl Jam, which is scheduled to play sold-out benefit shows at Seattle’s Key Arena on Sunday and Monday (12/8-9), will warm up for those gigs with a pair of club performances.
The band’s warm-up concerts at Seattle’s 1,100-capacity Showbox will take place on Thursday and Friday (12/5-6). Tickets went on sale on Tuesday morning, and all were snapped up within minutes.
Seattle-based band NEO will open on Dec. 5, and Steve Earle opens on Dec. 6.
The shows at Key Arena will benefit several charities, including Voters for Choice, the Seattle Center Arts Academy, Youth Care and Arts Corps. Northwest Harvest volunteers will be collecting donations of non-perishable food outside all Key Arena entrances prior to the shows.
Steve Earle and Brad will open for Pearl Jam on Dec. 8, and Brad and Mudhoney will open on Dec. 9.
Korn cancels final tour dates
Korn frontman Jonathan Davis’ strained vocal chords have forced Korn to scrap the last five dates of its current U.S. tour.
Korn frontman Jonathan Davis’ strained vocal chords have forced Korn to scrap the last five dates of its current U.S. tour.
Davis’ vocal coach and doctors have advised the singer to cancel the dates “to prevent permanent damage to [his] vocal cords,” according to the group’s publicist.
The affected dates are: Binghampton, N.Y., on Dec. 7; Erie, Pa., on Dec. 8; Utica, N.Y., on Dec. 10; Reading, Pa., on Dec. 11; and Bidgeport, Conn., on Dec. 12.
The group is, however, scheduled to perform its Wednesday (12/4) and Thursday (12/5) shows in Montreal and Toronto, respectively, “in order not to disappoint their Canadian fans,” the group’s publicist said. Those two stops are make-up dates for shows that were postponed earlier this year.
Korn has been touring in support of its fifth album, “Untouchables,” which in June debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album has sold about 1.2 million copies since its June release, according to industry sources.
Last month, the band released “Korn Live,” a DVD that captures the group’s June 10 performance at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom.
Brian Setzer Orchestra - “Boogie Woogie Christmas” (Surfdog)
The ex-Stray Cat and his 16-piece big band deliver their swingin’ takes on a dozen holiday favorites, and in the end it’s more fun than any Christmas album in recent memory.
The ex-Stray Cat and his 16-piece big band deliver their swingin’ takes on a dozen holiday favorites, and in the end it’s more fun than any Christmas album in recent memory.
A seven-minute Reader’s Digest version of “The Nutcracker Suite"--based on a 1957 Les Brown chart--is a highlight, spotlighting the substantial chops of Setzer’s group. Setzer duets with Ann-Margret on “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” and the result is the one of the coolest Yuletide tracks since Run-DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis.”
The album opens with a rollicking rendition of Jingle Bells--a remarkable feat considering this is one of the most-performed songs in history. Even better is “Boogie Woogie Santa Claus,” based on a 1952 Lionel Hampton chart.
Setzer’s guitar playing is solid as always, and his wailing and crooning is the perfect compliment to this upbeat collection. It’s sure to became a holiday-season mainstay.