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In the News ...
Warner Music Cuts Prices to Spur CD Sales
Warner Music Group, the company behind Madonna, Missy Elliott and Rod Stewart, is reducing the suggested retail price on more than 1,700 albums beginning next week in a bid to spur CD sales. The initiative, which was outlined in a letter sent by the recording company to retailers this week, lowers the suggested retail price on 1,776 titles that have been in stores for at least 18 months. The company's suggested price on more than 1,200 of the so-called back catalog titles will change from between $18.98 and $13.98 to $9.98. The move by Warner comes three weeks after rival Universal Music Group announced it would ease back on a plan it launched in January to cut the suggested retail price of all of its CDs from $18.98 to $12.98.
Billy Joel Crash Debris Fetches $1,075
Busted-up pieces of the grill from the car Billy Joel was driving when he skidded into a house on Long Island last month have sold at a charity auction for $1,075. WBLI morning show co-host Steve Harper said Friday that an unidentified bidder from Lindenhurst was the winner of the online auction sponsored by his radio station. He said the bidder has two weeks to come forward. Harper said the money will be donated to the Maurer Foundation, a Long Island-based group that helps in the fight against breast cancer.
Joel lost control of his vintage 1967 Citroen on a rain-slicked road near his home on April 25, slamming into a house. The 55-year-old singer received a small cut on his left ring finger but refused medical attention. The wreck was the third in two years for Joel. Last year he was hospitalized after smashing his car into a tree along a highway on far eastern Long Island, and he escaped serious injury in a crash in East Hampton in June 2002. The debris was collected off the street at the crash site by the station's "Slam the Stunt Man," Harper said. A Nassau County police spokesman has said Joel did not say he wanted the grill parts back, so there was no legal reason to stop the auction.
L.A. to Host 2004 Latin Grammy Awards
After a one-year stint in Miami, the Latin Grammys will return to Los Angeles this fall. "Hollywood called! Bringing the show to Los Angeles, one of the most culturally and musically vital cities in America, is a natural for the production of the Latin Grammy Awards," Gabriel Abaroa, president of the Latin Recording Academy, said Wednesday. This year's awards ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 1. Nominations will be announced July 14.
Madonna Fights New Pedestrian Law
Not in my backyard, says Madonna. Lawyers acting for the Material Girl argued on Wednesday that walkers should not be allowed to traipse across her $11 million country estate of Ashcombe House in Wiltshire, southern England.
Madonna and her husband, film director Guy Ritchie, are disputing their obligations under a new law designed to give ramblers access to open land across Britain. The couple — listed as Mr. and Mrs. G. Ritchie in legal papers relating to the case — believe that allowing public access to their land would breach their human rights by infringing their privacy. Lawyer David Elvin told an inquiry held by the Planning Inspectorate that the couple are contesting 17 parcels of land identified by the Countryside Agency as open countryside. The government-funded agency has decided that 100 acres of the couple's 1,200 acre retreat should be designated a public walkway. Elvin said the agency had agreed that five of the contested areas had been wrongly classified but the remaining 12 pieces of land were still in dispute. Stephen Pasterfield, representing the Countryside Agency, denied any breach of the convention and said there should be no special consideration for famous people.
Charlie Daniels to Play for U.S. Troops
The Charlie Daniels Band will perform this week for American soldiers and airmen in Europe. Daniels and his band are traveling with the Tennessee National Guard to Germany and Kosovo, according to Daniels' publicist, Webster & Associates. A concert is planned at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo, on Wednesday and at Weisbaden Army Airfield, Germany, on Thursday. The Armed Forces Network will broadcast the Weisbaden concert live to American forces throughout Europe, Afghanistan and Iraq. Daniels' hits include "Uneasy Rider," "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and "The South's Gonna Do It Again."
Recording Companies Agree to Pay $50M
Major recording companies have agreed to return nearly $50 million in unclaimed royalties to Sean Combs, Gloria Estefan, Dolly Parton and thousands of lesser known musicians under a settlement being announced Tuesday.
A two-year investigation by New York state Attorney General Eliot Spitzer's office found that many artists were not being paid royalties because record companies lost contact with the performers and had stopped making required payments. "As a result of this agreement, new procedures will be adopted to ensure that the artists and their descendants will receive the compensation to which they are entitled," Spitzer said in a statement. The Washington-based Recording Industry Association of America, which represents the companies, planned to comment after the official announcement, said spokesman Jonathan Lamy.
Singers Imbruglia, Johns Wed in Australia
Pop star Natalie Imbruglia married Daniel Johns, lead singer for Australian rock band Silverchair, in a secret ceremony.The couple exchanged vows Wednesday at an exclusive resort on Australia's northeastern coast, with a large white tent seen on the lawns of the Thala Beach Lodge, Australian Associated Press reported.
Johns and Imbruglia, who announced their engagement earlier this year, flew into nearby Cairns airport Tuesday night and were driven away in a gold limousine.
Imbruglia, 28, wore a silk chiffon V-necked gown with a hand draped layered handkerchief hem, by Beverly Hills designer Monique Lhuillier, AAP reported. Johns, 24, wore a vintage pale blue suit.
The newlyweds will release a wedding photograph for sale, with proceeds going to a favored charity of the couple.
Imbruglia first rose to stardom in Australia as an actress on the television drama "Neighbors" which also spawned pop princesses Kylie Minogue and Holly Valance.
After leaving the show for a stake at a musical career, Imbruglia topped the charts with the 1998 single "Torn."
Willie Nelson Debuts Anti-War Ballad
Willie Nelson has premiered his new anti-war ballad at an Austin fund-raising concert for Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich. "(Nelson) brought down the house," said Kucinich's media coordinator Susan Mainzer of the Saturday performance. "People were on their feet applauding." Nelson has said he wrote "What Ever Happened to Peace on Earth" on Christmas Day at the Lake Elsinore, Calif., home of his in-laws.
"There was nothing but bad news, and here it was Christmas Day," Nelson told the Austin American-Statesman last month. "I said, 'There sure are a lot of babies dying and mothers crying,' and (wife) Annie said, 'That sounds like a song.'"
The song asks questions such as, "How much oil is a human life worth?"
It is the second protest song Nelson has written. He often performed his Vietnam-era protest song, "Jimmy's Road," at peace rallies during the 1991 Gulf War.
Kucinich's two-day tour through Austin started Friday. At a Capitol rally Saturday, Kucinich told several hundred people that ending combat in Iraq is among his highest goals. Asked if his new song might cause a backlash with conservative country music fans, Nelson said, "I sure hope so. I don't care if people say, 'Who the hell does he think he is?' I know who I am."nLast spring, Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines' criticism of President Bush led to boycotts of the group's music.
Rush Guitarist Says Arrest Was Unfair
The lead guitarist for the rock band Rush said his arrest at a New Year's Eve party was unfair. Alex Zivojinovich — known on stage as Alex Lifeson — was arrested for what police described as drunken, violent behavior at the Naples Ritz-Carlton hotel. He faces six charges, including four felonies, the most serious of which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years.
"This gives new meaning to dinner at the Ritz," Zivojinovich, 50, said as he left jail Friday on $14,500 bond, wearing the same black suit he wore to the New Year's Eve bash.Zivojinovich said he didn't believe his arrest was fair. "They didn't like the way we were dancing, apparently," he said.Also arrested were his son Justin Zivojinovich, 33, and his son's wife, Michelle Zivojinovich, 30.
According to authorities, the scuffle began when Justin Zivojinovich refused to leave the stage where the house band was performing. His father spat blood on a deputy's face and pushed a deputy down a hotel stairwell during the struggle, police said.Justin Zivojinovich disputed that account and said deputies broke his father's nose.Charges against Alex Zivojinovich include aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and disorderly intoxication.Arraignment is set for Jan. 26. Rush's hits include "Tom Sawyer," "Limelight" and "The Spirit of Radio."
Singer Robert Palmer Dies
Rock singer Robert Palmer, known for his sharp suits and hits including "Addicted to Love," died Friday in Paris of a heart attack, his manager said. He was 54.
Palmer was on a two-day break in Paris following a television recording session in Britain, his manager Mick Carter said from the French capital.
In the 1980s, Palmer became a superstar with singles which also included "Simply Irresistible"-- accompanied by slick videos featuring the smartly dressed Palmer with a back-up band of attractive women, all in black outfits and glossy makeup.
The son of a British naval officer, Palmer was a member of several British rock bands before he hit the big time as a solo artist.
He had lived in Switzerland for the past 16 years.
Known for his GQ sense of style, Palmer was named best dressed male artist by Rolling Stone in 1990.
The "Addicted to Love" video, with its miniskirted models strumming guitars as Palmer sang, became one of MTV's most-played clips, and sparked protests from some feminists.
"I'm not going to attach inappropriate significance to it because at the time it meant nothing. It's just happened to become an iconic look," Palmer once said of the v
Palmer once confessed that he was not attracted to the excesses of rock 'n' roll stardom."I loved the music, but the excesses of rock 'n' roll never really appealed to me at all," he said. "I couldn't see the point of getting up in front of a lot of people when you weren't in control of your wits."
He was noted for dressing up and being somewhat restrained.
"I don't want to be heavy," he said in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine.
"I can't think of another attitude to have toward an audience than a hopeful and a positive one. And if that includes such unfashionable things as sentimentality, well, I can afford it."
Stevie Nicks Slams Madonna
And they're still talking about the kiss. Now it's Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks who is slamming Madonna for her MTV smooch fest, saying she's just too old to be kissing such young stars. IMDB.com reports that Stevie was disgusted by the publicity stunt, saying: "Madonna is too old to be kissing someone who is 22." But she didn't reserve her disdain just for the Material Girl. When asked what advice she would give Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, the rocker replied: "Wear more clothes and try writing some decent songs." Ouch.
Madonna Sued
A fashion photographer's son has sued Madonna, saying the singer copied his late father's images in a set of videos for her song "Hollywood."
Samuel Bourdin claims he holds the rights to the images created by his father, Guy Bourdin, who died in 1991.
The lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, accuses Madonna of copyright infringement for her imitation of poses and images in at least 11 works of Bourdin, whose photos were published in French Vogue from the mid-1950s through the late 1980s.
Samuel Bourdin seeks unspecified damages from the 45-year-old pop star and companies and individuals involved in production of the videos.
Ex-Motley Singer Faces Assault Charge
Ex-Motley Crue Singer Vince Neil Faces Assault Charge on Accusation He Attacked Prostitute. Former Motley Crue singer Vince Neil has been charged with misdemeanor battery for allegedly attacking a prostitute at a brothel last month, a prosecutor said. Neil, 42, allegedly grabbed prostitute Andrea Terry by the throat on July 10 and threw her against a wall at the Moonlite Bunny Ranch just east of Carson City, according to the criminal complaint. If convicted, the rocker could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. No date has been set yet for Neil's initial appearance in Dayton Justice Court. Neil's lawyer, Robert Shapiro of Los Angeles, did not immediately return a phone call to his office Saturday. Brothel owner Dennis Hof was out of town and also did not return a call. But Hof had told the New York Daily News that Neil and Terry got into an argument because he didn't want to have sex with her. Neil stopped by the brothel after a July 9 concert in Reno with the fellow 1980s metal bands Poison and Skid Row. In April, Neil entered a no contest plea to misdemeanor battery in an assault involving record producer Michael Shuman outside a West Hollywood, Calif., nightclub last year. In that case, a Superior Court judge ordered Neil to complete 100 hours of community service and pay restitution.
Ted Nugent Challenges Illinois Governor
Ted Nugent says Gov. Rod Blagojevich is more than welcome to visit him backstage before his Aug. 11 performance at the Illinois State Fair.
The rocker and gun-rights advocate, known for the song "Cat Scratch Fever," is itching to tell Blagojevich how much he dislikes Illinois' gun laws. "I challenge him to come backstage," Nugent told The (Springfield) State Journal-Register. "And let's talk 'We the people,' let's talk good over evil, let's talk laws forcing good people to be unarmed and helpless." The 54-year-old said his main complaint is what he called Blagojevich's "refusal to stand up for the Second Amendment." The comment was aimed at state laws that prohibit retired police officers from carrying concealed weapons. "How in God's green earth can a governor not allow retired professional heroes of law enforcement to carry guns?" Nugent said. "There's no answer for that. Any attempt to answer that question would expose a person for the buffoon he is." The governor's spokeswoman, Angie Amores, declined to comment on Nugent's remarks. Blagojevich's position on the issue is unclear since a bill that would have allowed retired officers to carry concealed firearms failed to make it through the Legislature this year. Amores said Blagojevich co-sponsored a similar measure that also failed to gain passage when he was a member of Congress.
Original Member of Oak Ridge Boys Dies
The last original member of the band that became the Oak Ridge Boys has died at 82. Marshall Lon "Deacon" Freeman, died at his home here on Wednesday. He was the last surviving member of the Oak Ridge Quartet, which later became gospel group The Oak Ridge Boys. Freeman began singing as a child in a Baptist church. After serving with the Army Air Corps during World War II, he joined a group called the Georgia Clodhoppers as a singer and rhythm guitar player. The group was renamed the Oak Ridge Quartet and made regular appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. Freeman left the group in 1949 because the travel kept him away from his family. He took a job broadcasting at a radio station in Rome. He was born in Berryton. In 2000, The Oak Ridge Boys were inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Hall of Fame in Nashville. Freeman was honored along with current Oak Ridge Boys Joe Bonsall, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen and William Lee Golden.
Natalie Imbruglia Still Plans Marriage
Natalie Imbruglia still plans on marrying Daniel Johns of Silverchair, though they still haven't figured out when. Imbruglia said she doubted that they would marry this year, adding that they're shooting for the start of next year. But will they serenade each other at the ceremony? "Oh, God, no," she said, laughing. "No, that'd be the last thing that would happen. No, we're not like that." Imbruglia said their mutual attraction is based on understanding."More than the music, I think, it's understanding the pressures of the industry that's great," she told reporters. "We talk about that more than we do about music because that's where you need someone to talk to." Imbruglia is currently starring in the movie "Johnny English".
Chicks' Tour Bus Gets Hit
Dixie Chicks' tour bus rear-ended in San Antonio; no injuries reported
The Dixie Chicks' tour bus was rear-ended early Thursday while parked along a highway on the outskirts of San Antonio, city police said.
Emily Robison, the only member of the popular country-music trio aboard the bus, was not injured. According to the accident report, the bus pulled over on an overpass in northwest San Antonio at 3:30 a.m. after being struck with an unknown object. Police say the parked bus was partially blocking a westbound traffic lane. As driver Ross Ellis looked for damage, a pickup truck driven by Larry Cox of Corpus Christi struck the back of the bus. Police said Cox was taken to a hospital for treatment of a cut on his right arm. Cox told police he took his eyes off the road briefly to answer his cell phone as he was approaching the parked bus, and didn't see the other vehicle in time. Ellis had activated the emergency flashers on the bus, but still was partly to blame because the bus was parked in the roadway, the investigating officer wrote in the report. The Dixie Chicks played a concert in Houston on Wednesday, a night after performing in San Antonio. Their next date on the Top of the World Tour is Friday in Little Rock, Ark.
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