News Ticker: Lil Wayne, Maroon 5, George Michael and Motley Crue

Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III sold 423,000 copies in its first day of release, essentially guaranteeing the top spot on next week’s album chart. TC3 is on pace to sell 850,000-950,000 units in its first week, which would make it the largest sales week of the year. Maroon 5 will expand their It Won’t Be Soon Before Long in July, adding a DVD with four music videos and a complete concert. The set will also include five B-sides. Following his U.S. tour and two final London shows in August, George Michael will reportedly retire from performing live, the BBC reports. Mötley Crüe have sued their second manager in as many years, this time alleging that Burt Stein took money from the band and made deals without their permission. [Photo: Getty]

Published: 2008-06-12 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Morning News Roundup

"Summer Above" by Speck Mountain

It's rare that a debut album is as patiently textured and consistently affecting as Speck Mountain's Summer Above. If this record belongs to any genre it's space-rock, but as the band's name would suggest, earthiness is being channeled as much as ether, with an instrumental palette that's haunted by classic soul vibes rather than compressed waves of distortion. Opalescent streams of organ and electric piano, minimal but highly melodic guitar, sax and melodica are fed through vintage amps and echo units, making it easy to imagine it was all recorded in the "Pacific sea caves" that singer Marie-Claire Balabanian alludes to in the album's rhythmically tranced centerpiece "Girl Out West." Songs build slowly, coalescing around Balabanian's slightly dazed vocals and offering an unexpected depth. The buoyant title track leads things off, seeming like the perfect, naive summer anthem until you get to the enigmatic lyric, "I feel free when I feel no one feeling me". "Hey Moon"

Published: 2007-11-09 Provider: Artist Direct

"Hideout" by Film School

If past Film School releases featured a band stylistically stuck between the narrow hallways of post-punk and the woozy haze of shoegaze, the San Francisco unit's latest (and second for Beggars Banquet) seems to be a declaration of choice: "We've sided with the dream pop, the pedals and the texture-heavy gurgle of the latter, thank you." After all, Film School's heart has always seemed to lie with a more adventurous approach. Even on 2006's danceable self-titled jaunt, mastermind Greg Bertens' sensibilities proved much darker and more complex than those of, say, post-punk contemporaries Bloc Party or Editors. But after a gun-point robbery, the theft of Film School's van, and some serious personnel changes, Bertens' songwriting seems even darker here. Hideout's songs benefit greatly from the gloom, as the icy winds of "Blizzard Scout" or the acoustic warble of "Must Try Easier" quickly prove. It's this gloom that allows the moments when Bertrens lets light shine in on

Published: 2007-09-10 Provider: Artist Direct

Velvet Revolver Has Weak Week, LL Cool J Teams Up With 50 Cent, Pussycat Doll Goes Solo

T.I.’s abbreviation-heavy T.I. vs. T.I.P. was king of the chart, selling 468,000 copies for a number-one debut. Velvet Revolver’s Libertad entered the chart at number five with 92,000 units sold, nearly a third of the copies the band’s Contraband moved its first week of release in 2004. Snow Patrol keyboardist Tom Simpson will face drug charges after attempting to bring the illegal variety of snow onto an airplane in Glasgow. While everyone was debating the Van Halen reunion, Sammy Hagar was recording a new single, “Open,” which can be heard via MySpace. LL Cool J has recruited money lender/porno watcher 50 Cent to executive produce his new album. Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls is going solo. Her first album, Her Name Is Nicole, will be out October 2007, giving everyone adequate time to learn how to spell her last name.

Published: 2007-07-12 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Chart Roundup, Afternoon News Roundup

by: BIG CED As far as the younger generation, they can take it or leave it; I'm more or less speaking to my fan base. ­ Before there was G-Unit, Wu-Tang, Hot Boys, Terror Squad or any other group of emcees banding together to form a unit, there was the Juice Crew, arguably the most talented group of emcees put together. The group included: Mr. Magic (Sir Juice), Marley Marl, Big Daddy Kane, Craig G, Masta Ace, Biz Markie, MC Shan, TJ Swan, Roxanne Shante and Kool G Rap and Polo. VIBE got a chance to speak to Craig G (real name Craig Morgan), one of the original members of the seminal crew, about his current project with Marley Marl, the group's reunion that has already hit the road, as well as upcoming film that will tell the real story behind the legendary posse. VIBE: So, the Juice Crew is reuniting for a show in Atlanta, Georgia at the A3C Hip Hop Festival in two weeks, you, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, Marley Marl, MC Shan and Roxanne Shante will be performing for the first time in about 10 years. How does it feel to be a part of this historic occasion? Craig G: It's a great thing because crews who’ve based their whole thing on [the Juice Crew] have broken up and reunited to tour. I'm glad it's going down, but people shouldn't look at the crew like that because we were all solo artists so there was no break up situation with us. When we got down it was no expectations, just to make quality music. Think about how most people who made an impact had no idea they were while it was happening.  The Juice Crew movie is currently in production, what is the story line and how much of an involvement do you and the other members have? I'm not at liberty to say what the storyline is yet. I know Marley and Kane are producers in some capacity so I'm sure I'll get to have a say in how I am portrayed [in the film]. It seems that you are quite busy these days as you and Marley Marl are reconnecting again to record an album. What brought this on and how do you

Published: 2008-03-13 Provider: VIBE

News Ticker: White Stripes, Madonna, 50 Cent, Billy Joel

The White Stripes will release a Spanish-language version of “Conquest” as Las Rayas Blancas on February 19th. The “Conquista” single will include an acoustic version of the track backed by a mariachi band, as we reported in November. Madonna hosted a fundraiser at the United Nations last night to raise money for orphaned children in Malawi. Tom Cruise, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez were at the event, which raised $3.7 million. 50 Cent’s G-Unit clothing company is reportedly folding this Friday, though a source tells Allhiphop.com the brand is merely parting ways with its partner. On July 16th, Billy Joel will play the last show at Shea Stadium before the it closes. Tickets for Joel’s performance go on sale February 16th. Fresh off his appearances on Celebrity Apprentice and Ugly Betty, Gene Simmons has announced the third season of Gene Simmons Family Jewels will begin later this year.

Published: 2008-02-07 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Morning News Roundup

On the Charts: Carrie Underwood Rules Debuts, “American Idol” Kingdom

The Big News: Carrie Underwood continued her quest to become the most successful American Idol ever, as her new album Carnival Ride cruised to the top of the Billboard charts with 527,101 copies sold in its debut week. By comparison, Kelly Clarkson, Underwood’s closest AI competitor, sold 291,000 copies when My December debuted in June. Underwood dominated her fresh competition, selling 400,000-plus more copies than the number two, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ Raising Sand. Country’s Gary Allan took the third spot, while System of a Down’s Serj Tankian’s first solo album Elect the Dead scored fourth with 65,998 copies. Debuts: Prog-revivalists Coheed & Cambria’s No World For Tomorrow entered the chart at number six with 61,849 units shifted while Neil Young’s Chrome Dreams II grabbed the eleven hole and Say Anything’s double-disc In Defense Of the Genre debuted at twenty-seven with 24,750. Further down the chart, Ryan Adams’ new EP Follow The Lights came in at forty, while Ween’s La Cucharacha came in at a fitting (for the band in question) sixty-nine. RS Breaking Artist Hurricane Chris hit the chart at twenty-four. Last Week’s Heroes: Defending champion Bruce Springsteen’s Magic tumbled on down to twelve, thanks to a thirty-four percent sales drop. Last week’s runner-up, Kid Rock’s Rock N Roll Jesus, stayed in the top ten by grasping on to seven. The remainder of the chart, sans debuts, stayed relatively the same, but we expect changes by this time next week, when Britney Spears’ Blackout and the new Backstreet Boys album should factor into the equation.

Published: 2007-11-01 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Chart Roundup

Fall Out Boy Holding Off Before Starting Next LP, Wu-Tang Move Release Date, The Verve Unleash Lengthy Demo

Despite having an “album’s worth of material” ready to go, Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump doesn’t anticipate the band will start work on the follow-up to the only-nine-month-old Infinity On High any time soon. Discussing the musical direction of the material, Stump manages to say “experimenting with piano phases like Steve Reich” and “it’s probably just gonna be a pop record” in the same paragraph. Stump also recently shot a guest spot on NBC’s unkillable crime drama Law & Order, which will air next February. The reunited Verve have released their first new music in over a decade in the form of a fourteen-minute demo. The experimental track, dubbed “The Thaw Session,” is available as a free download that you can get here. Mobb Deep’s Prodigy isn’t going to jail quietly. The rapper, who earlier this month accepted a three-and-a-half year prison sentence in a plea bargain for gun possession, told G-Unit Radio that police officers once asked him set up 50 Cent by planting evidence in 50’s car. Family crisis averted: The Wu-Tang Clan have pushed the release date of their new album The 8 Diagrams back one week so it wouldn’t compete with angry Ghostface Killah’s own album The Big Dough Rehab on December 4th. The news comes straight from the RZA’s mouth, and he’s smart. The Live Nation feeding frenzy continues. One week after securing every Madonna movement for a modest reported $120 million, the concert promoter is now making a bid for Signatures Network, which holds the right to license and market over 125 artists, including Bruce Springsteen, U2 and Kanye West.

Published: 2007-10-22 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Afternoon News Roundup

On the Charts: Kanye West, 50 Cent, Kenny Chesney Lead the Way to Monster Sales Week

The Big News: As you already know, Kanye West beat 50 Cent in their debut-week sales showdown, but the real winner is the music industry. Kanye’s Graduation sold 957,000, the biggest single week tally since 2005, when 50’s The Massacre sold 1.1 million in its debut week. According to Billboard, it’s the 15th biggest sales week since Nielsen began tracking sales in 1991. 50’s Curtis moved 691,000, which, despite losing to Kanye, easily tops the year’s previous top debut (Linkin Park’s 623,000). The only other time since 1991 that the top two albums each sold more than 600,000 each came in September of that year, when Guns N’ Roses’ Use Your Illusion I and II sold 770,000 and 685,000 respectively. Country star Kenny Chesney’s latest sold 387,000, finishing number three with a figure that would earn him the number one spot almost any other week. Just to give you an idea what a departure these numbers are from the industry’s endless sales drought: When you add up the top four — including last week’s number one High School Musical 2 soundtrack, which sold 133,000 this week — you get 2.2 million CDs sold, which is more than the top 200 albums combined sold last week. The Debuts: After the top three, it’s a long drop to the next new record: A third Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack landed at number sixteen, moving a comparatively paltry 27,000 units; Trisha Yearwood’s Greatest Hits debuted at number twenty-two with 22,000; And R&B-boy band B5 sold 19,000 and hit number twenty-seven. Last Week’s Sales Heroes: Perennial top-tenners, including the HSM2 and Hannah Montana 2 soundtracks, Fergie, and Now! 25 all dropped back a few slots to make room for the newcomers. MySpace-made star Colbie Caillat continues to scale the charts, with a 25 percent jump in sales and a corresponding leap from number fourteen to eight.

Published: 2007-09-20 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Chart Roundup

On the Charts: “High School Musical 2? Enjoys Another Week at the Top Before Kanye and 50 Arrive

The Big News: Call it the lull before the storm — in the week before Kanye, 50 Cent and country star Kenny Chesney released their blockbuster records, sales for the top fifty albums were as slow as they’ve ever been. The soundtrack to High School Musical 2 stayed on top for a fourth week — the first album to reign for that long since 50’s The Massacre in 2005 — moving 164,690 units. The slow week helped Fergie jump from number five to number two, despite dropping 4 percent in sales, to 48,590, and the Hannah Montana 2 soundtrack jumped from four to three despite slumping 20 percent to 46,976. Debuts: Michigan hardcore band Chiodos entered at number five, selling 38,696 albums. The next new record doesn’t come until number forty-one, where metal quartet Every Time I Die landed. At number forty-eight, Christian act Israel & New Breed sold 11,703, and global fusion star Manu Chao debuted at seventy-one. Expect considerably bigger action in this space next week. Last Week’s Sales Heroes?: Devotion act Casting Crowns dropped from number two to four in its second week of release. Atlanta rapper Yung Joc took a bigger slide, from three to eleven. Atreyu dropped even further, from eight to twenty-nine, and Ben Harper sank from number nine to twenty-four. The Hairspray soundtrack, Now! 25, and, of course, Nickelback, remain top-ten fixtures. [Photo: Flokis/Getty]

Published: 2007-09-13 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News, Chart Roundup

Mercury Prize Nominees: Rock Daily’s Fave Newcomers

Earlier today, nominees were announced for the U.K.’s Mercury prize, which is sort of like the Grammy for Album of the Year, only with better artists and no de facto requirement that you’ve moved a million units. You already know the frontrunners, including Amy Winehouse, Dizzee Rascal and Arctic Monkeys, who won the Mercury last year. But there are some fairly obscure names on the list — like Breaking Artist Bat for Lashes. So here’s a primer for the non-Anglophiles out there: Rock Daily’s favourite Mercury newcomers. Maps Who: James Chapman, a one-man-band from Northampton, England. Sounds Like: Maps’ debut, We Can Create, is full of lush, atmospheric pop that recalls My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless — only warmer and less noisy. Fun Fact: Chapman recorded the album in his bedroom, mostly on a sixteen-track recorder.         Jamie T Who: Twenty-two-year-old London singer-songwriter Jamie Treays. Sounds Like: Treays’ debut, Panic Prevention, is long on tuneful, sharp-witted character sketches and charming, ramshackle tunes built on keyboards and samplers. The album has been compared to both the Streets and Badly Drawn Boy. Fun Fact: Treays has self-released a series of mixtapes called Panic Prevention Disco, which have included songs by Primal Scream, Kate Bush and Ol’ Dirty Bastard. The View Who: Scottish quartet whose debut, Hats Off to the Buskers, debuted at number one on the English pop charts early this year. Sounds Like: Bright, spiky Britpop with action-packed grooves and sweet melodies — like a more cuddly version of the Artcic Monkeys. Fun Fact: The View got initial exposure opening for Babyshambles this year after Pete Doherty saw them busking outside one of his gigs in Scotland. New Young Pony Club Who: London quintet who debuted this year with Fantastic Playroom. Sounds Like: Popwise, danceable electro-rock — something like LCD Soundsystem, or what Brit kids call “New Rave.” Fun Fact: NYPC were introduced t

Published: 2007-07-18 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Rock News

Prince to Play L.A. Residency, Paula Abdul Trips Over Chihuahua and More

First, Prince announced his plans to take over London for the better part of a month. Now it seems that the purple one will first be dominating Los Angeles with a seven-week residency at the historic Roosevelt Hotel beginning in mid-June. The performances will involve dinner, dancing and Prince performing after his regular show as part of a jazz ensemble. Paula Abdul suffered a broken nose over the weekend after tripping over her chihuahua, Tulip. Seriously. Aftermath Records and Interscope Records are among those being sued for digital royalties from Eminem recordings. The suit claims that the labels should be paying half of the total collected from downloads and master ringtones rather than from artist royalties. Bo Diddley, who was recently hospitalized after suffering a stroke, was expected to move out off the intensive care unit late yesterday, his publicist said. Ticket demand for the upcoming Smashing Pumpkins reunion shows was so high that the band has already added three new dates. They will now play eleven nights at San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium, in addition to nine in Asheville, North Carolina. You can listen here to new Smashing Pumpkins single “Tarantula.” Yesterday we reported that former Creed frontman Scott Stapp was arrested for aggravated assault. Turns out the guy allegedly threw an Orangina bottle at his wife’s head, but the charges have been reduced to a misdemeanor because the bottle was not considered by the judge to be a deadly weapon.

Published: 2007-05-22 Provider: Rolling Stone Keywords: Morning News Roundup