They Might Be Giants gets in the 'Car'
NEW YORK (Billboard) - While known for their eclectic and often downright goofy songs, They Might Be Giants takes a stab at sincerity on the forthcoming album "Mink Car," due Sept. 11 via Restless Records. Such a statement should not deter longtime fans of the band, as there's plenty of the trademark ...
| McKnight releases 'Love of my Life'
(Launch) - Singer-songwriter Brian McKnight is back with a new single, "Love of my Life," from his forthcoming album, "Superhero," due Aug. 28. The Billie Woodruff-directed video for the "Love of my Life" will hit video outlets in the coming weeks. "Superhero" features guest vocals from Justin Timberlake ...
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Indigo Girls hit the road before the studio
(Launch) - Indigo Girls Amy Ray and Emily Saliers have set out on a tour. The duo is using the trek to tune up before hitting the studio in late summer to early fall. Ray said that the best clues as to the direction of the forthcoming collection is to look at "Leaving" and "Devotion," the new songs ...
| DMB encourages fight against Bush energy plan
(Launch) - The Dave Matthews Band is encouraging fans to rebuff President George W. Bush's proposed national energy policy. The group is making its stance via a link from its official Web site to the Save Our Environment Action Center, which refers to the president's plan as the "Drill America First" ...
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Tool sells out multiple tour dates
(Launch) - Fans wishing to catch the bill of Tool and King Crimson have only two opportunities left to buy tickets: Aug. 8 in Portland, Ore., Aug. 15 in San Diego. The Aug. 3 show in Denver, Aug. 6 and 7 in Seattle, Aug. 10 and 11 in Berkeley, Calif., and Aug. 13 and 14 in Los Angeles are now sold out. ...
| Loudon Wainwright releases album, takes TV role
NEW YORK (Billboard) - Along with a new album, "Last Man on Earth" (due Sept. 25), singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III is expanding his acting resume. The artist has a recurring role as the dysfunctional father of a college freshman on "Undeclared," set to premiere Sept. 18 on Fox. Series creator-director ...
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Blur guitarist readies 3rd solo effort
NEW YORK (Billboard) - Blur guitarist Graham Coxon has finished his third solo album, "Crow Sit On Blood Tree" The set is due Aug. 6 internationally on Coxon's own Transcopic label. Among the tracks confirmed for inclusion are "Big Bird," "Burn It Down," "Thank God For The Rain" and "A Place For Grief." ...
| Garbage's Manson cleared for band's recording
LONDON (Billboard) - The band Garbage and a number of U.K. labels have reached an out-of-court settlement in a lawsuit involving the recording status of lead singer Shirley Manson. While terms of the deal, approved Friday by a London High Court judge, remain undisclosed, it apparently clears a path ...
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Better Than Ezra adds tour dates
(Launch) - With the single "Extra Ordinary" now charting both on the Billboard Adult Top 40 and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, Better Than Ezra has added more tour dates in support of its next album, "Closer," due from Beyond Music Aug. 7. The latest routing concentrates in the western states, including ...
| Beastie's Tibetan Freedom Concert eyes comeback
(Launch) - Although details are still sketchy, it looks like Milarepa and the Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch are resurrecting the Tibetan Freedom Concert after taking a year off. No city or date has been announced for the concert, but an announcement is expected in the next week. In 1999 Milarepa, the organization ...
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Bjork lays out more live plans
NEW YORK (Billboard) - Bjork has confirmed a host of additional dates at European opera houses in support of the upcoming album "Vespertine," due Aug. 27 internationally and a day later in North America. In addition to previously announced dates in Paris, the trek will also hit venues in Germany, Switzerland ...
| Beck records tribute track, celebrates birthday
(Launch) - Beck has recorded a version of the song, "Funky Little Song," for a tribute album to obscure electronic music pioneers Bruce Haack and Esther Nelson. Beck joined tribute organizers DJMeDJYou for the track. Others set to appear on the effort - which is to benefit autism research - include ...
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R.E.M. signs on for Neil Young's benefit
(Launch) - R.E.M. has signed on to perform at Neil Young's 15th Annual Bridge School Benefit Concert. R.E.M.'s participation makes good on the band's promise to make more appearances after a summer vacation. The concert will be held in October at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif., ...
| Stone Temple Pilots celebrate 'Hedwig'
(Launch) - "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," the glam-rock-themed movie championed by the Stone Temple Pilots, opens Friday in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Based on the off-Broadway play, the film is about a German boy who submits to a sex-change operation in order to marry an American GI and ...
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Durst fast-tracks 'Wanna Be' over 'Runts'
(Launch) - Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst is going to fast track the second of two movies he's working on. "Wanna Be" depicts how children of mobsters are not heeding warnings by their parents to stay away from a life of crime, thereby compromising the principles of the Mafia. Paul Walker, who recently ...
| Jarreau is back for Hot Summer Nights
(Launch) - Acclaimed singer Al Jarreau returns to the U.S. after an extensive tour of the European jazz festivals to team with keyboardist and producer George Duke and singer-songwriter Rachelle Ferrell for a series of shows. Titled the Hot Summer Nights Tour, the trio kicks off its jaunt on Friday ...
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Rimes' breakup due to 3rd party?
(Launch) - The recent breakup of LeAnn Rimes and her longtime boyfriend, Andrew Keegan, might not have been all that amicable. According to reports, the 19-year-old singer is heartbroken over the fact that Keegan left her for "Coyote Ugly" star Piper Perabo. Sources on the set of the upcoming movie ...
| Faith Hill ups ante at casino opening
(Launch) - Faith Hill performed her only scheduled concert this year Wednesday night at the grand opening of Casino Rama near Toronto. The expectant singer pulled in a whopping million dollars for the performance. The audience was also treated to a surprise appearance by former Beatle Ringo Starr on ...
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Nick Cave lines up fall tour
NEW YORK (Billboard) - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have lined up a fall U.S. tour that will kick off Sept. 18 in Los Angeles and wrap Oct. 9 in Austin, Texas. The trek comes in support of Cave's most recent Reprise album, "No More Shall We Part," which debuted at No. 9 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart ...
| DiFranco bumped off 'Letterman'
(Launch) - Ani DiFranco was bumped off "The Late Show With David Letterman" after the artist and the show's producers disagreed about which song she should perform. The show put the Holmes Brothers in to take DiFranco's place on July 16. According to her manager, Scot Fisher, the show failed to strong-arm ...
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