Music News Net

DIDO Heads "Home" With Her New CD

     MUSIC CD NEWS-  Grammy Winner DIDO has just announced a November 4 release for her much delayed third album, "Safe Trip Home" (RCA Records). One "Look No Further" is available now as a free download from DidoMusic.com.  The songs were recorded in Los Angeles and London with production by Jon Brion and Dido, along with her brother Rollo Armstrong, working together under the name Ark. One of the tunes, "Grafton Street," was co-written with Brian Eno.   The first single, "Don't Believe in Love," will be issued digitally and on CD (date tbd).   "Safe Trip Home" is her follow-up to 2003's "Life for Rent," which sold more than 2.1 million copies in the United States, and  became the UK's fourth biggest selling album of the decade.

Win To Be a Roadie for THE WHO

      MUSIC NEWS-    Hey, wannabe road crew members.  Want to work for THE WHO ?  Be prepared, it won't be cheap !!! The Who are running an auction on EBay for a someone who wants to pay (donate) to be a roadie for a day during their current US tour. The bidding reached $20,000 after just four days and will likely to go higher by the time the bidding ends on August 24.  The auction is for a good cause; Santa Monica, CA based  K9 Connection, which matches at-risk teenagers together with homeless dogs.

PARAMORE, PINK, KID ROCK to Perform at VMA Show

      MUSIC NEWS-  Rihanna, Paramore, Pink and T.I. are the latest additions to the list of performers at this year's MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS.  Also on the bill for the event, which will be held on September 7 in Los Angeles, are Kid Rock, Lil Wayne and the Jonas Brothers.  "I can't wait," Pink told the Associated Press, and saud she plans to "blow stuff up."  As previously reported here at MNN, British comedian Russell Brand will host the show.  And, Britney Spears is nominated for several awards and has done promos for the event, but it is not yet been determined whether she'll make an appearance this year, after her come-back disaster at last year's VMAs.  Stay tuned for updated info as announced.....

TN Rocker, Will Hoge Hospitalized in Nashville

    8/22/08 UPDATE-  Will’s condition has been upgraded to stable after a Wednesday evening traffic accident. He suffered broken bones and contusions.

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Nashville rocker Will Hoge, 35, was hospitalized in critical condition today at Vanderbilt University Medical Center following an motor vehicle accident, according to the Tennessean.  Hoge, who was riding a motor scooter in East Nashville, reportedly collided with a van which failed to yield.  Police do not believe drugs or alcohol were a factor in the accident.   A rep from the hospital said while the musician's condition is critical at the moment, he is expected to make a full recovery.  Hoge is one of Nashville’s most accomplished rock performers, having successfully moved from a promising major-label run in the early part of the decade to a thriving career as a hard-touring, do-it-yourself musician. His most recent album, last year’s Draw the Curtains, was his first for indie label Rykodisc, and marked his return to label affiliation.  Hoge is currently working on a follow up to Draw the Curtains.

Special NYC Benefit Concert for WFUV-FM

     Singer-songwriter Richard Barone and a host of musician and writer friends will perform at a special benefit concert for NYC area noncommercial radio station WFUV (90.7 FM, WFUV.org) on Wednesday, October 1 (7:30 PM) at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall. This unique "musical reading" will include live musical collaborations mixed with readings from Barone's recent book FRONTMAN: Surviving the Rock Star Myth, published by Backbeat / Hal Leonard Books. Actress Joyce DeWitt ("Three's Company"); WFUV's Vin Scelsa; Terre and Suzzy Roche (The Roches); journalist Anthony DeCurtis (Rolling Stone); guitarist Vernon Reid (Living Color); vocalist Janice Pendarvis (Sting); drummer Steve Holley (Wings); Jazz legend Randy Brecker (Brecker Brothers) longtime Barone collaborators bassist Rob Norris, cellist Jane Scarpantoni, guitarists Nick Celeste and Ryan Geller will participate. There will also be a rare reunion performance by The Bongos. Additional special guests are still to be announced. Tickets are available at CarnegieHall.org. Richard Barone's new album, "GLOW," produced by Tony Visconti, will be released as a series of thre-song EPs on iTunes in Fall 2008. This fall, highlights from Barone's solo catalog and his work with The Bongos will also be re-released and featured as "iTunes Essentials."

COLDPLAY To Release a VIVA LA VIDA Follow Up

UPDATE 9/1/08- As previously reported, COLDPLAY were rumoured to have additional tunes from their recording sessions for their recent hit album 'Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends', including a song called 'Luna' that featured Kylie Minogue, and were planning a quick release. Now we know, the new EP, tentatively scheduled to be released in December, will be called 'Prospects March'. Chris Martin and band are also planning on putting out a new album in December 2009. To the BBC 6music channel the singer said: "We're going to put an EP out at Christmas called 'Prospects March' and we're going to release an album next December to end the decade." He added that the EP was already recorded, but they haven't yet started work on putting the new album together -----

     MUSIC NEWS - COLDPLAY is rumored to be considering a new cd release as a follow-up to their recent worldwide hit album VIVA LA VIDA as soon as next year (2009).  The Brit rockers, led by Chris Martin, had recorded enough tracks with producer Brian Eno (who recently wrapped up a new Eno/David Byrne cd) to form the basis of a new album.   A source at their label, EMI,  told Britain’s The Sun newspaper, "The Viva La Vida sessions were incredibly fruitful. They gelled brilliantly with Brian and recorded much more music than they could fit on one album.  "The majority of the follow-up is already in the can, though they will have to go back into the studio at some point to add a few more songs." And that means the band will have recorded album number five, meaning their contract with record label EMI will be nearing an end. The source added, "Standard industry contracts tend to be for six albums, so if they provide some kind of compilation after their next album they will be free agents and able to renegotiate their contract or head out on their own."  Coldplay's Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland appeared recently on the Canadian TV program, eTalk and mentioned that the band had finished working on some songs that will be released sometime in March 2009.   Whatever their reason, we look forward to more COLDPLAY music ASAP ! And we want to know- did you catch COLDPLAY on tour, and what do you think about VIVA LA VIDA?  Comment below....

Insiders Look Into the Music Biz - Bumping Into Geniuses

     MUSIC NEWS-  Grunge rocker KURT COBAIN "detested" GUNS N ROSES frontman Axl Rose, according to reports in a new music biz book.  Former record executive Danny Goldberg writes in his upcoming memoir, Bumping Into Geniuses, that the Nirvana singer Cobain and Rose were engaged in a bitter feud all through their careers.  Goldberg claims promoters were desperate to launch a tour featuring Nirvana, Metallica and Guns N’ Roses during the height of their popularity in the early 1990s.  Unfortunately,  plans for the shows had to be put on hold because of a serious rift between Cobain and Rose after the Nirvana frontman refused to meet Rose after a concert.  Goldberg writes: "There was a lot of money on the table. Kurt really liked Metallica… (but) Rose had the kind of macho rock persona that Kurt detested." The book also tells how the grudge between the pair was still not settled when Cobain committed suicide in 1994. 

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Beach Boy BRIAN WILSON's New CD Gets a Download Preview

     MUSIC NEWS -  Capitol Records and USAToday publisher Gannett announced they are partnering on a digital promotion for Beach Boy Brian Wilson's new album, THAT LUCKY OLD SUN.  The promo will have over 50 Gannett newspapers and TV station websites around the USA, including USAToday.com, exclusively offer a full stream of the album beginning on Friday and running through the day before its release on September 2. "That Lucky Old Sun" marks Wilson's return to the classic Capitol Records label and will be available on cd, limited edition cd/dvd (available at right from MNN) and limited edition vinyl. We can't wait to hear this release from a true musical genius!

LeRoi Moore, Dave Matthews Band Member Dies

     Sad MUSIC NEWS from LA -- LeRoi Moore, 46, saxophone player and founding member of the Dave Matthews Band, died Tuesday afternoon, August 19.  According to a statement from his rep, Moore died "unexpectedly" Tuesday afternoon at the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles "from sudden complications stemming from his June ATV accident on his farm near Charlottesville, Va."  Moore was in Los Angeles for a physical rehabilitation program to heal his injuries.  His injuries including a punctured lung and broken ribs. The band played as scheduled Tuesday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Bela Fleck and the Flecktones saxophonist Jeff Coffin has been filling in for Moore

FREE NFL Opening Kickoff NYC Concert Event

   MUSIC NEWS - The NFL ushers in its 89th season with a giant celebration and a special free pregame event, the “NFL OPENING KICKOFF 2008 PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS”.  And, our friends at 1iota.com are looking for 1000 fans to be a part of the cool event.  IF YOU GET TICKETS THRU 1IOTA.COM, YOU WILL BE IN THE AREA NEAREST TO THE STAGE!  USHER, Keith Urban and Natasha Bedingfield will perform at the kickoff concert event in New York City’s Columbus Circle on Thursday, September 4 (arrival time 1:30p) NBC-TV will air highlights from the concert as part of their one-hour "NFL/NBC Fall Preview" on Friday, September 5 at 9:00 PM. Stars from hit NBC shows are scheduled to appear at the Thursday concert event. The performances and appearances are part of the celebration to kick off the 2008 season and to honor the Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Click here to register for free tickets to the event . ***please enter "MusicNewsNet" in the comments box during your ticket request***

Good luck, we hope to see you there !!

UPDATE 9/5/08- see great review on Keith Urban's performance at the NY CNFL gig, here !

Bloc Party Gets Intimate with Downloads

     British rockers, Bloc Party will make its third album, "Intimacy," available via digital download this Thursday, August 21, over two months prior to the official October 28 cd street date (on Atlantic Records).  But don't worry, grab both as the CD will contain "tbd" tracks different from the digital version, according to the group.  Buyers that pre-order "Intimacy" in cd form from their BlocParty.com will receive the digital version immediately.  The band decided to go digital now, ahead of the cd was due on the problems that occurred from the early leak of their 2007 album, "A Weekend in the City".

Listen to their new single, TROJAN HORSE below.

Dave Stewart of Eurythmics Fame on ROCKLINE This Week

    Former member of the rock duo the EURYTHMICS, Dave Stewart, will be the featured guest on the USA nationally syndicated radio show ROCKLINE on this Wednesday night August 20 at 8:30pm PT (11:30pm ET).  Music fans are encouraged to call-in to speak with Dave at 1-800-344-ROCK (7625). For a station near you or for information about how to stream the broadcast, go to their website @  www. RocklineRadio. com. The show will also include a live acoustic performance by Mr Stewart, currently promoting his new cd release, Dave Stewart Songbook, Vol 1.

U2's Bono Helped Music Pirate

     MUSIC NEWS- Musician/Humanitarian BONO is reportedly the source of the recently leaked new U2 tracks from their forthcoming album, rumoured to be called 'No Line On The Horizon'.  Well, sort of.  The band's vocalist was recently playing some new tracks to friends while on vacation in the South Of France.  Apparently he played them too loudly and a passing vacationer used a cellphone to record four of the tracks, including the first single, 'Sexy Boots', and putting the tunes up on YouTube. The tracks have been removed from the site.  No word from Bono or whether the band will file charges against him !!!

Btw, the new CD is currently set for a January 09 release.  A world tour is planned.

AC/DC Goes Walmart Exclusive with New CD !!

     The anticipated AC/DC new album, "Black Ice," will unfortunately be sold exclusively in the U.S. through Wal-Mart and Sam's Club, as well as through the group's site, starting October 20.  Their first single from the CD, "Rock'n'Roll Train" will be available to U.S. radio stations starting August 28.  This exclusive release comes with the full cooperation of AC/DC's label, Columbia, which is planning "multiple activities for fans" in advance of the street date.  Other retailers, especially independent music shops, are disappointed with this move by the group and label.

Annie Lennox in Recovery

     MUSIC NEWS-  Following an unfortunate injury received while attending last week’s International AIDS Conference in Mexico, singer/songwriter Annie Lennox (half of Eurythmics duo, along with Dave Stewart)  underwent spinal surgery to release an impinged nerve.  The surgery went as planned, and Ms Lennox is now recuperating at home.   As a result, Annie Lennox’s eagerly anticipated forthcoming retrospective album that was to be released on September 15th on RCA Label Group / Sony Music Entertainment (September 16th on ARISTA Records in the USA) will be delayed. The album will now be re-scheduled to a tbd Spring 2009 release to permit Ms Lennox to take part in the album promotions. The release will span Ms Lennox's amazing solo career. Additional details of the release will be announced at a later date.  Ms Lennox has been actively involved in many humanitarian issues for some time.  Her most recent cd release, SONGS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, can be purchased, HERE from MNN.

Our best wishes to Annie Lennox for a quick recovery !!