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Two independent record labels are suing Guns ‘n’ Roses and Universal Music Group, alleging that a track off Axl Rose’s Chinese Democracy was copied from electronica artist Ulrich Schnauss.
Mariah Carey told “Today” and her Twitter followers that she thought she “let everybody down” when her voice cracked when she sang “I’ll Be There” at Michael Jackson’s memorial. But Nick Cannon did not think his wife had anything to apologize for, saying that her performance was “all about the emotion.” “To be able to see [the memorial for] not only someone who influenced music and the world, but someone who was a close friend, to have to sit there and perform, it’s just a little tough,” he said Wednesday. Cannon also noted that Carey was not the only performer… Read more »
Los Angeles spent $1.4 million to provide security, traffic control and other services for Michael Jackson ‘s memorial service, city officials said as they looked for ways to have others help the financially troubled city pick up the bill. The amount included $1.1 million in overtime pay for the 4,173 officers who worked to secure the Staples Center, Forest Lawn cemetery, and other areas that attracted fans and members of the media, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement. City officials said Wednesday that the remaining amount covered traffic control, cleanup and other costs related to Tuesday’s public… Read more »
There’s a certain serendipity to Paramore’s opening slot on the upcoming and much-anticipated No Doubt return tour. Fans of the latter might remember the video for “Don’t Speak,” where No Doubt’s three male members look daggers at bejeweled frontwoman Gwen Stefani as they’re cropped out of a magazine shoot. A similar thing might have happened over the last two years to Paramore. The young Tennessee pop-punk quintet vaulted into the charts on the strength of such buoyant singles as “Misery Business,” the “Twilight” soundtrack cut “Decode” and their platinum-selling 2007 sophomore album “Riot!” But Paramore’s ochre-haired spitfire singer, 20-year-old Hayley… Read more »
Katy Perry is talking about boys again. But this time around, it’s pretty clear she’s not opening up about her split from Gym Class Heroes singer Travis McCoy Perry revealed at a concert in L.A. this weekend that she first started learning about the opposite sex at a roller-skating rink. “I used to never even be able to see a boy,” the Grammy nominee said to a packed house at the Wiltern “I didn’t even know what a boy was. They were so foreign to me. I used to go roller-skating just so I could see the opposite sex.” And… Read more »
When Wal-Mart sold 784,000 copies of AC/DC’s ” Black Ice ” during the album’s first week in stores, many label executives believed that more superstars would release albums exclusively through big-box retailers. And when Best Buy experienced disappointing sales of Guns N’ Roses’ “Chinese Democracy,” some of those same executives thought, well, maybe not. “Chinese Democracy” (Interscope), the rock act’s first album of all-new material in 17 years, sold 261,000 units in its first week of availability, according to Nielsen SoundScan That included sales at Best Buy, exclusive digital retailer iTunes and other stores selling import versions of the album.… Read more »
Wolf Blitzer is a John Legend fan. After CNN aired a live performance of Legend’s new song, “If You’re Out There,” from the floor of the Democratic National Convention, Blitzer promised to continue to interrupt the network’s reporting or analysis for musical acts as good as Legend. Legend was the most visible of the entertainers who flowed into Denver for the convention, which opened Monday. A choir backed him for the song that fits neatly with Barack Obama’s campaign themes. “We’ve been looking for the world to change,” Legend sang. “If you’re out there, sing along with me. Stand up… Read more »
A Cursive Memory will be tonight’s studio guest on DJ Rossstar’s Punk Rock Show at 7 p.m. PT (10 p.m. ET). The SoCal pop-rock band has had a busy year, with both a busy touring schedule and the release of their debut full-length Changes. Tonight’s your first chance to hear what the band has planned for the rest of 2008 and if they are working on new music already. If you have questions for A Cursive Memory, you can instant message us during the radio show at DJ Rossstar 08 (AIM) or call (818) 641-1605 now to leave your questions… Read more »
My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way has spoken directly to fans about the problem of anti-emo related violence in Mexico. Tensions have escalated in the country over recent months with a series of reported attacks against people who have “an emo look”. Addressing the audience at Zero Fest in Mexico City last Saturday (April 12th), Way said the band no longer wanted to see “any fucking violence”. “I want to say something today before we continue. Recently we’ve been hearing a lot of stuff about some violence here in your country having to do with kids who want to wear… Read more »
