Search Results for: 2003

The band whose pyrotechnics sparked a nightclub fire that killed 100 people distanced itself from the re-release of an album and its title – “Burning House of Love.” A manager and a lawyer for the 1980s rock band Great White said the CD is an unauthorized release and the title is in bad taste. The fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick began Feb. 20, 2003, when the band’s pyrotechnics ignited flammable foam placed near the stage as soundproofing. Great White guitarist Ty Longley was among the dead, and more than 200 concertgoers were injured. The club’s two owners… Read more »

Well, last year we bid a sad and final farewell to Molson Park in Barrie, a favourite summer concert/festival venue in Ontario for the past 20 years and the host of many past Edgefests. The 2003 Edgefest made history by being the last event to ever be held at the Park. But with Molson Park sadly out of the picture, the state of Edgefest’ s existence was left up in the air. We weren’t sure if there was even going to be another Edgefest, let alone where the next one would be held. But Edgefest 2004 is a go and… Read more »

Federal regulators opened a new front in their crackdown on offensive broadcasts Thursday, saying that almost any use of the F-word on over-the-air radio and television would be considered indecent. The Federal Communications Commission overruled its staff and said an expletive uttered by rock singer Bono on NBC was both indecent and profane. It marked the first time that the FCC cited a four-letter word as profane; the commission previously equated profanity with language challenging God’s divinity. The FCC on Thursday also proposed maximum fines for the broadcast of the Howard Stern radio show and for a program on two… Read more »

Federal regulators settled a case Thursday with companies that took advantage of thousands of “American Idol” fans trying to vote for their favorite contestants on the TV show. According to the Federal Trade Commission, three Utah-based companies bought dozens of phone numbers very similar to the toll-free numbers that “Idol” fans call to place their votes. Viewers who misdialed and got one of the numbers were directed to dial a 900-number to place their vote. A message on the 900-number then gave the correct toll-free number to call. The FTC said about 25,000 consumers were charged up to $3 per… Read more »

Figures. Guns N’ Roses reunites and then things go kabooey. Axl Rose reteamed with original Gun mates Slash and Duff McKagan for the purpose of a lawsuit against Geffen Records. The trio was trying to halt the label from releasing a greatest hits collection. In their lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, the Gunners sought a preliminary injunction against Geffen, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, accusing the company of failing to consult with the band on the tunes, artwork and remixing of Greatest Hits. But a federal judge on Monday deep-sixed Axl & Co.’s call for… Read more »

The Federal Communications Commission said on Friday that Clear Channel Communications Inc. should pay the maximum penalty of nearly $250,000 for airing a sexually explicit radio broadcast. Clear Channel, the nation’s largest radio-station owner, should pay $247,500 – the maximum indecency fine allowable by law – for an episode of “Elliot in the Morning” that aired on stations in Washington, D.C., Virginia and Delaware, the FCC said. A Clear Channel official said the company would investigate the situation. “If we made a mistake, we’ll certainly live with the consequences,” said Andrew Levin, Clear Channel executive vice president for law and… Read more »

A.F.I. has canceled the remaining dates of their North American tour after singer Davey Havok was diagnosed with nodes on his vocal chords. A representative for the band’s record label revealed that doctors advised Havok to go home and rest his voice or else risk serious damage. The representative said that he is expected to make a full recovery, although it will take at least a couple of months. A.F.I. released the following statement: “We have never cancelled any shows and are deeply disappointed to have to cancel these shows. Unfortunately our only course of action is clear. We truly… Read more »

Anyone remember the ‘80s metal band Queensryche? They were a pretty popular band at the time, but tell that to the angry fans who basically shot down and pissed on the band night after night when they opened for Metallica. Playing with a variety of big name bands can help a smaller band raise their profile. But if they can’t deliver to the fans’ interest, then it’s like sending the proverbial lamb to the slaughter. Default have had the unenviable task of catering to different types of audiences ever since they broke on to the scene, but bass player Dave… Read more »

Eminem’s music publisher is suing Apple Computer Inc., claiming the computer giant wrongfully used one of the hip-hop superstar’s songs in a television advertisement. Eight Mile Style filed the copyright infringement suit in U.S. District Court in Detroit against Apple, Viacom Inc., its MTV subsidiary and the TBWA/Chiat/Day advertising agency. At issue is an ad for Apple’s iTunes pay-per-download music software, in which a 10-year-old sings Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” The suit claims the commercial aired on MTV beginning in July 2003 and ran numerous times for at least three months. It also appeared on Apple’s Web site. “Eminem has never… Read more »

Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl flash lasted less than three seconds, but the impact continues to ripple through Viacom, the media giant that broadcast the game. Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, right-wing radio commentators and outraged citizens are calling for stricter decency standards – and the artists and executives who make a living from edgy music, performances and videos are in retreat. MTV in particular, which produced the Super Bowl halftime show, is in the midst of a wide-scale re-evaluation of its musical, news and dramatic content. Within a week of the game, MTV – no stranger to criticism, most recently… Read more »