Search Results for: Thursday

Apple has a smash hit on its hands with the new iPod mini digital music player. The little cousin of the full-size iPod is virtually sold out after less than two weeks in stores, with nearly 100,000 snapped up. The Apple iPod mini in various colors. “I’ve never seen a product line sell like this,” says Jack Wahrman, senior merchandising manager at New York’s J&R Music World. “The iPod is a phenomenon.” The $249 mini is the business-card-sized market extension of the regular iPod, which, while larger, also easily fits into a pocket. The bigger iPod starts at $299 with… Read more »

If the 6 million fans who made Avril Lavigne’s first album, Let Go, among the best-selling records of 2002 think they know what makes the 19-year-old rocker tick, they’re just scratching the surface. As her second album’s title, Under My Skin, suggests, Lavigne’s about to show them what lies beneath. “There are some songs that are really deep,” she said. “I have this song called ‘How Does It Feel.’ It’s just a very mature song. Just me stepping back and looking at my life, talking about how I am small and the world is big. I’m a deep person and… Read more »

When Prince, ZZ Top and Jackson Browne are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year, they won’t have to look far to see contemporary stars their music influenced. Outkast, Kid Rock, Alicia Keys and Dave Matthews are among those who’ll pay tribute to their musical mentors by inducting this year’s class, organizers announced Thursday (February 19). The 2004 inductees also include the late Beatles guitarist George Harrison, the Dells, Bob Seger and Traffic. Other presenters include Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Bruce Springsteen and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony… Read more »

A Missouri casino faces a possible $50,000 fine for allegedly giving the rapper Nelly special treatment. State regulators claim the President Casino on the Admiral let Nelly skirt rules intended to limit the amount of money patrons can bet. The Missouri Gaming Commission proposed the fine Thursday. The commission alleges the casino violated some 10 state laws and rules while accommodating Nelly, who in the documents is referred to only as the “Patron.” The casino hosted a late-night birthday party last November for Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Haynes Jr. Regulators allege he and his eight-person entourage entered the… Read more »

Michael Jackson’s music manager denied a report Thursday that Jackson is in financial trouble and must make a $70 million payment to a lender by Tuesday. Charles Koppelman said no payment was due in that amount to Bank of America or anyone else. The New York Times reported Thursday that Jackson, who is facing child-molestation charges in Santa Barbara County, owed $70 million to the bank under a loan agreement. Koppelman said in a phone interview that Jackson’s assets far exceed his debts but he declined to go into detail about the singer’s money. He said Jackson, like most people… Read more »

Apple, the US computer company behind the iTunes music service, has become the latest group to oppose the proposed deal between Sony Music and BMG, the recorded music arm of Germany’s Bertelsmann media group. The development comes as the European Commission begins an intensive second-stage investigation of the merger, a probe it is due to close by June 22. In an announcement on Thursday, the Commission said it had “decided to investigate whether the deal might create or strengthen a collective dominant position between the remaining four major record companies”. It said it would examine “the extent to which the… Read more »

Bad Religion, the Vandals, Good Charlotte, Lars Frederiksen & the Bastards, and NOFX are among the more than 50 acts set for the 10th anniversary edition of the Vans Warped Tour. The trek, which will begin June 25 in Houston, will also feature New Found Glory, Thursday, Taking Back Sunday, Yellowcard, the (International) Noise Conspiracy, Simple Plan, Bouncing Souls, and Coheed & Cambria. Other acts set to appear for at least a portion of the tour include the Alkaline Trio, Anti-Flag, Atmosphere, Avenged Sevenfold, Billy Talent, IMA Robot, Jackson, Lillix and the Sounds. Beginning Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. ET,… Read more »

The city’s West Side has a new retail, residential and commercial anchor, bringing high-end shopping, luxury living and the new headquarters of Time Warner Corp. to a corner overlooking Central Park. The $1.7 billion Time Warner Center, a 2.8 million-square-foot complex at Columbus Circle, was to open to the public on Thursday after a black-tie gala Wednesday night. The two-tower center, which sits at the southwest corner of the park, includes a 40-store retail facility, five world-class restaurants, a new facility for Jazz at Lincoln Center and a 59,000-square-foot Whole Foods supermarket. There also is the opulent Mandarin Oriental hotel… Read more »

Jimmy Iovine, head of the West Coast operations of Universal Music Group, has signed on for another six years, sources confirmed Thursday. Iovine, the chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, has been in contract negotiations since last year. The multimillion-dollar deal was finally signed late Wednesday night. A label spokeswoman declined comment. As part of the deal, Iovine has the option to partner with Universal for music-driven film projects revolving around his artists. That part of the deal is based on Iovine’s success as the producer of Interscope rap star Eminem’s Oscar-winning film “8 Mile.” Last year was a busy… Read more »

Eminem’s mother Debbie Nelson was carjacked on the street made infamous by the rapper’s movie 8 Mile on Thursday (January 22), according to police. Oak Park Police Lt. John McNeilance revealed that 49-year-old Nelson got carjacked as she was sitting in her late model Honda Accord while pumping gas at a BP gas station located at Eight Mile and Coolidge roads at around 11:30 p.m. “She relayed to us that she had stopped at the gas station to get gasoline in her car and was in the process of dispensing the gasoline when she sat down in her car because… Read more »