Search Results for: against the current

The story of Napster, the failed online song-swapping service, always promised the kind of larger-than-life elements Hollywood thrives on – corporate intrigue, a nail-biting court battle and a young hero. Now comes Napster, the movie. Cable network MTV on Wednesday said it has reached a deal for the exclusive rights to the life story of Shawn Fanning, who created the controversial and wildly popular file-sharing program in 1999 while he was a 19-year-old student at Northeastern University in Boston. The movie, tentatively scheduled to air in 2003-2004, may even star Fanning, now 21, as himself. “Anything is possible and the… Read more »

Grunge singer-turned-actress Courtney Love and Vivendi Universal Music Group, the world’s largest record conglomerate, announced settlement Monday of their lawsuits against each other with a deal that allows the music firm to release songs by her late husband’s band Nirvana. Universal sued Love in 2000 over five allegedly undelivered albums. She filed a countersuit last year in Los Angeles County Superior Court that sought to break her contract with Vivendi Universal and expose what she called unfair treatment of artists. Love – the widow of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, who committed suicide in 1994 – claimed Universal made about $40… Read more »

Horror movie fans have always figured Freddy and Jason were destined to meet. But could they have guessed that Destiny’s Child would be part of the picture? Kelly Rowland said she starts shooting scenes for “Freddy vs. Jason” this fall, as one of the female leads. “I remember being on the set with Beyoncé on ‘Austin Powers’ and when she did ‘Carmen,’ ” Rowland said Tuesday on another set – that of Nelly’s video for “Dilemma.” “She was like, ‘You go act. I know you can do it.’ She always thought I had personality. I did a couple of TV… Read more »

A trial date of Feb. 18 has been set for the lawsuit brought by Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake against Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne over the deletion of their contributions to the albums “Blizzard of Ozz” and “Diary of a Madman.” Epic Records reissued last month altered versions of the two Osbourne albums with the bassist and drummer’s parts replaced by new recordings, thereby eliminating claims Daisley and Kerslake would have on mechanical royalties. Daisley wrote all the lyrics and co-wrote the music for “Blizzard of Ozz” and “Diary of a Madman.” The current suit was filed in August 1998… Read more »

The world’s biggest music labels on Wednesday said they have offered major concessions to a group of angry pop stars to try to settle a high-profile dispute regarding recording industry contracts. But a representatives for the artists, who have been lobbying for a change to California labor law, said that a settlement was still not in sight. “I want the artist community to know that the record companies came to the table with substantial compromises and it’s now in the artists’ hands,” said Hilary Rosen, president and chief executive officer of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Rosen said… Read more »

Just because New Found Glory are getting love from the “TRL” crowd doesn’t mean they’re changing their ways or cleaning up their act. Sure, the band’s next video is for the song “Head on Collision,” one of the slower, more melodic tracks from their latest album, Sticks & Stones. But the clip, directed by the Malloys, will reveal a previously unseen twisted side of the group thanks to the help of schlock horror production company Troma Films, which provided the makeup and special effects for the video. “Me and our singer Jordan are really big fans of ‘The Toxic Avenger’… Read more »

Mariah Carey is defending ex-husband Tommy Mottola against accusations hurled by Michael Jackson, according to MSNBC. Mottola’s current wife, Thalia Motolla, claims that Carey called the Sony music chief and told him that she’s on his side, not on Jackson’s, and also said that Motolla’s “anything but a racist,” the network reported. Jackson has called Mottola a racist and “a devil” for allegedly under-promoting his current album Invincible. He also said Carey cried in his arms over Mottola’s treatment of her. Carey’s spokeswoman, Cindi Berger, refutes the claim. “To the best of my knowledge, Mariah has not spoken to Mr.… Read more »

As Mystikal’s lawyers declared his innocence on charges of rape and extortion on Friday (July 19), authorities revealed they confiscated a video of the alleged sexual assaults from the rapper’s Baton Rouge home. The tape, which has been placed into evidence, allegedly shows Mystikal and two other men, Leland Ellis and Vercy Carter, threatening the rapper’s 40-year-old hair stylist and forcing her to have sex with them, according to Cpl. Mary Ann Godawa, a spokesperson for the Baton Rouge Police Department. The men allegedly told the woman they would turn her in to authorities for cashing unauthorized checks from the… Read more »

Online music company Liquid Audio Inc. on Monday rejected a buyout offer from one of its investors, choosing instead to amend a current takeover agreement that has been criticized by some major shareholders. Liquid Audio, based in Redwood, California, said the offer by Steel Partners II L.P. to buy it for $2.75 per share was inadequate. Steel Partners owns 9.1 percent of the company and has opposed Liquid Audio’s reverse-merger deal with Alliance Entertainment Corp. Under the amended terms of its deal with privately held Alliance, Liquid Audio now will first buy 10 million of its shares – about 44… Read more »

In order to go into space, Lance Bass first has to go to sea. As part of his rigorous cosmonaut training, which the pop star finally started last week in Star City near Moscow, Bass will be dropped into the Black Sea in an emergency-splashdown test and left to fend for himself in a Russian forest without food or supplies. Though the Russian Space Agency has yet to confirm that Bass will be their candidate for a third seat open in a fall rocket mission, which is set to launch October 22, Bass started his preliminary training on July 4,… Read more »