Search Results for: prince

To hear No Doubt frontwoman Gwen Stefani tell it, she’s just a girl from Orange County following a dream. “I’m just like you, except I write songs,” Stefani says. “I feel like I’m doing something right. And right now, I feel like I’m in a good place in my life.” Indeed. Stefani – rock star, pop culture icon, fashion entrepreneur (clothing line L.A.M.B.), actress (Martin Scorsese’s “The Aviator,” due in December), wife of Bush vocalist/guitarist Gavin Rossdale – is gearing up for the next chapter in a prolific career. Her solo debut album – or as she prefers to call… Read more »

Renee Gilinger was on Philadelphia’s South Street recently asking the youthful, jeans-and-T-shirt crowd waiting in line for a heavy-metal concert, “Are you planning to vote?” Gilinger’s outreach is part of what is shaping up to be the nation’s biggest and most expensive effort ever to get out the youth vote. “It’s crazy to ignore this constituency,” said Gilinger, Pennsylvania director for the Young Voter Alliance, a coalition of Democratic and Independent groups working to register young people in five swing-vote states, including Pennsylvania. “I got names and contact information for 40 to 50 people,” she said. “That’s 40 to 50… Read more »

Sum 41 have named their third album Chuck as a tribute to United Nations representative Chuck Pelletier, who the band members credit with saving their lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo back in May. The Canadian rockers were shooting a documentary in the war-torn African nation when fighting between a militia and the newly formed national army erupted on May 26th. The band hid in a hotel bathroom to avoid the gunfire. “Chuck Pelletier made an evacuation plan, putting us all in groups to get us into armored tanks,” Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley told Rolling Stone. “He was… Read more »

A month after promoters declared the concert industry healthier than ever, big summer tours such as Ozzfest, Fleetwood Mac, the Dead and Lollapalooza have run into a concrete wall of slow sales. “Ticket sales are mixed, and in some cases they appear to be substantially off from the past,” says Alex Hodges, executive vice president of House of Blues Concerts, one of the three major U.S. promotion companies. The summer’s success stories so far are big-buzz superstar events such as Prince and Madonna, plus low-cost packages including the long-running Warped Tour, Alanis Morissette/Barenaked Ladies and No Doubt/Blink-182. Also, the three-day… Read more »

Pop princess Britney Spears injured her knee during a video shoot and was hospitalized for arthroscopic surgery, her record label said Wednesday. Spears, 22, was taken to a hospital after hurting herself late Tuesday, Jive Records said in a statement. An MRI showed floating cartilage in her knee. The injury occurred after Spears completed outdoor scenes for the video of her new single, “Outrageous,” with rapper Snoop Dogg in the New York City borough of Queens. Spears was doing choreography when her knee gave out, Jive said. “Outrageous” will be featured in the movie “Catwoman,” due out next month. Spears… Read more »

Tuesday (May 25) is a big day for Avril Lavigne. Not only does the date mark the release of the pop star’s second album, Under My Skin, but it’s also the day that Avril makes her debut as a full-grown woman. When Lavigne’s debut, Let Go, came out two years ago, she was 17 – and as most critics who interviewed her at the time will tell you, not a particularly mature 17 at that. Now she’s a hearty 19, has traveled the world, dated a few boys, hung out with rock stars and lives in her own place in… Read more »

Hanson’s third studio album, Underneathdebuted at #1 on Billboard’s independent sales chart today. Released on their own, self-funded 3CG Records last Tuesday, the album debuted at #25 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart today, making it one of the most successful self-released albums of all time. The success of Underneath puts Hanson inrare company with the very few other artists such as Prince and Ani DiFranco who have scored Top 25 chart positions on previous self-released titles. In an effort to gain more creative control of their music and a more direct relationship with their fans, Hanson formed 3CG Records last… Read more »

Worried you won’t be able to land a ticket to your favorite concert this summer? Not to fear, the music industry has a club you can join. For a small fee. In a trend that started with the Grateful Dead and has taken off in recent years, artists are offering tickets to members of their fan clubs before sales open to the general public. Even some venues have exclusive – and pricey – clubs fans can join with the promise of premier seating. The artist fan clubs offer an increased chance – but no guarantee – of getting a concert… Read more »

Police have arrested a man in Seattle for allegedly stalking Avril Lavigne. According to the Associated Press, 30-year-old James Speedy was taken into custody in the Seattle suburb of Lynnwood and was taken to Lynnwood County jail after police searched his home last Wednesday (April 7). Police in Lynnwood have been investigating the case since Canadian police informed them that harassing letters and emails were being sent to Lavigne last year. The exact content of those letters and emails hasn’t been revealed, but police have told the press that they were creepy enough to freak Lavigne out. Coincidentally, the same… Read more »

Oops. A bus driver who’s part of Britney Spears’ Onyx Hotel Tour brigade failed to stay within the safety zone and is now facing charges of speeding and disobeying police. The Tennessee trucker, who was transporting crew and equipment, led cops on a high-speed chase through New Hampshire Monday and later failed to show for his arraignment. A trooper tagged David Raines going 78 mph in a 65 mph zone Monday morning around 7 a.m. traveling south on Interstate 93 near Northfield, according to state police. Raines gave every indication of pulling over but then kept driving for approximately 10… Read more »