Search Results for: the early november

The state’s highest court decided it will consider the case of record producer Phil Spector and ’60s rock group the Ronettes over millions of dollars in movie soundtrack royalties. The state Court of Appeals is expected to hear the case late this year. Last November, the state Supreme Court’s Appellate Division upheld a lower court finding that Spector had violated his 1963 contract with the three women – one of whom was his wife – and ordered him to pay $2.97 million plus interest. The contract dealt only with royalties on sales of records, but Spector was accused of illegally… Read more »

Satellite radio broadcaster XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. said Monday it hit the high end of the subscriber benchmark set by Wall Street, suggesting the new service has sparked consumer interest. XM Chief Executive Hugh Panero told the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas the company had 28,000 subscribers at Dec. 31, and had increased to 30,000 since then. Wall Street analysts estimated it would sign between 20,000 and 30,000 subscribers for the period ended Dec. 31. The company has already shipped 100,000 radios, Panero said, adding that its manufacturing partners would produce 50,000 radios a month by March. The… Read more »

Rappers OutKast and Ludacris turned out to congratulate the city’s first female mayor-elect, Shirley Franklin. The rappers performed for a crowd of nearly 8,000 people Saturday night, along with violinist Ken Ford and 3rd Faze, a pop trio that was introduced by actor Chris Tucker, who lives in Atlanta. “Y’all better shut up or I’m going to get the big head,” Tucker said as the audience roared and cheered. But the screams continued. “OK, tell me how fine I am then!” Not everyone came for the politics – or even knew who had won the November election. “I’m here for… Read more »

Though Michael Jackson won’t perform at the American Music Awards in early January after all, he’ll still be performing on television that same night – on another network. CBS plans to re-broadcast the singer’s concert special, “Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration,” with previously unseen footage of Britney Spears and Lil’ Romeo, to air against the AMAs on ABC January 9th. Jackson’s two-hour concert special, which originally aired November 13th, gave CBS some of its highest ratings this year – it was the network’s biggest Tuesday night, excluding sports programming, since 1994. According to Nielsen Media Research estimates, an estimated 45… Read more »

Scott Weiland pleaded guilty to domestic battery in Las Vegas Justice Court Wednesday and was ordered to attend 26 counseling sessions. Judge Douglas Smith approved a plea bargain that will dismiss the case against the Stone Temple Pilots singer in six months if the counseling sessions are completed and there are no further incidents. Weiland was arrested in November at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas for allegedly grabbing his wife’s arms and pushing her against the wall several times. Mary Weiland told police the incident began when the couple got into a verbal argument after she… Read more »

Sam Goody announced today that Philadelphia’s Y100 “Sonic Sessions” album has outsold national bestsellers including Britney Spears, NOW Vol. 8 and Kid Rock in the Philadelphia-area Sam Goody stores. Since the album’s debut four weeks ago, the album is nearly sold out. When “Sonic Sessions” debuted, it sold more units than any other title in the Philadelphia area with the exception of Creed’s new album, “Weathered.” During the second week of sales, the album landed at fourth place in Philadelphia-area Sam Goody stores. “Y100’s Sonic Sessions series is truly a phenomenon and always is greeted with extraordinary enthusiasm by the… Read more »

Rob Zombie fans are about to experience what he was doing with his three weeks off the Merry Mayhem Tour, which launched on Halloween, while co-headliner Ozzy Osbourne recovered from a broken leg. During the down time, Zombie returned to Los Angeles and directed not one but two videos, his own “Never Gonna Stop (The Red, Red Kroovy)” and Ozzy’s “Dreamer,” each of which will be seen early in the new year. In fact, he finished shooting both within one very busy mid-November week. “Never Gonna Stop (the red, red kroovy)” will be the second track and video spun off… Read more »

Stuart Adamson, lead singer and guitarist of ’80s pop band Big Country, was found dead in a Hawaii hotel room Sunday, according to the band’s manager, Ian Grant. A Honolulu hotel employee discovered Adamson’s body at approximately 1:15 p.m. local time, according to the police report. On Monday (December 17), the medical examiner determined the cause of death to be asphyxiation due to hanging. Adamson, 43, inexplicably left his Nashville home November 7, and missing persons reports were filed there and in Atlanta, where he watched a soccer match on November 15, according to reports posted on the Web site… Read more »

Dream Street is gearing up to hit the road early next year with Aaron Carter. The Aaron Carter/Dream Street Tour kicks off on January 25th, 2002 in Jacksonville, FL. In addition, Dream Street will warm up to Florida as the opening act for Britney Spears in Tampa, Florida on December 18th, 2001 at the Ice Palace Arena. Dream Street’s self-titled debut (UEG Records / edel Entertainment July 10th) has sold over 500,000 units and certified gold in just under six months of release. The album debuted at #37 on Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart and at #1 on Billboard’s Independent… Read more »

Versatile soul icon Rufus Thomas, a pioneering radio DJ and a singer/songwriter famed for the R&B standard “Walking The Dog,” has died in Memphis at age 84, his family said Sunday. Over a 70-year career, which took off in a segregated minstrel show, Thomas was a key player in the rise of rock ‘n’ roll and soul. He recorded for the two greatest record labels to come out of Memphis, Sun and Stax, and performed into his 80s. Thomas died Saturday at St. Francis Hospital of apparent heart failure, his family said. He had been receiving treatment at the hospital… Read more »