Boy Band Hooker Bust
BBC reports: The lead singer of 1980s pop band Brother Beyond has been arrested for kerb crawling. 

Nathan Moore, 39, was held in a police crackdown in north London's King's Cross red light district. 

The former boy band idol was questioned by officers and has now been charged with soliciting. [see full story for more] - Click Here for the Full Story 

Music Can Kill
New York Daily News reports: And you thought Simon Cowell from "American Idol" was a tough critic on budding musicians. Endelecia Maria Lovato, 18, of West Valley City was charged Wednesday with felony aggravated assault for allegedly stabbing a man with her nail file because he was singing too loudly on a city bus. [see full story link for more.. it's part of a new section of the New York Daily News called "That's Odd". - Click Here for the Full Story 

Jacko Charges Dropped
CNN reports: Police said Wednesday they found no evidence to support child abuse allegations from the 1980s against singer Michael Jackson. 

In a statement, the Los Angeles Police Department said detectives from the Juvenile Division have concluded a two-month "extensive investigation," have determined there was "no evidence that any crime occurred" and that "no charges will be sought." 

Police said the charges were debunked after hours of interviews. - Click Here for the Full Story 

But Jackson still faces 'Sha Mo' charges in Santa Barbara.

MP3 Burgers?
Japan Today reports: McDonald's Corp will offer its customers free song downloads at Sony Corp's online store in one of the biggest sales promotions of its kind for the U.S. hamburger maker starting later in June, the two companies said Thursday. 

Customers who buy a Big Mac Extra Value meal will be given an access code enabling them to download one free song at Sony's Connect store, they said. [see full story for more] - Click Here for the Full Story 

But will the songs be low carb?

Hagar Country
Blabbermouth reports: VAN HALEN frontman Sammy Hagar has been writing and recording with country superstar Toby Keith, and a duet they wrote will be featured on Keith's next album, set for release later in the year, according to ABC ePrep. The song is called "What Happens In Cabo Stays in Cabo". Keith was among the guest performers when Hagar launched his Cabo Wabo Cantina in Lake Tahoe in April. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Zep Auction
Blabbermouth reports: The upcoming "Rock Legends" auction on June 16 will feature several rare LED ZEPPELIN items, some of which will help raise funds for the ABC Trust charity (founded by Jimmy Page's wife, Jimena Gomez-Paratcha, in 1998). [see full story for more details]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: Blabbermouth also has news on UNEARTH, EYEHATEGOD, KISS, SLIPKNOT, DARK FAITH, ATOMIZER and more click here to check it out

Cannibal Corpse Will Not Rock Rio
siN's metal news reports: CANNIBAL CORPSE have had to cancel their forthcoming Rio de Janeiro performance in Brazil from their South American tour: 

"We have just been informed by our South American booking agent that the show in Rio de Janeiro will not take place. The reason given was financial problems with the local promoter. We are disappointed that we won't able to play there, especially since this would have been our first time in that city....[more]"- Click Here for the Full Story 

Slipknot Off-Fest
siN's metal news reports: SLIPKNOT have announced 2 Off-Fest headlining dates, outside their regular OZZFEST 2004 regime. 

July 11 - August, ME @ Augusta Civic Center (SLAYER, HATEBREED, GOD FORBID)
August 29 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Amph. (Support Acts TBA)- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: siN's metal news also has news on SMN Merch Center: In Full Effect, Soulfly - Another 2 US dates, Red Tape - Outline some shows, Megadeth - The System has Failed, Candiria, Damageplan - KNAC and Vinnie Paul and more click here to check it out

The Hives USA
MTV reports: The Hives compilation that launched the band in the U.K. in 2001 will finally be released in the U.S. on July 13, a week before the Swedish band's new album, Tyrannosaurus Hives, hits shelves. The compilation, Your New Favorite Band, features four tracks from both Veni Vidi Vicious and the Hives' 1997 debut, Barely Legal, along with three songs from the A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T EP. [see full story for more details]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: MTV also has news on Nelly, Sean Paul, Sum 41 Run For Their Lives During Violent Outbreak In Congo, Aaliyah, Outkast, Madonna, Phish, Twista, Jin, Hives, Foghat, Nickelback & More click here to check it out

Clear Channel Settles
AP reports: Radio and concert promotions giant Clear Channel Communications Inc. has settled an antitrust lawsuit filed by an independent Denver promoter. 

Nobody in Particular Presents Inc. filed a lawsuit in 2001 alleging that Clear Channel tried to monopolize the promotions business in Colorado by withholding airplay from musicians who booked shows through other promoters. 

"Clear Channel admitted no wrongdoing in connection with the lawsuit, but we are pleased to get the matter behind us," said Andy Levin, Clear Channel's executive vice president and chief legal officer. 

"This was a long and difficult battle, and we are very happy with this agreement," NIPP founder Doug Kauffman said. [see full story for more] - Click Here for the Full Story 

Motown Miniseries
AP reports: A 12-hour series about the famed Motown Records music empire and its founder, Berry Gordy, is being developed for NBC. 

"Berry Gordy's Motown" will dramatize Gordy's rise from Detroit's inner city to the head of an entertainment empire. The series isn't expected to air until the 2005-06 season. [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Only One Blondie Allowed
Ananova reports: A band booked to support Blondie has been told they can't go on beforehand because their lead singer is blonde. 

M.A.S.S were booked to open for Blondie at a gig in Amsterdam, but minutes before the show started they were told they couldn't perform first. 

The promoter told them they could only perform after Blondie - whose lead singer Debbie Harry is blonde. 

The Daily Mirror says there was a clause in a contract stipulating no groups with a blonde singer could go on before them. [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Warning New Kelly O CD On The Way
Ananova reports: Kelly Osbourne is out of rehab and working on her second album, her mother Sharon has said. 

Speaking in the US, Sharon said that Kelly's now concentrating on working on her new record with collaborator Linda Perry. - Click Here for the Full Story 

There is a rumored duet between Kelly and Missy Elliot that goes something like 'Blah, Blah, Blah... Yo, Yo, Yo... Uhuh, Uhuh, Uhuh' 

Source: Ananova also has news on Former All Saints star teams up with Primal Scream, Usher adds another date to UK tour, Mary J Blige to tour UK, Security causes fans to miss start of Sir Paul's gig and more click here to check it out

Bono, Chris Martin and Others Urge More Aid For Africa
AP reports: Jude Law, U2 frontman Bono and Coldplay singer Chris Martin are among a host of celebrities who have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Tony Blair requesting more aid money for the world's poorest countries. 

The letter, also signed by Helen Mirren, Colin Firth, Joseph Fiennes and Minnie Driver, is intended to reach the government as it determines British aid budgets for the next three years. [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Racism Gig Is Off
Xfm reports: Organisers cancel Anti-Fascism �Love Music Hate Racism' gig after headliners The Libertines pull out due to Pete Doherty's rehab issues. However, the band promise, "more gigs in the near future." 

LMHR organisers releases a statement after The Libertines cancellation saying, "We sincerely apologise for any arrangements anyone has already made in respect of Sunday 6 June and any inconvenience this reluctant cancellation may cause." - Click Here for the Full Story 

Oasis To Release Anniversary DVD
Xfm reports: Oasis have announced the release of a ten-year retrospective disc to mark the anniversary of the release of their debut album 'Definitely Maybe'. 

'Definitely Maybe - The DVD' will be released to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of the band's landmark album. [see full story for more] - Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: Xfm also has news on M.A.S.S. Too Blonde For Blondie?, The Vines Demand Sheep Impersonations, Pixies Make Triumphant Return To London, Bill Ward Joins Sabbath Reunion and more click here to check it out

Megadeth Failed New CD
Metal Rules reports: MEGADETH have set "The System Has Failed" as the title of their new album, tentatively due on September 14 through Sanctuary Records. 

"The System Has Failed" track listing: 01. Blackmail The Universe - 02. Shadow Of Death - 03. My Kingdom - 04. Of Mice And Men - 05. Truth Be Told - 06. The Scorpion - 07. Kick The Chair - 08. Something That I'm Not - 09. Tears In A Vial - 10. Die Dead Enough - 11. Back In The Day [see full story for more info, plus reissue tidbits- Click Here for the Full Story 

2cents: I'm Going To Rio!
[It's Friday, time for Chuck DiMaria to give us his 2 cents. This week Chuck gives us his 2 cents on Peter Allen.]

 I had no idea Peter Allen was gay. I am not kidding, I swear to God I didn't know the guy was gay. 

Now, I know what you're thinking - What the hell does some dead, Hawaiian shirt wearing, lounge act singer staple and gay Broadway star have to do with this site? 

Trust me when I tell you a lot. 

Follow me, kids, cause I'm going someplace� 

This site is about music and the people who play it, live it and love it. Peter Allen, bless his gay little heart, falls directly into that category. 

On June 6th, the nation will tune into the Tony Awards, the big night out for Broadway. Up for a few awards is a show called The Boy From Oz starring Hugh Jackman. And it's about (you guessed it) Peter Allen. 

(It cracks me up that the guy who played both Wolverine and Van Helsing is playing Peter Allen, but I digress�) 

A little background: Peter Allen was a singer/songwriter who either wrote or co-wrote (among others) I Honestly Love You, Don't Cry Out Loud and the theme from the movie Arthur. He got an Academy Award for that last one. 

Again, you gotta be asking, So freakin' what? 

Here's what - Believe it or not, the guy was a rock star. 

Allow me to prove my case: 

You want to know why I like to make fun of people like Fred Durst or Kid Rock? (I mean, aside from the fact that it's fun.) Because it's easy. They're poseurs, kids, plan and simple. All they're trying to do up on stage is nothing more than a feeble attempt at a fashion statement. 

Newsflash, kids: Rock 'n Roll (and you can call it whatever the hell you want, it's all still Rock 'n Roll to me) is not a fashion statement, it's a passion statement. It's about your passion; all your love, all your hate and everything in between. 

What it is not about is pseudo tough guy, baseball cap on backwards, I grew up a rich suburban white kid and now I'm a poor urban black kid, maybe if I get one more tattoo Britney will finally notice me BS posturing. 

No passion, kids. A lot of fashion, but no freakin' passion. 

I remember seeing Peter Allen on television years ago. If memory serves, it was Radio City Music Hall, The Rockettes and Peter Allen. And that guy tore that audience apart. I'm telling you, more power, more passion and more charisma on stage than Bono, Michael Hutchence (rest in peace) and Freddie Mercury (double rest in peace) combined. I'm watching this guy - he's wearing a Hawaiian shirt and singing "I Go To Rio" while dancing on top of his piano as the Rockettes are high-stepping all around him and all I could think was, Damn, this guy can sell a song. 

That and, Damn, I love the Rockettes! (Once again, I digress�) 

It was a stellar performance. And do you know why? Because you believed every word he sang and every move he made. 

And that is what made the guy a rock star. People laugh when I tell them I never knew Peter Allen was gay. They say, how could you not know? Just look at him! I tell them, Hey, the dude could sell a song on stage. That's all I was looking at and all I cared about. 

Now, you're probably thinking that there's a lot of artists with passion in the music world today. Damn right there is. (And thank the Good Lord for it.) There isn't enough bandwidth on this site to list them all. I didn't say it all sucked; I'm just pointing out why some of it does. (I do satirical commentary, remember?) 

I never thought I'd learn anything from watching a Peter Allen performance. But with all the current crop of stars claiming to be "keepin' it real", it seems to me that no one's doing that at all. 

Bottom line is that I'd rather watch the gay Broadway Hawaiian shirt guy go up on stage and be real than watch the wannabe poseur is my crooked baseball cap on straight no talent hack go onstage and be fake. 

That's my two cents, now gimme my change. 

[Want more 2 Cents? Or want to give Chuck your two cents? Click the full story link!] - Click Here for the Full Story