In Stores
RIFTrock reports: The following new releases will be hitting stores on Tuesday, May 25th: 

Slipknot - Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)
Scatter The Ashes - Devout/The Modern Hymn 
Pedro the Lion - Achilles' Heel 
Amber Pacific - Fading Days EP 
Alabama Thunderpussy - Fulton Hill 
Refused - The E.P. Compilation 
Refused - Songs To Fan The Flames Of Discontent (re-release) 
Refused - The Shape Of Punk To Come The Casket Lottery - The Smoke and Mirrors 
Rhythm of Black Lines Human Hand - Animal Band 
Skinny Puppy - The Greater Wrong Of The Right 
Initial Records' Worst Label Ever Sampler 
Peccatum - Lost In Reverie 
Crisis - Like Sheep Led To Slaughter 
- Click Here for the Full Story 

Linkin Park Punk'd
RIFTrock reports: Linkin Park's MC, Mike Shinoda, was punked by Ashton Kutcher for his celebrity-pranking show PUNK'D on MTV. At this point, it is not known in which future episode the segment will air.- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: RIFTrock also has news on The Hives opening acts announced, Himsa plan new video, Burning Brides album news Limp Bizkit plan summer tour, The Beastie Boys U.S. Summer Dates, Lynyrd Skynyrd Lyve + Tour, KMFDM plan DVD release, Alexisonfire, The Format, P.O.D. and Blindside on IMX, Spider-Man 2 Soundtrack track listing and more click here to check it out

Blink-182 Gangbangin'?
Launch reports: Blink 182's next video, for their new single "Down," features about 100 ex-gang members in the cast, according to MTV.com. They are part of Suspect Entertainment, an organization that casts former gangbangers in movies and TV shows in order to keep them out of trouble and away from their previous lives. The clip follows the adventures of a fellow named Trouble as he's pursued from a house party through the streets of Los Angeles by cops. Performance footage of Blink is interspersed throughout the main action. [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Silly News: Jessica Simpson As Daisy Duke
Herald Sun reports: POP star and aspiring actor Jessica Simpson has clinched the role of Daisy Duke in the upcoming film The Dukes of Hazzard. 

"She is really excited," said Simpson's father and manager, Joe. "Daisy Duke is right down her alley." The remake of the late-1970s-early 1980s cult TV show about the Duke cousins and their hotted-up Dodge Charger, called The General Lee, is set to begin production soon. [more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

What's sillier? The remaking of 'The Dukes of Hazard' or having Jessica play Daisy? Hollywood is running out of bad 70s shows to create bad remakes of, stay tuned for the 80s onslaught with J.Lo and Britney Spears in Cagney & Lacey, 50 cent, Eminem and Vanilla Ice in The A-Team and Ricky Martin paired with Justine Timberlake in Miami Vice. Don't laugh, it can easily happen.

Bloodsimple Sign Up Gggarth
The PRP reports: Bloodsimple (Ex-Vision Of Disorder, Downset.) have enlisted producer Gggarth Richardson (Rage Against The Machine, Mudvayne) to helm their upcoming debut album. The group will be entering the studio to begin recording it in mid-June. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Chimaira DVD
The PRP reports: Chimaira will be releasing a new CD/DVD package entitled "Dehumanizing Process" through Roadrunner/Island/Def Jam on August 17th. The outing will feature the bands previously out of print EP, "This Present Darkness", as the CD portion, while the DVD will include a wealth of footage the band have collected whilst recording and touring throughout the past few years. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: The PRP also has news on Walter Returns, Soulfly's Crisis, End All Downstairs, Houses Of The Cocks, Working Class DVD, A New Age, Dehumanizing Package, More Dates By The Sun, Still Pulsing, RE:SNAKE and more click here to check it out

Destruction Arrest
BW&BK reports: DESTRUCTION drummer Marc Reign was arrested in Milano, Italy this weekend after the band's show in Brescia. Here's the report according to the band's website: 

"After the fantastic gig in Brescia, Italy (May 22nd) the band had massive problems to leave the country by plane from the Milano airport! What happend was that the Italian customs arrested drummer Marc Reign because of the bands stage accessoires! Apparently it was the chrome bulletbelts, one of the Destruction trade marks, that obviously set the officials in a state of bomb panic! All the arguments that the stage outfit of the band isn´t live or armed didn't have an effect on the over-motivated civil servants! After endless discussions, they did finally confiscate the stage belts and also Marc's deprivation of liberty did come to an happy end! This was just the second time in twenty years (after Peru) that the band had problems at airport customs with their stage outfits! The pesky thing was not just the arrest - imagine the airplane on hold because of that...Spinal Tap."- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: BW&BK also has news on GRIFFIN, SKYCLAD, IRON MAIDEN, SYMPHONY X, CRYPTOPSY, DREAM THEATER, HIMSA, BW&BK 6-Pack Weekend II, ANTHRAX and more click here to check it out

Disturbed Damageplan Dates
siN's metal news reports: As revealed 2 weeks ago here, DISTURBED and DAMAGEPLAN will be co-headliners for this summer US tour. Three dates have been revealed so far: 

July 27 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogarts
July 30 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom
July 31 - Latrobe, PA @ Rolling Rock Town Fair Five

Full lineup and opening bands TBA.- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: siN's metal news also has news on Soulfly/Ill Nino Initial Dates Announced, Crisis tapped as support Metal Injection, Rob Zombie, Kittie preview, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Metalheads laugh too, Cryptopsy, Zakk Wylde and more click here to check it out

Corgan Turns Sports Announcer
MTV reports: Billy Corgan has a new career: sports analyst. On Friday, the former Smashing Pumpkins/ Zwan frontman filed the first installment of "The Wrigleyville Report," a weekly morning show feature covering the Chicago Cubs for WXRT radio. Corgan will provide analysis of Cubs games from the previous week and look ahead to the upcoming schedule.- Click Here for the Full Story 

Courtney Love Road Rampage
MTV reports: Though she's facing court-ordered rehab or jail time on drug charges, Courtney Love is gambling that she'll be able to resolve her various legal troubles in time to hit the road for a summer tour. The singer announced a handful of tour dates with her new band, the Chelsea.. [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: MTV also has news on 'American Idol,' Eminem, Dick Clark, Foxy Brown, Slipknot, Soul Asylum, N.E.R.D., Patti Smith, Slayer, Nikki Sixx and more click here to check it out

RIAA Sues 493 More
Reuters reports: A U.S. music industry group said Monday it had sued 493 more people for copyright infringement as part of its campaign to stop consumers from copying music over the Internet.- Click Here for the Full Story 

EMI $127.4 M Loss
AP reports: Music company EMI Group PLC said Monday it lost about $127.4 million in its latest fiscal year as sales continued to fall, but added that the music market showed signs of improving. 

EMI, whose artists include Norah Jones, Coldplay and Robbie Williams, posted a loss after tax and minority interests of 71.6 million pounds in the year to March 31, 2004 in contrast to a profit of 234.2 million pounds in the previous 12 months. 

Group sales for the year was 2.12 billion pounds ($3.77 billion), down 2.5 percent from 2.17 billion pounds in the year to March 31, 2003. But EMI said it outperformed the global music market, which declined by 5.6 percent, and chairman Eric Nicoli expressed optimism for the year ahead. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Santana Honored
Reuters reports: Rock guitarist Carlos Santana has been named the 2004 Latin Recording Academy person of the year for his professional, cultural and social accomplishments. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Alice Cooper 'Eyes' Tour
Electric Basement reports: ALICE COOPER's The Eyes Of Alice Cooper Tour kicks off in Europe in June before making its way to The States in July. Plans for Alice's annual Halloween Season Fall Tour are underway for Sept 24 through Oct 31 and those dates will be announced shortly. Alice hopes by then to reacquire his infamous stage Electric Chair, "currently on loan to Madonna." [see full story for North Am dates]- Click Here for the Full Story 

AC/DC Flick The Movie Switch
Electric Basement reports: The Australian produced feature film THUNDERSTRUCK, which revolves around a group of AC/DC fans, looks to break out beyond its native release area and the Cannes Film Festival... Territories in negotiation include Germany, Japan, Scandanavia, Portugal, Korea, Spain and the U.S. and U.K. markets not far behind. The movie's main characters promise each other that the first one to die will be buried next to late AC/DC singer BON SCOTT's grave. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: Electric Basement also has news on VELVET REVOLVER, LANA LANE, KITTIE, ROB ROCK, BILL WARD MAY PLAY OZZFEST, MOTORHEAD FIRES UP 'INFERNO'! and more click here to check it out

The Used Pt. II
IAYM reports: The Used are now eyeing an August release date for their forthcoming sophomore album.- Click Here for the Full Story 

Crisis To Open Soulfly / Ill Nino Tour
IAYM reports: Crisis have been confirmed to open all shows on the upcoming Soulfly headlining trek, which also features Ill Nino. [see full story for the first set of dates]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Napalm Death Do Covers
IAYM reports: Napalm Death have now officially signed to Century Media, and their first release through the label will be a new covers album entitled "Leaders Not Followers 2". [see full story for track listing]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: IAYM also has news on Monster Magnet: new video filmed, Razorwire, Suicide Note, Once, Cursed, Dog Fashion Disco, Converge live stops, Byzantine, Zao, Cult Of Luna, click here to check it out

Clapton, Elton, McCartney On Brian Wilson CD
NMC reports: Eric Clapton's not getting in over his head. He's just helping out a friend. 

The Grammy-winning Clapton makes a guest appearance on Brian Wilson's upcoming album, "Gettin' In Over My Head." This is Wilson's first solo studio album in over six years and will hit stores on 6/22. Clapton plays guitar on the track, "City Blues." Elton John, Paul McCartney and Brian's late brother Carl Wilson also appear on the new record.- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: NMC also has news on Blink-182, Hip-hop summit, Sarah McLachlan, Switchfoot, Maroon 5 and more click here to check it out

Cat Stevens The DVD
ArrowFM reports: Yusuf Islam, formerly Cat Stevens, plans to release one of his last performances on DVD. With the DVD, Stevens hopes that the performance will bring back the "energy, passion and beautiful messages" of the 1970s. Cat Stevens: Majikat: Earth Tour 1976 features the troubadour's last concert, which took place in February 1976 in Williamsburg, Va. The show includes such hits as "Peace Train" and "Where Do the Children Play?" ...The DVD also includes a three-part interview... [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Boss' Birth Records For Sale
http://www.arrowfm.com/grapevine/stories/05-24springsteen.shtml reports: If you can collect an artist's albums, clothing and notebooks, why not go straight to the heart of the matter and get his birth records? A New York auction house Lelands.com came up with a similar idea and is attempting to sell medical records describing the September 1949 birth of rocker Bruce Springsteen at Monmouth Memorial Hospital in Long Branch, New Jersey. Dr. Frank Niemtsow took notes, chronicling Springsteen's birth, including the color of his bowel movements (uuugh!), and the presence of a rash on his bottom. [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: ArrowFM also has news on Richards Rocks The House At Small Gig, Neil Young: Toast of LA Film Fest, Toronto SARS Concert Comes To DVD, Elton John Gives Back To His Alma Mater, Henley Embarks On Solo Tour and more click here to check it out

Music Ed TV
Ananova reports: A new television channel is being launched to teach people how to play a musical instrument. 

According to BBC Online the Musicians Channel will provide tuition to everyone from singers and DJs to pianists and violinists. 

Musicians of all abilities will be catered for on the digital channel - known at the M-Channel - which launches on the Sky platform on Wednesday. 

It is also hoped that well-known artists and musicians will pass on knowledge and tips to viewers. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Beastie Boys $2 Show
liveDaily reports: Beastie Boys have lined up a handful of U.S. concert dates that will be their first in support of their forthcoming album, "To the 5 Boroughs." 

The veteran New York hip-hop trio gets things started with a June 9 performance at the Huntridge Theatre in Las Vegas, which is the latest installment in MTV2's 2$Bill Concert Series. A limited number of tickets will go on sale at the venue on the day of the show, according to MTV.com. MTV2 plans to air the show on June 20. 

The group then hits several radio-station festivals... [see full story for more details] - Click Here for the Full Story 

Saves the Day hit the clubs
liveDaily reports: Saves the Day has lined up plans for a summer tour of the U.S. club circuit, and is putting together an album of B-sides. 

The cross-country trek gets underway on July 7 in Boston, and wraps up on the opposite coast later that same month. The group promises "low ticket prices and a longer set length," with tickets for most shows set at $12, according to the band's website. 

Also this summer, the New Jersey-based quartet plans to release a comprehensive collection of previously unreleased material culled from its archives. The band is hoping to include a DVD with the release... [see full story link for more including dates- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: liveDaily also has news on Slayer, Keith Richards, Northern State, Heineken House Party, Sonic Youth Tour plans, Marc Anthony, Madonna, Rickie Lee Jones and more click here to check it out

Deep Avril?
AZ Central reports: Avril Lavigne knows her image: a moody, teen rock star with an acidic tongue, steely stare and tough-girl attitude. 

"I have been labeled like I'm this angry girl - I'm like, this rebel, I'm like, punk, and I am SO not any of them. It's so funny, and I'm actually really shy," the petite, Canadian-born Lavigne says in typical teenspeak, sitting on a hotel bed wearing a black hooded sweat shirt, grayish pants, boxy shoes and socks bearing the message "boys are dumb." 

Lavigne the one-dimensional angry rocker chick is just one misconception she hopes to dispel as she releases her second album, "Under This Skin," on Tuesday. It's the follow-up to her hugely successful debut, 2002's "Let Go." 

...On her biggest hits, she was paired with the then-unknown production trio known as The Matrix, who were also listed as co-writers. But after The Matrix started becoming ubiquitous as pop writers and producers - working with everyone from Liz Phair to even Britney Spears and Hilary Duff - some people started wondering how much Lavigne had actually contributed to her hits. It didn't help that the trio, who declined to be interviewed for this article, later seemed to be diminishing Lavigne's contributions. 

"I've been writing since I was a little girl. I've been playing guitar since I was a little girl. I've been writing full-on songs since I was 14; like, full-structured songs," she says defiantly. "I am a writer, and I won't accept people trying to take that away from me, and anyone who does is ignorant and doesn't know what they're talking about - and don't you dare!" [like click on the full story if you like want more wisdom from Advil, you know?]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Jacko Flight Risk?
AZ Central reports: Michael Jackson's prosecutor opposes a move by the pop singer to reduce his $3 million bail, arguing that he may be planning to flee the country. 

According to a motion obtained Sunday by media lawyers, District Attorney Tom Sneddon's office said Jackson's immense wealth requires at least $3 million bail to ensure that he will appear for trial on child molestation charges and, if convicted, would be prepared to serve a lengthy prison sentence. 

"The temptation to flee must surely be strong for an individual in defendant's circumstances," the motion said. "To suppose otherwise would be to blink reality." - Click Here for the Full Story 

Bandstand Redux
Reuters reports: Dick Clark, who presided over more than three decades of pop music as host of "American Bandstand," has teamed up with the creator of contemporary TV hit "American Idol" to bring "Bandstand" back to the airwaves. 

Clark, whose company has produced such perennial events as the American Music Awards and the Golden Globes telecast, said on Monday he is shopping an update of "American Bandstand" to a number of networks, aiming for a summer 2005 debut. 

He said the new Los Angeles-based show will incorporate the basic elements of the original, which started as a local program in Philadelphia and ran on the ABC network from 1957 to 1987, showcasing the era's hottest new recording acts and dances they inspired. [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Old Style New Order
Xfm reports: New Order's highly anticipated new album is well on the way to completion, with the band explaining that they've got twelve songs ready, and that it sounds closer in style to their 1989 classic �Technique' than their more recent output. 

The band are currently recording the as-yet-untitled new record (their first studio album since the disappointingly received 2001 �Get Ready') at Peter Gabriel's Real World studios in Bath. [see full story for more] - Click Here for the Full Story 

Download For A Cause
Xfm reports: Coldplay, Doves, and Badly Drawn Boy are amongst the artists who have been vocal with their support for Oxfam's new music download service which aims to raise money for underdeveloped countries. 

Only a week after the launch of the rejuvenated Napster site comes the launch of Oxfam's www.bignoisemusic.com. The service will go live on Wednesday May 26 and will offer users a choice of 300,000 tracks. 

The songs (including some exclusive and previously unreleased tracks) will be available to download, priced between 75 and 99 pence per track, and 10p from every single pound spent on the site will go directly to Oxfam. 

"Music lovers get great tracks and artists see their music helping some of the poorest people in the world through real cash support." Oxfam spokesperson Adrian Lovett said. [see full story for lots more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: Xfm also has news on X-clusive: Brian Wilson Tops South Bank Festival, Polyphonic Spree Album Date Confirmed, Franz Ferdinand Confirm New Single, Supergrass Play Xfm Live Session, and more click here to check it out

Killswitch Pop-Tart? 
Blabbermouth reports: The music of Killswitch Engage is featured in a new Pop-tart commerical. The ad features the song "The Element of One". click the full story link, once on the Pop-tart site, hit the TV to watch the commerical, - Click Here for the Full Story