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Aside from unfolding "Nipplegate" controversy, not a lot happened in the world of music yesterday but here are some highlights and lowlights (with bonus lame comments!).

MTV Got Punk'd
AP reports: MTV says it got punk'd by Janet Jackson. Tom Freston, the chairman and CEO of MTV Networks, said Tuesday neither his company nor CBS knew of plans for the bodice-ripping incident during the Super Bowl halftime show. 

MTV and CBS landed in a world of trouble with outraged viewers and federal regulators looking into who knew of Jackson's plans to have Justin Timberlake grab off part of her costume during the show, which was produced by MTV. 

"We were really ripped off. We were punk'd by Janet Jackson," Freston said, referring to MTV's reality show that makes celebrities the butt of practical jokes. 

Freston, speaking at a panel discussion with other entertainment executives, noted that Jackson herself has said the decision to do the stunt was made without MTV's knowledge. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Looks like they might have to look forward to getting punk'd by the FCC as well. 

Silly News: Axl's Pony
Rockdirt reports: The Las Vegas Sun reports Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose purchased a restored, 5-foot Mobil neon Pegasus flying horse from Antiquities at the Forum Shops at Caesars) on Saturday (January 31), setting the singer back $5,500. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Tomorrow we learn what he named his new little pony. Good to know that he is still hard at work putting the final, final touches on Chinese Democracy.

Beatles-Rap
Much Music reports: It's no Aerosmith meets Run DMC but this one is sure to be a classic just the same. Los Angeles producer Danger Mouse has taken all of the vocals from Jay-Z's Black Album and recorded them over music from the Beatles' The White Album to create The Grey Album. Jay- Z tracks like Encore and Change Clothes are mixed over remixed samples of drum hits, piano and guitar licks taken from the Beatles' classic 1968 recording. "What More Can I Say," is set to '"While My Guitar Gently Weeps." "99 Problems" uses guitars of "Helter Skelter." The Grey Album will be made available worldwide around Feb/March of 2004. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Yes we reported this in the past but saw this story and it was a good time to remind people that we need to stomp out remixing. At first it was funny to let these bozos with funny names ruin old songs but it's just gone too far this time. The plan begins by building a better mousetrap, we’ll use bling bling as the cheese. 

Manson Lands Teaching Gig
Blabbermouth reports: MARILYN MANSON will be one of the first surrogate teachers on "Stand In", a show airing on MTV's new college-oriented channel mtvU, which is billing it as the largest, most comprehensive television network just for college students. MANSON will reportedly be teaching about music and marketing. No air date has yet been announced for the show. 

mtvU was launched on January 20 as a revamped version of the College Television Network, which was purchased by MTV in October 2002. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Pixies Reunion Tour
Billboard reports: The much-ballyhooed reunion of seminal alternative rock act the Pixies is getting off the ground. 

Beyond a previously announced May 1 appearance at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., the group is now confirmed to open for the Red Hot Chili Peppers on June 15 at Paris' Parc Des Princes. The quartet has not played live together since disbanding in 1993. 

Sources have confirmed to Billboard.com that dates are being booked, and guitarist/vocalist Frank Black's unofficial Web site (http://www.frankblack.net) reports that the Pixies will first embark on a North American warm-up tour that will lead up to the Coachella appearance. A full-scale tour will follow, encompassing both North America and summer European festivals. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Mudvayne Retrain
The PRP reports: Mudvayne have officially begun writing new material for their next album which they plan to begin recording in the coming months with an as-yet unannounced producer. A release later this year is expected. - Click Here for the Full Story 

They have been unofficially writing music in hopes of someday officially writing much so they could go into the studio sometime in the coming decade. 

Ziggy Tourdust
Chart Attack reports: DAVID BOWIE has added 29 extra North American dates to his world tour, with the first kicking off at PHILADELPHIA's WACHOVIA CENTER on March 29. 

The 'A Reality Tour' gigs will take place in theatres, arenas and amphitheatres and wrap up with two New York shows on June 4 -5. 

Support will come from The Polyphonic Spree for the first half of the jaunt (March 29 to May 30), with Stereophonics taking over for the shows up until May 27. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Flight plan and other such info available by clicking on the magic full story link. 

Mo Kweller
Aversion reports: Ben Kweller has finished recording his sophomore effort. 

On My Way, produced by Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams), will hit stores April 6 from RCA Records. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Crossfade Hit
Press Release reports: “Cold,” the explosive first single from CROSSFADE‘s self-titled debut album—set for release April 13 

Columbia/Earshot Records—made a huge impact on radio its first week out. According to Radio & Records, the song (which was serviced January 27) is currently being spinned on 20 Active Rock stations across the U.S., making it the #4 Most Added song in the Active Rock format only to be topped by new songs by Damageplan, Trapt and P.O.D. 

Radio & Records describes “Cold” as a song that “…gives an overall feeling of foreboding, a feat accomplished through the band’s standout vocals. The lead singer soars over the top of a bottom-heavy instrumental, and the harmony is impressive and unique.” 

Meanwhile, CROSSFADE--Ed Sloan (lead vocals, guitars), Tony Byroads (vocals, keyboards and samples), Mitch James (vocals, bass) and Brian Geiger (drums)—is currently planning a tour of the U.S. which will commence in the coming months. Fans can log onto www.crossfadeonline.com for all the latest info.- Click Here for the Full Story 

Silvertide Show & Tell
Silvertide reports: Our official release date has been announced. On June 8th, Show & Tell, Silvertide's debut album will hit shelves. This record is a culmination of years of work and includes material from all different time periods in Silvertide's existence. You'll find some material you've never heard, and some of you will hear some old favorites. The official track listing will be as follows: 

'Devil's Daughter', 'SFC', 'California Rain', 'Mary Jane', 'Nothing Stays', 'Blue Jeans', 'To See Where I Hide', 'Heartstrong', 'You Want It All', 'Ain't Comin Home', and 'Foxhole'. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Damagepreview
VH1 reports: Want to hear the new Damageplan CD before it hits stores next week? VH1 has launched an online listening party for the CD. So if you are curious what "New Found Power" and Dimebag's new gig sound like, head on over VH1 at the full story link below. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Stone Temple Explanation
Blabbermouth reports: Representatives for VELVET REVOLVER singer Scott Weiland issued the following statement Monday (Feb. 2) clarifying recent news reports about his recovery process, his legal status and plans for the future. 

"Recent news reports stated that the VELVET REVOLVER frontman (and former STONE TEMPLE PILOTS singer) had walked out of, or was discharged from, a Pasadena, California recovery facility after one month. Although Weiland did move to a sober living facility, it was at the suggestion and approval of his doctors and recovery counselors. 

"Mike Nasatir, a Weiland attorney, says, 'We were under the impression that Scott's move was not against the court's wishes and that Scott was in compliance with the court's orders.' - Click Here for the Full Story 

Find out what Scott's Doc had to say by clicking you know where!

Anthrax Down Under
siN's metal news reports: SOILWORK and ANTHRAX will be heading out to Australia in April for a tour, with one datee already confirmed: 

4/24 Brisbane - The Arena

 More dates to be announced.- Click Here for the Full Story 

Check sin's for Japan dates for Soilwork

Black Metal Prosecution
siN's metal news reports: A prosecutor in Poland has launched an investigation into whether a concert by the black metal band GORGOROTH has breached the country's law protecting religion. The Norwegian band are suspected of having sent a hateful and offensive message with their performance Sunday (Feb. 1) at the Krakow studios of Polish Television. 

The show, which was to be filmed for an upcoming DVD, featured two naked women (with hoods over their heads) and one naked man, all of them "crucified" and covered in sheep blood, a number of sheep heads on spikes and sheep entrails thrown all over the stage, as well as approximately 80 liters of fresh sheep blood. During the performance, which was attended by an audience of 300, one of the models reportedly fainted from the lack of oxygen. The TV show's producers, who were not briefed in advance about the nature of the concert, were said to "shocked" by the activities on stage. The manager of the studio, Andrzej Jeziorek, notified the police and the recorded footage was confiscated by the authorities as evidence of a possible crime. - Click Here for the Full Story 

P2P Appeal
Reuters reports: In a landmark case over online piracy, a federal appeals court on Tuesday heard arguments over whether Napster-like Internet services should be kept from allowing unauthorized song and movie copies to be swapped online for free. 

Lawyers for the entertainment industry told a three-judge panel for the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena that file-sharing services Grokster and Morpheus should be ordered to apply software filters that would prevent the online trading and copying of copyrighted songs and films. 

Attorneys for the peer-to-peer networks countered that using filters would effectively shut them down, and it was up to lawmakers, not the federal courts, to extend copyright law to cover the Web. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Grammy Delay Due To Nipplegate
AP reports: Following Janet Jackson's surprise breast-baring on the Super Bowl halftime show, CBS said Tuesday it would institute a video delay system to avoid any recurrence at Sunday's Grammy Awards. 

CBS technicians were scrambling to invent the software — something more than five-second audio delay the network has used to bleep out swear words, like when Eminem performed on the Grammys two years ago. 

Meanwhile, CBS may ask that Jackson and Justin Timberlake be banned from the Grammys if the network concludes the musicians fully intended to give Jackson the extra exposure on Sunday, said a network executive who spoke on condition of anonymity. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Well, I object to all this sex on the television! I mean, I keep falling off! 

40 Grit Quit
I Ate Your Microphone reports: Bay Area act 40 Grit have called it quits, after being dropped by their label Metal Blade towards the end of 2003. The group issued the following statement on the split: 
"Hey all,This is a day that I was hoping would never come. Last week we have decided that 40 Grit will no longer be a band. It's been a very fun and cool road we have been on. 40 Grit has been doing this for 7 years and to be honest we have little to show for it except for our fans and memories. We want to thank all the fans that have been with us since the beginning and all the new fans we have made over the years. The music biz has taking a toll on all of us in the band and it makes us sick to our stomach. There is so many bands with so much talent out there that will go without notice because of the way this industry is. Well, thanks for all the support." - Click Here for the Full Story 

Whatever Happened To Local H
I Ate Your Microphone reports: Local H are returning with a new full length on April 06th. The effort has been titled "Whatever Happened To P.J. Soles" and will see a release through Studio E Records. It features fourteen tracks which shape up as follows: 

01: "Where Are They Now?"
02: "Everyone Alive"
03: "California Songs"
04: "Dick Jones"
05: "Money On The Dresser"
06: "P.J. Soles"
07: "How's The Weather Down There?"
08: "Buffalo Trace"
09: "Heaven On The Way Down"
10: "Hey, Rita"
11: "Heavy Metal Bakesale"
12: "Mellowed"
13: "That's What They All Say"
14: "Halcyon Days (Where Were You Then?)" - Click Here for the Full Story 

It's Madonna's Fault
Net Music Countdown reports: Ignoring the entertainment industry before 1985, Sheryl Crow blames Madonna for women using sex to sell records. 

Crow recently said that she believes that the current trend of scantily clad females topping the charts is the fault of Madonna and not because men enjoy seeing scantily clad women. 

The singer says, "There's so much TV and so much exposure that a lot of these young girls can become successful overnight. With Madonna kind of ushering in the whole 'sex is power' thing, I think we got off course a little bit." 

"There's so much sex. It's about the look and the image, less about the talent. You have to have a good choreographer, good hair. I just find that females really have to sell a little too much of the image and could maybe get more into content." - Click Here for the Full Story 

Imagine the music industry putting image over the quality of music. Say it isn't so. 

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