Velvet Revolver beat Avril
Blabbermouth reports: According to Hits Daily Double, early midday (Tuesday) reports from retail have VELVET REVOLVER's "Contraband" exceeding expectations and debuting at No. 1 on next week's The Billboard 200 chart. Reorders from the majors have reportedly been pouring in all day, with the album slated to easily top 200,000 copies. [looks like Avril will be bumped out of No. 1] - Click Here for the Full Story 

Lars Explains Illness
Blabbermouth reports: METALLICA drummer Lars Ulrich has issued a videotaped message explaining his absence from the group's headlining performance at the Download festival on Sunday (June 6). A BLABBERMOUTH.NET transcript of the message follows: 

"We've been going pretty hard for most of the year, as you are aware, and we had to take a little bit of a chill-out time back there in October, as some of our Latin American friends might remember. It kind of caught up with me the other day, and I had to just kind of chill out. There's no reason to bore anybody with a lot of details. But I'm fine, as you can see and I'm looking forward to playing tonight. I had a little episode on the airplane going to Donington the other day, and I thought that it would be best to get it checked out 'cause I was having a bit of a weird half hour there..." [see full story for the rest]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Maybe it was a bad case of 'dish pan hands'? 

Maiden Tour 05
Blabbermouth reports: IRON MAIDEN fan site MaidenFans.com is reporting that MAIDEN frontman Bruce Dickinson has confirmed during an appearance on the latest "Air Show" on BBC Scotland that the group will be touring in the summer 2005. [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: Blabbermouth also has news on REVEREND Confirmed For TEXAS METALFEST, COMMANDER: Promotional CD Available For Download, HYPOCRISY: Live Video Posted Online, JAG PANZER: Studio Update, Bassist RUDY SARZO Explains How He Landed The DIO Gig. BATHORY Mastermind QUORTHON Dead At 39, IN FLAMES/HAMMERFALL Producer 'Not A Fan' Of 'St. Anger' Production and more click here to check it out

Rock Survivor Show?
Variety reports: Now it can be told: Mark Burnett is pacting with INXS in his search to find a new rock star. 

Reality titan is finalizing his pitch for the project, an talent competish in which the winner will become the new lead singer for a rock band ( Daily Variety, June 8). While he's talked to other bands about the show, INXS-- which scored numerous hits in the 1980s, including "Need You Tonight"-- will be the first rock group to participate. [more] - Click Here for the Full Story 

WB Bloodbath
Pitchfork reports: Various Warner Bros. recording artists are huddling together, making small talk, and nervously biting their nails as the label, which recently let go more than 1,000 employees, has begun announcing which bands are to be cut from their roster. Many of the bands that will be released are those who existed on the east-coast-based Atlantic and Elektra labels, which are being consolidated as a part of a massive reorganization at Warner Bros. The reorganization comes as a result of a private group of investors, including former Universal mogul Edgar Bronfman, Jr., purchasing the label from Time Warner back in February. Several bands have already been let go, and it is estimated that nearly half of the 170-act roster will be given pink slips and be sent on their way. 

The label is remaining fairly tight-lipped about who's staying and who's going, but Lyor Cohen, the label's U.S. chief executive, has outlined a vague definition of what will allow an act to remain on the roster, saying, "The tipping point of whether an artist remains is the company's passion to market and promote them. Everyone that remains we're going to be insanely passionate about." Which we must take to mean that you can expect to see more of The Darkness than you ever dreamed, and possibly a whole lot less of Built to Spill-- the justice, of course, being that these bands will likely make more money on indies anyway. [see full story for a lot more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: Pitchfork also has news on My Bloody Valentine slowly making progress on upcoming box sets- DVD, Punk guitarist Robert Quine dead at 61, Bats & Mice release EP, ready album and more click here to check it out

Interpol Complete Mystery CD
Aversion reports: Interpol wrapped up its sophomore effort, though Matador Records doesn't really want anyone to know about it. 

The label announced that the band's follow-up to 2002's Turn on the Bright Lights (Matador) was completed and turned in to the label. "We're not at liberty to give away any titles or further details," the label said in the year's vaguest press release. The label did admit that the oh-so-mysterious album will drop sometime this fall. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: Aversion also has news on Blink 182 Rocks United Kingdom, Win Music Lessons from Yellowcard, KMFDM's Tour Plans, DVD, Libertines Guitars Found -- with Band, Rooney Announces Tour, Knee Jerk Calls It Quits and more click here to check it out

Free Indie MP3s
Wired reports: Musicians who want to share and promote their music on the Net have yet another tool to help them reach eager listeners. 

GarageBand.com -- a site that both hosts independent music and uses a peer-review process to identify hot bands -- is offering the Creative Commons Music Sharing License to artists who want to distribute their tunes for free, the company said Monday. 

The license allows fans to legally download, copy and share the song as many times as they want, as long as they don't sell or alter it. 

For artists, "it's a way to facilitate and improve self-distribution," said Neeru Paharia, assistant director of Creative Commons. Many musicians put their music on their personal websites and grant permission to users to download their songs, but fans may hesitate because of the current copyright climate. Nearly 3,000 music sharers have been sued by the Recording Industry Association of America for violating copyright. [see full story for more] - Click Here for the Full Story 

Euro MP3 Lawsuits
Reuters reports: A new wave of lawsuits is being prepared against the most prolific Internet song-swappers as part of an expanding global crackdown on Internet piracy, music industry officials said Tuesday. 

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) said it will sue 24 individuals in Denmark for trading music files online and it warned Britain, France and Sweden that they could be added to the list of target countries. [see full story for more] - Click Here for the Full Story 

Beatles For Sale?
Reuters reports: Representatives of the Beatles are in discussions with various online music services about licensing their songs for distribution on the Internet, people familiar with the discussions said on Tuesday. 

The Beatles have been one of the biggest holdouts in releasing their catalog for sale online, and the lack of such mega-hits as "Let it Be" and "Yesterday" has been cited as a major weakness for fledgling, Web-based music stores. 

Negotiators for the Beatles have talked with several companies, with a particular emphasis on Microsoft Corp's MSN, which is expected to open an Internet music store late this summer, people familiar with the talks told Reuters. [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Avril: I'm a Writer!
NMC reports: Avril Lavigne is proud of her writing abilities and defends them fiercely. 

The "Don't Tell Me" singer co-wrote most of the songs on "Under My Skin" with fellow Canadian singer Chantal Kreviazuk, and she also worked with Ben Moody, formerly of Evanescence. Because of the collaborative spirit, some people are wondering how much Lavigne actually contributed. In an interview with the Associated Press Lavigne says, "It's not like people wrote those songs for me, it's obvious it came from me. You hear the emotions in my voice, you can see it in my face when I'm performing it ... It's just obvious." - Click Here for the Full Story 

Imagine how much more emotion Sinead O'Connor would have shown if she wrote "Nothing Compares 2 U" instead of Prince.

Modest Mouse Go Euro
NMC reports: Planned your summer vacation yet? If not, consider a jaunt to Europe to see Modest Mouse. 

Starting June 22, the band will play two-weeks' worth of dates throughout Europe including several festivals. The tour begins in London and winds its way through the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium and Norway. The band is back in the US on July 14 to kick off its Lollapalooza dates, which run through the end of August. [see full story for dates]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: NMC also has news on Beastie Boys Aren't Too Serious, Kanye West Supports "The Truth", Linkin Park Page Turner, Musiq Gets Serious About Music, Gwen Stefani Voted Best Female Vocalist and more click here to check it out

Drowningman Return
Drowned in Sound reports: Late-90s hardcore heavyweights Drowningman have called time on their hiatus. Well, on their split to be precise. After an unsuccessful stint as The Scheme, Simon Brody and Denny Donovan have buried their differences and reactivated the dormant hardcore machine that is Drowningman. 

Anyway, a compilation of demo material is set to emerge through NYC indie Law Of Inertia Records entitled 'Learn To Let Go', and shows are being arranged as I type. [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Silly News: Chalupa Assault
New York Daily News reports: [Some mid-week non-rock related fun] A man who claimed he didn't get the taco he paid for has been charged with assault for allegedly pelting a Taco Bell clerk in the face with a chalupa. 

Nancy Harrison told police she was working the drive-through Thursday night when Christopher Lame, 24, ordered some food. 

He later came into the store, complaining he didn't get the taco he had ordered, police records say. Harrison said that when she asked for a receipt, he went back to his car and brought back the bag. 

Harrison said she told him the store was closing, and as she turned away, a chalupa hit her in the face near her right eye. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Pete Doherty Returns
Xfm reports: Pete Doherty squashed the recent rumours of a Libertines split last night by joining the rest of his band on stage in London for a surprise gig. The band played for about one hundred people at new club night 'Dirty Pretty Things' with instruments on loan from the night's headliners The Boxer Rebellion. 

It is reported that Doherty has insisted that he will leave for Thailand today (June 8) to undergo a rigorous course of rehab at the Thamkrabok Monastery. [see full story for more details on one of the shortest break-ups in rock history]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Steve O Vs. Electric Six
Xfm reports: The trouble started when Steve-O left presents of eggs with the audience at the end of their 'Wild Boyz' show on Saturday afternoon (June 5) with the remark "I want you to take good care of these and leave them unbroken�until the next act [Electric Six] comes on." 

Trouble continued later that night when Steve-O and Chris 'Party Boy' Pontious (complete with a video camera crew) stormed the band's dressing room. Pontious then called a Six band member over to the window before smashing it with his fist and hurling obscenities at the group. Security quickly removed the pair. Following the incident, Electric Six have declined to comment on the event. [see full story for more]- Click Here for the Full Story 

Source: Xfm also has news on Primal Scream Announce London Gig, The Distillers Speak About Carling Weekend, Belle And Sebastian Play Xfm Live Session, Metal Hammer Award Winners Announced, �Born In England' Is Out This Week and more click here to check it out

Candiria Preview
Day in Rock reports: Want to hear Candiria's new CD "What Doesn't Kill You..." before it hits stores on July 13th? You are in luck, the band has posted streams of the entire album on their website. Click the full story link to check it out. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Helmet Tracks
Day in Rock reports: A tentative track listing for Helmet's forthcoming new album "Size Matters" has leaked online. The new CD will hit stores on September 14th through Interscope Records. Tracks: 01. "Smart" - 02. "Crashing Foreign Cars" - 03. "See You Dead" - 04. "Drug Lord" - 05. "Enemies" - 06. "Unwound" - 07. "Everybody Loves You" - 08. "Surgery" 09. "Speak And Spell" - 10. "Throwing Punches" - 11. "Last Breath" - 12. "Out Of Nowhere" - Click Here for the Full Story 

Belle & Sebastian Special
Day in Rock reports: Belle & Sebastian will be releasing a special enhanced version of their forthcoming "Books" EP on June 29th. The catch? It will only be available in select special indie record shops in America (some online outlets too). 

Tracks: 1. Your Cover's Blown - 2. Wrapped Up In Books - 3. Your Secrets - 4. Cover (Version) 

Enhanced CD: Wrapped up in Books (Video) - Your Cover's Blown (Comic Strip Gallery) - Wrapped up in Books Game 

Click the full story link to find a list of retailers and more info. - Click Here for the Full Story 

The Cure Tracks
Day in Rock reports: The Cure will release their self-titled album on June 29th. The Track Listing is as follows: 1 Lost - 2 Labyrinth - 3 Before Three - 4 The End Of The World - 5 Anniversary - 6 Us or Them - 7 alt.end - 8 I Don't Know What's Going On - 9 Taking Off - 10 Never - 11 The Promise - Click Here for the Full Story 

Sabbath anti Sabbath
For our readers in the Los Angeles area, tonight antiMUSIC is pleased to co-sponsor the CD release party for "EVIL LIVES : A TRUE METAL TRIBUTE TO BLACK SABBATH", featuring an impressive lineup of groups paying tribute to the Godfathers of Metal, including Forever Say Die!, which features antiMUSIC's very own Happenin' Harry on lead vocals! 

The party will take place tonight at The Joint in Los Angeles. (Pico & Robinson). The listening party kicks off at 8PM and live music starts at 10PM with performances by Jugulur, Forever Say Die, and a very special All Star Black Sabbath tribute featuring Vinnie Appice with special guests. 

Happenin' Harry has all the info on the party on his homepage, click the full story link to go there. - Click Here for the Full Story 

A New Hit For Fastball?
press release reports: Yesterday, platinum recording artists Fastball return to the spotlight with their new release Keep Your Wig On, with band co-leaders Miles Zuniga and Tony Scalzo delivering stunning songwriting, Beatles-esque charms, and buoyant garage rock--supported by production contributions from such heavy hitters as Mike McCarthy (Spoon), Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger ("Someday," "Red Light"), and Sheryl Crow songwriter Jeff Trott ("Our Misunderstanding"). 

Fastball's 1998 breakthrough album, All the Pain Money Can Buy, and its hit singles ("The Way," "Fire Escape," "Out of My Head") brought the Austin, Texas-based band mainstream recognition and platinum plaques. But on the new album, Fastball, still in their original--and only--incarnation, sounds refreshed and freed from the pressures of major-label success. "It's really about perseverance in the face of all hell breaking loose," says Miles of the new album. "There are so many people around Austin who've been playing music professionally their whole lives. And it doesn't seem to matter whether their records sell or not. I want to belong to that branch of the tree." [click the full story link to check out the eCard for the new CD and preview the music.] - Click Here for the Full Story 

Tracy Spuehler Returns with Soph CD
press release reports: Tracy Spuehler, whose 2001 Los Angeles radio hit "Where Do We Go?" went from airplay on L.A.'s NPR outlet KCRW-FM to viewers of national television via a Nissan commercial, has completed her second album, It's The Sound. The CD hits the streets on August 10. 

The new album continues in the tradition of 2001's solo debut, six three one, which spawned the grassroots hit � namely more of the "alt-bubblegum" edgy powerpop sound of its predecessor. Paste magazine described Spuehler as possessed of "writing so unobtrusive that she is able to evoke profound depth of feeling through little more than subtle suggestion." - Click Here for the Full Story 

Atari & Epic Team 
press release reports: Continuing its emergence as an entertainment force, Atari, Inc. has reached an agreement with Epic Records and Nimrod Productions to create a dynamic and artistically unique soundtrack for DRIV3R, the third-installment in the best- selling Driver video game franchise. Titled DRIV3R - The Soundtrack, the stand-alone soundtrack is scheduled for U.S. release on June 21, day-in-date with the launch of the DRIV3R video game on the Xbox� video game system from Microsoft and the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. 

Plundering the depths and the edges of the music world, DRIV3R � The Soundtrack includes 14 cutting-edge tracks from acclaimed stars, such as a Iggy Pop, as well as up- and-coming acts in the U.S. and Europe, including Phantom Planet, Hope Of The States, Syntax, among others. The soundtrack will also feature a 12-minute "Making Of DRIV3R" documentary narrated by actor Michael Madsen (who voiced "Tanner," the lead character in the Driver franchise). 

Additionally, each original CD will contain n-CD technology that will grant exclusive access to a special vaulted website where cheats for the game, a special deleted scene and competitions can be accessed. - Click Here for the Full Story 

Straylight Run Debut
press release reports: Straylight Run will celebrate the recording of their first album by hitting the road with Rooney and Ozma in June and July. Produced by Michael Birnbaum(Coheed and Cambria, John Mayer, Bad Brains), their debut will be self-titled and is slated for release in September 2004. Anticipation for the album is high, as Straylight Run made the decision to release their demos as free downloads on their website, allowing thousands and thousands of fans to enjoy their first efforts for free. 

Straylight Run began in May of 2003 when former members of Taking Back Sunday, John Nolan and Shaun Cooper joined forces with former Breaking Pangaea drummer Will Noon. The final piece of the puzzle fell into place when John's sister Michelle came on board to play piano and guitar and sing with the band. - Click Here for the Full Story