Jul 25

Yayo rejects jail offer
[source: NME.com] Rapper Tony Yayo has rejected the offer of spending nine months in jail in exchange for pleading guilty to assaulting a 14-year-old boy.
Yayo, who founded hip-hop group G-Unit along with rapper 50 Cent, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include assault, harassment and endangering the welfare of a child.
"The prosecution's nine-month offer is one Tony vehemently rejected," Yayo's lawyer, Scott Leemon, said. "It's not even a good offer for a guilty person and Tony denies the allegations absolutely."
The alleged victim is James Rosemond, the teenage son of recording executive Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond.
The case has been adjourned until Thursday September 6. Yayo is currently free on AUS$5,500 bail.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Tony-Yayo.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/50-Cent.aspx


Gnarls Barkley man gets rare Hendrix catalogue
[source: NME.com] Gnarls Barkley's Cee-Lo Green has acquired rare Jimi Hendrix material, which he plans to release.
The singer will release the music on his Radiculture Records label in conjunction with sample clearance company Alien Music Services.
The label will offer these masters – shelved for 15 years – as licenses for film, TV and special projects.
They also plan to use the recordings for an as-yet-untitled project, possibly featuring contemporary producers such as Cee-Lo, Outkast and Goodie Mob.
Danny Zook, head of Alien Music Services, said: "When I first heard these masters I was floored. Cee-Lo, combined with Hendrix, are two of the most out-of-the-box artists of all time."
The recordings date back to the early 60s when Hendrix played guitar with Curtis Knight's band The Squires.
The 33 master recordings, recorded at Chalpin's Studio 76, included "Ballad Of Jimi", "Knock Yourself Out" and "How Would You Feel".

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Gnarls-Barkley.aspx


Sleevage: where music and art collide
Fans of album art, get excited: there's a new website just for you. Sleevage.com delves into some of the most infamous album art of our time and allows users to post thoughts on everyone from Blur to Beck.
From vintage 70s covers (think Sex Pistols' Never Mind The Bollocks) to dissections of The Dandy Warhols' Welcome To The Monkeyhouse (an image which mixes the infamous banana shot of The Velvet Underground with The Rolling Stone's Sticky Fingers zipper), Sleeveage.com features hundreds of covers, with more added each day.
Based in Sydney, the site also profiles local designers and design companies. Head to sleeveage.com for more.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Sex-Pistols.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Dandy-Warhols-The.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Velvet-Underground-The.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Rolling-Stones-The.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Blur.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Beck.aspx


Jamie Foxx to pay up?
Actor/musician Jamie Foxx is in trouble with his former stylist, who's suing the Ray star after he reportedly failed to pay for her services.
Stacy Young is suing Foxx for breach of contract and claims he owes her AU$6,787 in back-pay after she styled him for a series of awards shows and press junkets.
On Monday July 23, Young tried to amend her suit to also claim that Foxx insulted her in front of colleagues by "disparaging her abilities".
Yesterday, however, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jane L. Johnson dismissed Young's latest claim. Foxx's lawyer, Allison Hart Sievers, maintained the stylist's allegations are "complete fabrications and have no merit whatsoever". The case is set to return to court next month.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Jamie-Foxx.aspx


Motorhead head back to Oz
Legendary metallers Motorhead will return to Australia this October.
Iconic frontman Lemmy and bandmates were previously in the country in 2006 when Motorhead toured with Mötley Crüe. Now they're back for a headline visit, with Oz rock heroes Rose Tattoo supporting.

Tour dates:

Wednesday October 3 – Brisbane Convention Centre
Friday October 5 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Saturday October 6 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
Sunday October 7 – Entertainment Centre, Newcastle
Wednesday October 10 – The Forum, Melbourne
Thursday October 11 – The Forum, Melbourne
Saturday October 13 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Tuesday October 16 – Challenge Stadium, Perth
Saturday October 20 – TSB Stadium, New Plymouth

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Motorhead.aspx


Mindy McCready arrested for assault
Troubled US country music singer Mindy McCready – who had a hit in 1996 with "Guys Do It All The Time" – has been arrested in Florida, charged with battery and resisting arrest.
The 31-year-old former flame of actor Dean Cain has endured a tough couple of years, fighting suicide attempts, drug problems and court appearances for charges of driving under the influence and fraudulently obtaining prescription painkillers.
While the local sheriff's office is refusing to provide details of her latest arrest, McCready was released on AU$1,131 bail and is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday August 14. Her last LP was 2002's self-titled album.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Mindy-Mccready.aspx


Kid Confucius head out on their Street Corner Soul tour
Sydney funk and roots collective Kid Confucius are heading out on the road this September, determined to "establish a new era of soul music in Australia".
Garnering inspiration from the soul movement of the 60s and 70s, the band will perform in venues around the country. But they'll also take their sound to the street… literally. Fans can tune into kidconfucius.com for news on impromptu jams, which will take place on footpaths and public streets on the same days as their shows.
Tickets are on sale now. For dates and details, visit kidconfucius.com.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Kid-Confucius.aspx


Tupac's mum won't sell
Afeni Shakur, mother of slain US rapper Tupac Shakur, is heading to court to stop her son's former label, Death Row Records, selling his unreleased recordings.
Shot in 1996 when he was travelling in a car alongside label boss Marion "Suge" Knight, Tupac left behind almost an album's worth of material. Now Afeni is seeking an injunction in the US federal bankruptcy court, claiming the label is trying to sell the tunes to potential investors as part of proceedings over the late rapper's estate.
The court is expected to consider the injunction over the next four weeks, when it will decide whether or not to let Death Row release a new album – which includes secret tracks – in order to pay off its debts.
In April 2006, Knight sought bankruptcy protection, claiming Death Row was more than AU$113 million in debt.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Tupac-Shakur.aspx


Midnight Juggernauts take Dystopia to the masses
Fresh from recent tours of the UK, Europe and China, Midnight Juggernauts are preparing to unleash debut LP Dystopia on local music fans.
To celebrate Dystopia's release (August 4), the band will hit the road on an official album launch tour, which includes shows supporting Bloc Party and a slot at Byron Bay's Splendour In The Grass festival.
Tickets are on sale now.

Tour dates:

Thursday August 2 – Wollongong Uni
Friday August 3 – Festival Hall, Melbourne
Saturday 4 August – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Sunday 5 August – Splendour In The Grass, Byron Bay
Friday 10 August – Republic Bar, Hobart
Saturday 11 August – James Hotel, Launceston
Thursday 16 August – Peninsula Lounge, Moorooduc
Friday 17 August – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Saturday 18 August – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Sunday 19 August – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Friday 24 August – The Metro Theatre, Sydney
Saturday 25 August – The Metro Theatre, Sydney
Thursday 30 August – The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Friday 31 August – The Tivoli, Brisbane
Saturday 1 September – ANU Bar, Canberra
Friday 7 September – The Capitol, Perth
Saturday 8 September – The Gov, Adelaide

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Midnight-Juggernauts.aspx


Kelly Clarkson says sorry, boss
Former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson has apologised to label boss Clive Davis after publicly insulting RCA's reaction to her latest disc, My December.
"I want to set the record straight on this by saying that I want my band, my advisors, those close to me and my record label to be one big, tight-knit family," the 25-year-old singer wrote on her website.
"A lot has been made in the press about my relationship with Clive. Much of this has been blown way out of proportion and out of context. Contrary to recent characterisations in the press, I'm well aware that Clive is one of the great record men of all time. He has been a key advisor and has been an important force in my success to date."
With more than one million albums sold so far, Clarkson stirred controversy early in 2007 when she criticised RCA for failing to "support her work".

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Kelly-Clarkson.aspx