Aug 21

Dr Dre suing Death Row Records for The Chronic
[source: NME.com] Dr. Dre is suing his former record label Death Row over the rights to his classic 1992 album, The Chronic.
The rap titan filed the lawsuit last Wednesday at the US Bankruptcy Court in Los Angeles. It includes claims the now defunct label is attempting to sell copyrights for the album that launched Snoop Dogg's career.
Dre handed over rights to the label in 1996 when he struck an agreement whereby the company retained copyrights for The Chronic provided it continued to pay him royalties. In 2000 he cancelled the agreement, claiming he had received no royalties.
Dre is asking the court to officially rescind the agreement and force Death Row to return the copyrights to him. He is also seeking restitution from Death Row's use of the copyrights, according to Forbes.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Dr-Dre.aspx


Madonna to leave record label?
[source: NME.com] Rumours abound that Madonna is considering leaving Warner Music, the label she has been signed to since 1982.
The singer is allegedly in talks to move to Live Nation, the venues and promotions company, in a deal that would combine the singer's future recording and touring activities. It is allegedly valued by music industry executives at £50.5 million ($AU125million).

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


Kanye West reacts to fallout over homophobia comments
[source: NME.com] Kanye West has told of the reaction he received after speaking out against homophobia.
West, who went to number one with single "Stronger" last night, was quoted as calling rap too homophobic.
"Speaking out against hip-hop homophobia, some people were like 'Oh, Kanye must be gay! Look at the way he's dressing! And why would he speak about it? He's a gay rapper'," he notes. "And my whole point is, I wouldn't have spoke on that if I was gay or if I was in the closet. I would have stayed so far away from it.
"And I'm still homophobic myself to a certain extent… You know, I wouldn't go to a gay parade and feel comfortable. I wouldn't ever go to a gay club or something and just be chillin' and grab a drink.
"In the entertainment world, I meet so many different gay people who are actually nice. Where I came from, Chicago, being black and being a hip-hop artist, we used to really disrespect gay people. And the thing is, we can't get close to them with a ten-foot pole. And I realised, 'Wow, how ignorant has this been?'."

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Kanye-West.aspx


Chemical Brothers return
Internationally renowned big-beat duo Chemical Brothers will bring their explosive live show to Australia in March 2008 when they hit the road in support of chart-topping album We Are The Night.
"I just feel it's a blessing to be able to do something that gets people out of their homes and experiencing something together," Ed O'Brien said of the tour.
With five albums, three Grammy Awards, countless hit singles and some nine million album sales to their name, Chemical Brothers are one of the biggest names in the business and O'Brien can't wait to head back Down Under.
"When you play live and see a sea of people with their hands in their air, smiling, that's what I feel most proud of: making music that is loud and powerful enough to bring people together."
Tickets go on sale Friday 24 August.

Tour dates:

Wednesday 5 March – Vodafone Arena, Melbourne
Friday 7 March – Sydney Entertainment Centre

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/The-Chemical-Brothers.aspx


Good Charlotte: no pics, please
According to reports in the US, Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden has told paparazzi to stop photographing him with women other than his pregnant fiancé, Nicole Richie.
The singer was snapped telling off waiting photographers at a party at the Village Pourhouse in New York City, just days after he was spotted keeping company with a young blonde.
Madden recently told TV hosts Regis and Kelly that he's planning on proposing to his socialite girlfriend, who is due to give birth in late January, and said he's sick of hearing reports the couple are breaking up.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Good-Charlotte.aspx


Kylie Minogue to give up music?
Having completed filming on the Christmas special for UK cult TV series Dr Who, Aussie pop star Kylie Minogue is, according to reports, planning on down-sizing her career to "concentrate on what's important".
"She wants to concentrate on seeing if she and Olivier can work things out, focus on herself and even start a family," a close friend reportedly told UK tabloid The Daily Mail.
"After the album, there'll possibly be a tour and the final additions she wants to make to Brand Kylie. That's really it."
Meanwhile, the wife of the Chilean film director Minogue was rumoured to be having an affair with, Alexander Dahm, says she's over the speculation.
"I had my baby three weeks ago so am resting here," Laura Dahm told a British reporter from her parents' house in Mexico.
"I am very tired and do not want to talk. This has all been too much for me. There is nothing wrong with me and Alex."

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Kylie-Minogue.aspx


Silverchair and Powderfinger announce tour supports
If you didn't buy your ticket for the upcoming sold-out Powderchair tour – the national trek by Powderfinger and Silverchair – you might be kicking yourself right now.
The tour kicks off on Wednesday 29 August in Newcastle and the bands have just announced the local acts who will be supporting them across the country.
From the indigenous sounds of Arnhem Land outfit Narbarlek to new rap sensation Street Warriors, Powderfinger and Silverchair will also be joined on the road by the likes of The Beautiful Girls, Expatriate, Andrew Morris, Dan Kelly, Blue King Brown, The Scare, Kev Carmody, Something With Numbers, Epicure and Wire MC. For more information, see www.acrossthegreatdivide.com.au.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Silverchair.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Powderfinger.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Andrew-Morris.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Youth-Group.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Something-With-Numbers.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Expatriate.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Dan-Kelly.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Kev-Carmody.aspx


Two die at Ozzfest
Two men have died at US music festival Ozzfest after embarking on a drink and drugs spree in Holmdel, New Jersey.
Raymond Guarino, 26, and Patrick Norris, 24, were hoping to catch acts like Hatebreed, Lamb Of God and Devildriver, but were taken to a nearby medical centre after taking cocaine, marijuana and alcohol at the event. They were pronounced dead upon arrival.
Live Nation, the promoter of the Ozzfest shows, washed their hands of any wrong-doing and claimed they cannot police the festival car-park as it's not officially part of the event.
"Although we do not have jurisdiction over the parking lot, we fully support the decision of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and State Police to ban alcohol on the parking lot premises," they said in a statement.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Hatebreed.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Lamb-Of-God.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Static-X.aspx
http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Devildriver.aspx


Pete Doherty arrested yet again
Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty has been arrested yet again on drug charges.
The singer, who performed four hours late at the V Festival in the UK on Sunday 19 August, was grabbed by police not long after the event's closure, with a Scotland Yard spokesman confirming that "a 28-year-old man was arrested in east London on suspicion of possession of drugs".
Doherty is due back in court on Tuesday 4 September to answer similar charges and there's a good chance he'll receive a custodial sentence.
Meanwhile, according to NME.com, Babyshambles are set to make a "huge" announcement tomorrow. Stay tuned.

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