MUSIC NEWS: Tons and tons and tons of news and notes for 4/12/07

By Art Shimko
shimko_7@hotmail.com

-- U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson ruled last week that Collier County deputies didn't use excessive force in subduing Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson (Alex Zivojinovich) and his son Justin at a New Year's Eve 2003 party at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, FL. Justin had been escorted by deputies from the hotel after he'd attempted to climb onto the platform where the house band performed. Alex followed the deputies and his son and fight between them and the deputies ensued with Alex and Justin being restrained with Tasers and Alex getting a broken nose. Lifeson's lawyer says the case will be appealed.

-- A video interview with Nick Raskulinecz who produced Rush's upcoming Snakes & Arrows album.

-- Germs drummer Don Bolles was arrested last week when Newport Beach police found GHB in a bottle of peppermint Dr. Bronner's soap in Bolles' car. Bolles was charged with felony drug possession and was in jail for three days before getting released on Easter Sunday. A hearing is scheduled on Friday at the Harbor Justice Center [4601 Jamboree Road] in Newport Beach, CA at 8:30AM.

-- Snoop Dogg (Cordozar Calvin Broadus Jr.) plead no-contest to gun possession by a felon and sale or transportation of marijuana in Pasadena, CA on Thursday. Snoop agreed to a ruling of five years' probation and 800 hours of community service.

-- The Sounds of The Underground tour starts on 7/6 in Dallas and the bands announced include GWAR, Chimaira, Every Time I Die and Job For A Cowboy. Ticket info: PRESALE starting April 25th and EVERYWHERE May 11.

-- Apple Corps and EMI Records are suing a cleaning company called Crystal Services PLC when one of their cleaners threw out several photos and negatives of The Beatles including transparencies of Beatles photos taken in 1963 and used for their first album Please Please Me and a compilation album in 1973. The value of these photos and transparencies is said to be $1.4 million. "The cleaner removed the photographic material and disposed of it by placing it for compaction in a waste compactor and collection by refuse collectors," the lawsuit says. "The compacted waste was removed by refuse collectors, and despite EMI's best efforts, the photographic material was irretrievably lost."

-- So why is Guns N' Roses postponing their world tour? "I feel so bad right now," explains bassist Tommy Stinson. "I accidentally fell down a flight of stairs. I put my hand down to break my fall and heard a loud 'pop.' The next morning my hand looked like a balloon. I went to see my doctor, and while the good news is that it's not broken, the bad is news is it's severely sprained and I may have done some ligament damage. We had our last rehearsal a few days ago and shipped the gear to Japan and then this happened. I feel horrible. "I'd like to apologize to our Japanese fans that were looking forward to seeing us and know that we will we see you all soon. Again, we'd like to sincerely thank our fans worldwide for their patience and support."

-- Ronald Leon Rakow, former Grateful Dead manager was sentenced to five years in federal prison for tax evasion. Rakow, 69, owes $2.2 million to the I.R.S., his sentence begins in June. Rakow asked for a lighter sentence but U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Morrow rejected the request saying Rakow chose to break the law to accomodate his "comfortable lifestyle".

-- James Brown made the top of BET's Top 25 Dancers special that aired this week, others on the list were: 2) Michael Jackson; 3) Nicholas Brothers; 4) Chris Brown; 5) Janet Jackson; 6) Prince; 7) MC Hammer; 8) Savion Glover; 9) Beyonce; 10) The Temptations; 11) Usher; 12) Alvin Ailey; 13) Jennifer Lopez; 14) Bobby Brown; 15) Omarion; 16) Shakira; 17) Cab Calloway; 18) Aaliyah; 19) Tina Turner; 20) Missy Elliot; 21) Gregory Hines; 22) Rosie Perez; 23) Big Daddy Kane; 24) Puffy; 25) Ciara

-- Johnny Cash's Hendersonville, TN lakeside home was destroyed in a fire on Tuesday. Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, lived in the house from the '60s up until their deaths in 2003 and hosted everyone there from Billy Graham to Bob Dylan. Cash also wrote a lot music in the house and parts of his Hurt video there. Roy Orbison was a neighbor at one point and aspiring songwriter Kris Kristofferson once landed a helicopter on Cash's property to pitch him a song. Barry Gibb bought the 13,880-square-foot home last January for $2.3 million which was built by Nashville builder Braxton Dixon in 1967.

-- Velvet Revolver's Libertad album won't be released until late June, it had been reported the album would be out on 6/5 but that date was never confirmed. The group is currently on tour in South America and begins a U.S. tour on 5/14 at House of Blues in L.A.

-- Line-ups for the Live Earth concerts taking place on 7/7 in both the U.S. and the UK:
UK Line-up (Wembley Stadium, London; tickets on sale Friday 4/13 at LiveEarth.MSN.com)
BEASTIE BOYS; BLACK EYED PEAS; BLOC PARTY; CORINNE BAILEY RAE; DAMIEN RICE; DAVID GRAY; DURAN DURAN; FOO FIGHTERS; GENESIS; JAMES BLUNT; JOHN LEGEND; KEANE; MADONNA; PAOLO NUTINI; RAZORLIGHT; RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS; SNOW PATROL

US Line-up (Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ; tickets on sale Monday 4/16 at livenation.com/liveearth or by calling Ticketmaster at (212) 307-7171)
AFI; AKON; ALICIA KEYS; BON JOVI; DAVE MATTHEWS BAND; FALL OUT BOY; JOHN MAYER; KANYE WEST; KELLY CLARKSON; KT TUNSTALL; LUDACRIS; MELISSA ETHERIDGE; RIHANNA; ROGER WATERS; SHERYL CROW; SMASHING PUMPKINS; THE POLICE

-- Apple announced that the 100 millionth iPod was sold this week. I think they still make computers too.

-- Paul Stanley will be showcasing his artwork at the Wentworth Galleries in Maryland and Virginia. On Friday 6/22 at 6-9PM Stanley will appear at:
Wentworth Gallery -- White Flint
11301 Rockville Pike; North Bethesda, MD 20895
RSVP: 301.816.7974

Saturday 6/23 from 6-9PM at:
Wentworth Gallery -- Tysons Galleria
1731 M International Drive; McLean, VA 22102
RSVP: 703.883.0111

-- Avril Lavigne's The Best Damn Thing album is in stores on Tuesday 4/17.

-- Live Nation will in charge of managing and booking the Hollywood Palladium in L.A. They will also be renovating the 4,000-capacity legendary venue for a September 2008 opening.

-- String Cheese Incident announced dates for their final tour this summer as guitarist Billy Nershi will be leaving the band. Dates are:
6/15 Bonnaroo Manchester, TN
7/12-7/14 Beacon Theatre New York, NY
7/21-7/22 Greek Theatre Berkeley, CA with Sound Tribe Sector 9 (7/21) and with Railroad Earth (7/22)
7/27-7/29 Venue TBA Oregon
8/3-8/5 Camp Zoe Salem, MO Big Summer Classic
8/10-8/12 Red Rocks Morrison, CO

-- Jazz torch singer Diana Krall will be playing four nights (6/14-6/17) at the Hilton Theater in Las Vegas featuring the The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.

-- Beatles Settle Royalty Dispute With EMI

-- "Idol" Finalist Sex Tape -- "Nastiest I've Ever Seen"

-- 2 N.Y. bench warrants for rapper DMX

-- Fan seeks pardon for deceased Doors frontman Jim Morrison

-- Spector Defense: Clarkson Was Despondent
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