Pink Sued by Scratch

Contact Music reports: Pop star Pink has been hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit by a musician who claims he has not been paid for work on the singer's 2001 album, Missundazstood.

Kyle Jones, who is known professionally as Scratch, claims he worked with the singer - real name born Alecia Moore - on the song Respect, but failed to receive payment for his contributions. However, he admits a final fee had not been agreed on and was simply discussed with Pink.

Jones claims the song also featured on Pink's DVD release, Live in Europe, and is seeking $717,600 (GBP358,800) in damages.
- Perhaps Pink Missundazstood that she was supposed to pay? No respect!

Dumbest Celebs

Contact Music reports: Lindsay Lohan has topped a new list of dumb celebrities. New York's Daily News has judged stars based on their IQs, poor fashion choices and bad judgment.

And Lohan, who spent time in rehab and jail this year (07) was dishonoured with the top spot for her "poor movie choices, delinquent behaviour and bad taste in men."

The actress/[wannabe]singer beat The Hills star Spencer Pratt, Britney Spears, socialite Kim Kardashian and Transformers star Shia LaBeouf. - We can't put much faith into this list since Paris didn't make the top five. Read said top five here

Slash Soundtrack

PR reports: Slash co-author Anthony Bozza has teamed up with MySpace to post an exclusive blog titled 'The Soundtrack' in which he gives his suggested tracks by Slash to listen to while reading the book. Here is an excerpt from the blog:

"During the course of poring through the hours of interview transcript we complied and writing the resulting narrative that you all know as Slash, I of course called upon Mr. Hudson's entire catalog, with and without Guns, for inspiration during many a late night.

"The book was intense work; we interviewed five nights a week from around midnight until the wee hours for a few months, and my writing took place over the next four months (I don't suggest trying this if you don't have to), typically on the same schedule." The blog, as well as videos of Slash himself discussing the book can be - found here and ponder why you listen to music while trying to read a book. Ironically "Better" is playing at antiMusic studios as this is posted. It's true.

Darfur Benefit CD and Charity Auction

PR reports: Waxploitation announced two items of good news today relating to its work benefiting Darfur. The label's "Causes 1: Darfur" benefit album far exceeded first week expectations, debuting at #32 on the iTunes album chart and virtually selling out it's first CD pressing in pre-orders alone. "This level of attention is not something we were expecting, given how grassroots our marketing efforts have been," said Waxploitation founder Jeff Antebi. "But it shows the strength of the fans and artists who participated and the enormous desire to help in Darfur. It's quite telling that on iTunes people have chosen to buy the album, instead of cherry picking individual songs. That says people are aware of how important the donation is."

In addition, Waxploitation announced today it will launch its upcoming Darfur Benefit Auction on Thursday, December 6. One hundred percent of the proceeds will be split between three non-profit organizations working in Darfur: Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam America.

This year's items have been donated by a "who's who" of artists, including signed guitars from The Flaming Lips, Avril Lavigne, Norah Jones, Nickelback, Deftones and Common, as well as items signed by Coldplay, Kanye West, Gorillaz, Gnarls Barkley, Wilco, TV on the Radio, The Decemberists, Bloc Party, Aesop Rock, Macy Gray and Thievery Corporation, to name a few. The auction also features unsigned items from Bob Marley, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Brian Wilson, Lupe Fiasco, Robbie Williams, Don Cheadle, Julius 'DR J' Erving, Bam Margera, MTV, Sony Playstation, Xbox, Zoo York, Adidas, T-Mobile, Nokia, Nintendo, Adult Swim among others. - bidders head here

Journey Find Their Voice

PR reports: Neal Schon (guitar), Jonathan Cain (keyboards), Ross Valory (bass), Deen Castronovo (drums)--is proud to introduce fans all over the world to their new lead singer, Arnel Pineda ("pin-eh-da"). He replaces Jeff Scott Soto, who parted ways with the band earlier this year after stepping in for Steve Augeri, who had to leave the band in 2006 for medical reasons.

Arnel hails from Quezon City in the Philippines and has been singing Journey songs--in addition to original material--with his band, The Zoo, for the past couple of years in clubs all over his homeland. Joining the legendary band is a dream come true for him. "It's so exciting to sing with one of the best bands in the world. It'll be a lot of hard work on my part and I'm actually looking forward to the scrutiny I'll get from the hardcore JOURNEY fans. I know they'll expect me to sound exactly like 'the voice' (Steve Perry), but that will never happen. I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world."

When it was time for JOURNEY to look for a new lead singer, the internet came to their rescue. Guitarist Neal Schon wanted someone new to the music business, so he turned to YouTube. - Is YouTube the new Match.com? Read more from the band about their new Steve "Oh Sherry" Perry here

Onelessmember for Onesidezero

PR reports: Onesidezero has announced they have parted ways with guitarist Levon Sultanian. A statement from the group reads as follows: "We have decided to part ways with Levon due to creative and personal differences," says frontman Jasan Radford.

"The past 11 years that Levon and I played together were some of the best times and some of the hardest, but as time goes on sometimes things change and you grow apart. He will be missed, but we will continue and I see Onesidezero having a strong and positive 2008. A special thanks to everyone for supporting Onesidezero."

The band will continue to support their recently released, self-titled, sophomore album with short headlining tour of the West Coast to round out the year, including a spot on 104.7 The Edge's "Not So Silent Night" show with Atreyu, Five Finger Death Punch and Fair To Midland. Onesidezero will kick off 2008 with a European tour - find out what bands they will play with in Europe. Not play with in that way you sicko. Then again considering which... all the dates are here

Louis XIV Part II

antiMusic reports: Louis XIV has announced details of their eagerly awaited second album, entitled "SLICK DOGS AND PONIES." The album - which features the #1 Specialty Charts hit, "Guilt By Association" - arrives online and in stores on January 29th.

The San Diego-based rock 'n' roll band will introduce fans to their new material via a series of upcoming concert dates, including a much-anticipated North American tour alongside Editors and Hot Hot Heat. The schedule kicks off on January 8th at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida's Culture Room and then traverses the nation through a Valentine's Day finale at Las Vegas' House of Blues on February 14th - more including the dates and remember the IRS loves it when you do your tax returns in Roman numerals!

BS Rumor of the Week: Britney and Paris Lesbian Blackmail Plot

Hecklerspray reports: If recent rumors are to be believed, Britney Spears is currently blackmailing Paris Hilton. And what does Spears hope is the end result of said blackmailing? Well its not the surrogate mother thing like we said – although if it ever is we sure hope to be the ones to break that news.

Our story today is juicy enough though, because it's said to include a Spears/Hilton lesbian blackmail plot. The two were hanging out on Spears' 26 birthday when the friendship went sour. During the party a picture was supposedly snapped of Hilton making out with a chick. According to a mysterious source:

"Britney and her pals wrote to Paris and told her they are hearing rumours of a new sex-tape scandal. The letter also claims the tape shows footage of Paris locking lips with one of Britney's female friends at a party. It warns Paris that if she continues being rude to people, the footage will be leaked online." - more on this story

Earlimart's Top CDs of the Year

Filter reports: It's Wednesday, and to reward everyone for their hard work making it through the last two and a half days of the week we present to you the top ten albums of the year according to Aaron Espinoza of Earlimart.

Earlimart released their new album Mentor Tormentor earlier this year on Majordomo Records to positive reviews and no doubt will have good things going in 2008.

Aaron Espinoza, Earlimart, in alphabetical order:
Aesop Rock – None Shall Pass (Def Jux)
Band of Horses – Cease to Begin (Sub Pop)
Field Music – Tones of Town (Memphis Industries)
Light FM – Save the Drama (Electronic)
Rademacher – Stunts (self released)
- See the rest of his list

Hate Eternal Set Release

antiMusic reports: Tampa, Florida's very own Hate Eternal is back with the follow up to their critically acclaimed 2005 release "I, Monarch," titled "Fury and Flames," [which] will be in stores and online everywhere on February 19th 2008 via Metal Blade Records. "Fury and Flames" will be the band's most diverse and emotionally fueled record to date due mainly in part to the passing of bassist and good friend Jared Anderson.

Hate Eternal founder and vocalist/guitarist Erik Rutan recently did an interview with MTVnews.com where he stated, "Jared was one of my best friends, and his passing away really affected me and influenced this record a lot. It's a very dark and heavy record — not just heavy as in 'heavy metal,' but heavy-hearted as well." - more including tracklisting

Let's Go Sailing for a Dick in a Box Remix

PR reports: Shana Levy left LA indie pop faves, Irving a few years back to pursue her own outfit, under the moniker Let's Go Sailing. This year has seen her taking flight with the release of her full-length debut, The Chaos In Order, with critics singing her praises, several songs being featured on Grey's Anatomy, and lauded US tours with the likes of Elvis Perkins.

Now one of her most popular songs, "Sideways," has received the ultimate remix treatment from Asa Taccone, renowned for having composed the music to the "Natalie Portman Rap" and the Emmy-award winning, modern-day classic "Dick in a Box," both of which earned instant infamy on Saturday Night Live. - Listen here

Inside Track with The Stephen King of Indie Pop

antiMusic reports: With a CD called "The Drunken Dance of Modern Man In Love," and a nickname of "the Stephen King of Indie Pop," Chris Robley caught our attention. He kept our attention with his moody yet intriguing music. His bio says that he writes songs out of pure obsession and intrigue with the dark side of human relationships. So we wanted to delve a little deeper into those themes with Chris and some of the songs on the CD. We were planning on just doing a Chris Robley week with one song featured a day but with a Rivers Cuomo (Weezer), Jon Foreman (Switchfoot), Bigelf(antiMusic album of the year selection), Tarja Turunen(ex-Nightwish) and more already booked for the coming weeks you can see our schedule is pretty full and since Chris did such an incredible job with the five song stories, we couldn't wait to publish them. So we decided to give them to you now if you can't wait for his week in the new year. Here is Chris with part of the story about "The Love I Fake":

This song inspired a music journalist in San Francisco to start a whole iTunes mix for songs about prostitutes. I think The Love I Fake and Roxanne are the only ones in there so far. Feel free to leave your suggestions in the box. So why a song about a prostitute? Sometimes I'll just come up with these little mental problems in my head that need solving, and it could be anything that sets it off. It might have been a movie or a discussion or an undigested bit of mustard that made me go pondering. Start with the question, develop the answer.

Everyone at some low point in their life needs to feel empowered amidst the chaos, and how could a prostitute feel empowered given the daily horrors? And the answer I came up with was by possessing or cultivating a kind of superior air about her and by making fun of the dude in her head while it's all going down. Quiet condescension. So hopefully the listener starts off feeling sorry for the girl, but ends up feeling sorry for the pathetic guys she emasculates with her barbed tongue.

Read the rest of this song story plus full stories on four more tracks from "The Drunken Dance of Modern Man In Love"!
- right here with the inside track

Top Stories of 2007: Kevin DuBrow Dead 6 Days Before He Was Found

antiMusic reports: For the rest of the year we are going to be looking back at most read articles from the past year. Today we feature the biggest story from the final week of November, a follow up to the sad news that Quiet Riot frontman Kevin DuBrow was found dead in his Las Vegas home. A cause of death is still not known. Here is the story: (KTNV/ABC) Police say after a distressed call from family members, Quiet Riot lead singer Kevin DuBrow's next door neighbor and friend kicked down the door to find the 52 year old dead.

Police say Dubrow had been dead for about six days before his body was discovered. Lori Lee Samson, Dubrow's fiancee, was the last person to see him alive. She says when days passed, she [k]new something was wrong.

Among the collection of memories, Lori Samson will forever save Dubrow's last words. "At 2:40 AM Monday he texted me 'I love you so much' ", Samson says. - more on this story

.... Review: Annie Lennox - Songs of Mass Destruction

Songs of Mass Destruction is an odd title for an Annie Lennox CD. After all, she is an artist who always uses her talent to lift spirits and comfort hurting ones. And this is an album that sounds good and soothes well. (4 stars) - Read the full Annie Lennox - Songs of Mass Destruction review

.... Review: Razzleblaster - Shopping... With Leeches

Another Locust clone from California, Razzleblaster offers a more metal twist on the experimental scene. The three-track EP includes some extreme bending over backwards for string sections, grindcore drums, and vocals ranging from Mike Patton to Locust. - Read the full Razzleblaster - Shopping... With Leeches review

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