Rivers Cuomo Week: The Bomb

antiMusic reports: Happy holidays! As our present to you this week, we will be celebrating the release of "Alone: the Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo". The Weezer frontman has opened up his vaults to share some of his home demos etc and each day we'll feature a new song story from Rivers. Today he tells us about "The Bomb":

As much as I had loved rap music and funk in recent years, it seemed like Weezer's sound was evolving in quite the opposite direction, towards uber-white non-funkiness. In fact, any attempt by any white musicians to play anything remotely "black" or funky struck Matt and me, with our new ultra-refined sensibility, as "bad style." We cringed with embarrassment and disgust whenever we saw a white person trying to rap or be funky in earnest. White people shouldn't try to be funky was the underlying belief.

But I loved rap music. And so I recorded this cover of one of Ice Cube's songs. I really had no idea how to sing it. I couldn't take my rap voice seriously so I kind of gave it a Beastie Boys scream and hid behind a wall of distortion.

Learn more about this CD, listen to samples and more at - more on this story

Bands Robbed on Christmas Eve

Lambgoat reports: The practice space of Arise and Ruin (Victory Records) in Guelph, Ontario was broken into on Christmas Eve, resulting in $10,000-$20,000 worth of stolen equipment.

In addition to Arise and Ruin, several other bands had gear taken, including Dearblackdiary and Ghost of Calico.

Anyone with information concerning the theft should contact Chris Panyco at the Guelph Police Dept. (519.824.1212 ext. 7153). - more on this story

Arrest Warrant for Rapper

AP reports: Rap performer Yung Joc, accused of taking a loaded gun to an airport, showed up seven hours late to his arraignment Wednesday and left court without commenting on the charge.

A judge issued an arrest warrant after Joc, whose real name is Jasiel Robinson, failed to appear in court for a scheduled 8:30 a.m. hearing. The warrant was revoked after Robinson showed up late that afternoon.

Robinson's attorney, Stanley Jackson Jr., told the court Robinson had personal financial and family obligations. - more on this story

Ozzy Bandit

Blabbermouth reports: Portland, Oregon's KPTV reports that a man accused of pulling out a gun at a Vancouver, Washington convenience store has a rock star alter ego.

The man, who called himself Ozzy Osbourne, pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot a convenience store clerk on Christmas Eve, according to police.

The clerk also said the man had been harassing customers at the store over the course of several hours. According to the clerk, the man has caused problems at other nearby businesses. - more on this story

Will Smith Says Hitler Not Such A Good Guy After All

TMZ reports: Will Smith is slamming a Scottish paper -- after one of its reporters twisted a quote he gave about Adolf Hitler in an interview -- and kicked up an unnecessary Internet s**tstorm.

Smith called the The Daily Record's quote "an awful and disgusting lie," and through his rep said he is "incensed and infuriated to have to respond to such a ludicrous misinterpretation.

"Adolf Hitler was a vile, heinous vicious killer responsible for one of the greatest acts of evil committed on his planet." Men in backtrack! - more on this story

Radiohead New Year's Eve Special

antiMusic reports: Can't stomach the network TVs pop offerings on New Year's Eve? Al Gore's short attention span cable network will be broadcasting a very special Radiohead performance that even those without ADD can enjoy!

Billboard has the story: Radiohead will perform its new album, "In Rainbows," in its entirety during a pre-taped, hour-long set that will premiere New Year's Eve on TV and the Internet.

The event will air on Current TV and Current.com starting 12 a.m. ET on Dec. 31, and will repeat three times throughout the next day. - more on this story

Eddie Van Halen Officially Single Again

SleazeRoxx.com reports: After seven years of separation, Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli have jumped forward and completed an amicable divorce.

The Los Angeles Superior Court judgment Thursday didn't provide details about a custody arrangement for their 16-year-old son, Wolfgang. The bass player is with his father on a Van Halen reunion tour.

Bertinelli cited irreconcilable differences when she filed for divorce in December 2005. The couple were married in 1981. - more on this story

Biggest Celebrity Paydays Of 07

antiMusic reports: Forbes has released their ' The Biggest Celebrity Paydays Of 2007' and among those listed are Howard Stern who probably isn't missing his old style radio gig- Sammy Hagar who managed to make a nice payday while his former bandmates are cashing in on the road and the now unemployed Jay-Z, who helped signify that marketing and merch are far more important in the music business today than the music. Here are some highlights:

Former Van Halen front man Sammy Hagar pocketed $80 million in May when Gruppo Campari, maker of Campari and Skyy vodka, bought the rocker's Cabo Wabo tequila brand in May.

Radio shock job Howard Stern, who topped last year's list, ranks No. 3 this year thanks to the $82 million stock bonus he earned from his bosses at Sirius for boosting subscriptions for a second year in a row.

Celebrity-owned businesses proved extremely lucrative last year. Jay-Z banked $82 million (before taxes) when he sold his urban apparel line Rocawear to Iconix Brand Group in a deal topping $204 million. - Check out the full list

Omarion Defends Chris Stokes Over Molestation Allegations

antiMusic reports: Former B2K manager Chris Stokes has denied allegations he sexually molested a member of the U.S. R&B group when the singer was a minor, according to UPI. Omarion has also gone on record about the accusations. Here is Omarion's statement: Below please find a statement from Omarion regarding the accusations against Chris Stokes made by Demario "Raz B" Thorton and Ricardo Thorton.

"I want to be on the record as saying that "Raz B" Thorton and Ricardo Thorton are lying regarding Chris Stokes. Chris is a father figure to myself, and many others in the industry. He's guided us, helped raised us and is nothing more than an inspiration and someone I respect to and look up to. I have spent countless hours, days, weeks and months with the man since the age of 5 and have never once seen him behave inappropriately. He's married to my aunt and I know this man very well. I stand behind him with no question whatsoever," said Omarion.

"I have grown up around Chris and this is crazy to me. These people have damaged me, and my reputation and I won't stand silent and will do all within my means to speak the truth about this matter," said Omarion. - Read the UPI story

Gene Simmons on Becoming Trump's Apprentice

BW&BK reports: KISS legend GENE SIMMONS spoke to Realitytvworld.com about The Celebrity Apprentice which is scheduled to premiere Thursday, January 3 at 9PM ET/PT on NBC.

Simmons decided to jump onboard despite his reputation as a tongue-wagging, demonic-face-painted rocker and reality patriarch.

"I went to a restaurant and I saw the powerful, attractive and world-famous Donald Trump there," recounted Simmons. "And on the way out, we exchanged pleasantries and it was sort of, 'Hey, you want to do the show?' kind of thing. It was very fast and I went to myself, 'Well I got a lot of stuff, KISS is going back out on tour. I got to, you know, I got to tie my shoe and - wait a minute. That's an interesting idea.'"

After giving it some thought, Simmons said he realized he's "lucky enough -- blessed -- to be the king of my own domain" and was eager to learn if that would still be the case if he was taken from his comfort zone - more on this story

Middian To Fight Defunct Band for Name

Metal Underground reports: As previously reported, Middian was slapped with a cease and desist order pertaining to the use of their name via a Wisconsin band called Midian. Although Middian initially announced plans to relinquish their name, they apparently now intend to combat the legal challenge. Here's a statement from the group:

"Middian may not be dead after all. As many of you know, Middian received a cease and desist demand in October from Midian of Milwaukee LLC. This demand required Middian to stop using our name completely, stop selling our album, and further demanded that all of our recorded CDs and albums be destroyed. Middian was served a cease and desist by a band that has never played outside of Wisconsin, hasn't put out a single record, or had a steady line-up in the last 7 years. They hadn't even updated their website since year 2000, as of a few weeks ago. We played Milwaukee in May, and no one there even mentioned a local band Midian of one 'd.' Nor did one of their 'fans' come to the show.

"Prior to this demand, we had never heard of them. Upon further research into the group, we discovered they had not used their name or trademark in years or even played outside of Wisconsin, ever. Our initial response was that our bands could peacefully co-exist. Especially since we learned that our usage combined with their non-usage entitled us to the name, rendering their trademark useless. But we felt it would be wasting everyone's time and money to send the issue to litigation. Besides, before the name Middian was chosen, a careful online search was done, proving that no other active unit had the same spelling.

"Instead of responding or agreeing to our offer of co-existence, they filed a federal suit against the three of us individually, our label (Metal Blade, who dropped us because of the suit), our booking agent (Nanotear Booking), and an online merchandiser we had never even heard of until we saw the complaint. - more on this story

Gorgoroth New Lineup and Legal Appeal

Blabbermouth reports: GORGOROTH guitarist Infernus — who is involved in a legal dispute with his estranged bandmates over the rights to the group's name — has issued the following update: "Infernus has now chosen to present his new [GORGOROTH] line-up. This new line-up consists of dedicated and serious musicians with healthy attitudes and personalities, musicians whom he has had the honour of being acquainted with for some years now. Infernus has high hopes and ambitions for his future collaboration with these musicians.

Tomas Asklund (DISSECTION) and Frank Watkins (OBITUARY) should need no further introductions. The work on [the new GORGOROTH album] 'Quantos Possund ad Satanitatem Trahunt' will continue according to schedule, and rehearsals will begin in Stockholm in the summer of 2008.

"...As previously stated, the legal proceedings [over the rights to the GORGOROTH name] which have already been instituted will continue as planned. Infernus and Regain Records have decided to appeal the decision of the Norwegian Patent Office's first department - more on this story

Soilent Green Set Date

Metal Underground reports: Southern sludge grind-metallers SOILENT GREEN will release their new album on April 15, 2008 via Metal Blade Records.

The CD was helmed by Erik Rutan (HATE ETERNAL, ex-MORBID ANGEL) at Mana Recording in St. Petersburg, Florida.

SOILENT GREEN are true road warriors and have played a countless number of shows and toured with bands like PANTERA, CLUTCH, MORBID ANGEL, EYEHATEGOD, BRUTAL TRUTH, ANAL CUNT, NAPALM DEATH, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, GWAR, and ISIS, just to name a few. - upcoming dates

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