Monday Morning Newsletter (08/18/08)

Jackson Browne is suing presidential candidate John McCain! Apparently in these early stages of alzheimers McCain forgot about copyright law. The somewhat senile Republican nominee has been using the Browne’s 1977 hit "Running on Empty" in a campaign ad without permission. The suit names the Republican National Committee and the Ohio Republican Party as defendants, seeking an injunction and $75,000 in damages.

In other exciting legal maneuvers, Virgin Records is suing 30 Seconds to Mars for $30 million. Apparently Jared Leto has failed to deliver the 3rd album required to complete their 3 album contract. The band's last album, "A Beautiful Lie," was released in 2005. Jared Leto intends to make a film about the lawsuit to bring attention to the plight of exploited corporate lawyers.

Classic rock super group Big Noize will be trekking out to Iraq to perform for the troops. Joe Lynn Turner of Deep Purple, Phil Soussan from the Ozzy Osbourne band, Carlos Cavazo of Quiet Riot and Simon Wright of AC/DC will hit the desert this September. The tour will continue into Kuwait, Dubai and Hindustan over the fall. Turner actually will be taking the opportunity to pimp his new solo album tentatively titled Don't Shoot, I'm With The Band.

In a daring digital move, The Walkmen have released their new album, You & Me, exclusively on AmieStreet.com. Fans can purchase the album for only $5, all proceeds will be donated to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. José has a five-spot burning hole in his pocket.

After all that talk of a new record, The Allman Brothers are now suing UMG for $13 million. The suit is alleges two things. 1. Improper payouts on CDs, and 2. It asks for a 50% royalty on digital formats. Many artists now are realizing that the royalties paid out on digital downloads are unfair as they’re structured based on the shipping of a 10-inch fragile shellac record on horseback.

Avenged Sevenfold will be releasing a CD/DVD set Live In The LBC & Diamonds In The Rough a compilation of live cuts and rarities. The set will be landing September 16th through Warner Bros. Records. José is amused how early in a band’s career these rarities comps are starting to come out.

In Malaysia the Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (an Islamic political group) is pressuring the government to cancel a concert by Avril Lavigne. They actually complain that she is "too sexy." The ruling Islamic party Parti KeADILan Rakyat retorted that she was about as sexy as a 10-year–old boy. Lavigne, had planned to start her Asian tour in Kuala Lumpur on Aug. 29.

José would like to thank Rihanna this week for her new single "Disturbia." As atrocious a pop single it is, it ended Katy Perry's seven-week plague called "I Kissed a Girl. Perry is not the first women to get attention by pretending to be gay, nor will she be the last.

Monday Morning Newsletter, Cinco de Mayo Edition

Today is Cinco De Mayo. José normally would take a patriotic holiday but he blew last week’s newsletter so I owe the man. In 1862 my people kicked some French ass in Puebla, Mexico. My brethren celebrate this day by getting drunk, sexually assaulting women during parades and shooting rifles in the air. José will head on down to Tony Luke's for lunch celebrate National Hoagie Day instead.

Billboard Magazine celebrated Earth Day this year with a list of 10 acts that gone green in the past 12 months. I’ll resist the urge to make weed jokes about Willie.

Kali, Ac, Demo and M.E.G.A, all four members of the band Steed Lord, were all injured in a car wreck last month. They were on the way to the Reykjavik airport in Iceland. Two members had major internal injury and others had several broken bones. Recent statements indicate they are no more brain damaged now than before.

Bon and Douglas have been working with Jason Payne on the first new Nitzer Ebb record in over 10 years. Producer Flood has been tight-lipped about the album. Nitzer Ebb played a small number of shows and festivals during their 2007 reunion tour. Despite continual bootlegging very little of the new material has reached Limewire. Dammit.

Korn guitarist James ‘Munky’ Shaffer has announced he will release a solo album titled Fear and the Nervous System. It’s slated for release August 8th on his own label Emotional Syphon recordings. Despite the all-star line up, it is expected to suck as bad as Fieldy’s Dream.

Pearl Jam have begun working on demos for what will become their ninth studio album. This will be their first with producer Brendan O’Brien since 1998. This will be their first release since 2006. McCready said “We’re hoping to release the record later this year after my rectum stops bleeding.”

The missing helium-filled pig balloon has been found! During Roger Waters' headlining set Sunday at the Coachella Music Festival the balloon escaped it’s moorings. It was found Thursday in the Southern California desert in pieces. This is the second time that Mr. Waters pig has escaped and attempted suicide.

Avril Lavigne has had to cancel a few tour dates due to losing her voice. She is planning on laying off the whiskey and smokes for a few days hoping to bounce right back. Refunds were issued for dates scheduled in Anaheim and Los Angeles.

Robert Smith of The Cure has announced that they will be releasing a new single each month leading up to the release of their 13th studio album in September. Of course It’s already may so that means 4 singles. It’s really not all that impressive after Bishop Allen released an EP every month for all of 2006.