Monday Morning Newsletter (3/2/09)

While promoting his recent solo release Happy In Galoshes, Scott Weiland let slip that Stone Temple Pilots will be releasing a record sometime in 2010. The stars are aligned the DeLeo brothers have begun writing music and Scott’s back on heroin.

The Swiss hardcore band Solid Ground has recorded one final EP This World Keeps Spinning Without You before breaking it off as a group. Let it Burn Records is making it available as a free download here

Faith No More has announced a reunion tour. The reformed lineup will include Billy Gould, Mike Patton, Mike Bordin, and Roddy Bottum. They even invited guitarist Jon Hudson, who only played on Faith No More's 1997's release Album of the Year. There is no planned US tour.

Jewel has copped out on performing on “Dancing with the Stars.” She attributes the bow out to tendinitis in both knees . The program would have started March 9. Jose was really looking forward to her cleavage. Bummer.

Lil' Wayne is now facing criminal gun possession charges at a trial scheduled to begin April 20, a New York judge said on Tuesday. Prosecutors allege a gun was found in his tour bus in July 2007 and if Wayne is convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison

The Melvins are 25 years old! This may seem strange since King Buzzo is 45. For the anniversary they are planning a string of shows where they will perform the "Houdini" record in its entirety. Additionally they will do a set of material dating to their "Mangled Demos" circa 1983. Jose will not miss this tour.

Jane’s Addiction is putting out a box set this April. Despite a series of reunions much of their catalog remains rarities. Rhino Records will release A Cabinet of Curiosities. The box set includes one DVD and three CDs focused on the band's original lineup with Eric Avery.

Also dropping a box set this April is the Jesus Lizard. Their box set Inches contains exceedingly rare out-of-print material and will only be sold at independent record stores. Bob Weston remastered the material and Touch & Go Records does the honors.

Monday Morning Newsletter (04/21/08)

A happy Patriot's Day to you as we celebrate with another Monday Morning Newsletter from Mr. Fritz.

Jane's Addiction will be reuniting April 23rd to receive the NME Godlike Genius Award. Strangely that is a real award, previously won by the likes of Manic Street Preachers, Primal Scream and Ian Brown [Editor's Note: This award is for the NME Awards' first US edition. Also, the Manics are from Wales and Ian Brown is from Manchester]. This would be the first time the award went to a band not from London. Original bassist Eric Avery announced he will return to the band for the first time since 1991 for the event.

Scars on Broadway is mixing their first release, tentatively scheduling their self-titled debut for July. The band is a collaborative effort between System of a Down's Daron Malakian and John Dolmaya. Malakian released a press statement saying “It has to be better than Serart, right?”

Eyeball Records signed the Wilkes-Barre based band An Albatross. The group's debut for the Jersey-based label will be available this fall.

Panic At the Disco’s album Pretty. Odd. has performed so poorly that after a month they’re planning their next release. Ryan Ross was quoted as saying “we’re doing to go back to Vegas, hit some titty bars, gamble a little, drink a lot and rethink the whole thing.” Despite that their label, Fueled by Ramen intends to release the next single May 2.

Internationally famous media mogul and evil bastard Clive Davis has announced he is stepping down as from his position as CEO of the Sony Music Group. Davis is not leaving the label, instead taking on a different role as King of all media unseating Howard Stern. Barry Weiss, head of the labels Zomba Label Group, steps into Davis’s old shoes.

RZA of the Wu-tang Clan is off his maintenance medication. A source informs Jose Fritz that RZA’s long-subressed multiple personality has resurfaced and even recorded a record. Bobby Digital is back for the first time in almost a decade. RZA said of Bobby’s work “ODB used to just put the recorder on, get drunk and make noise… You’re in your car or you’re in your crib, and it’s that hour of the day when you smoke weed and shit.” Jose didn’t even make up that part.

Rapper Foxy Brown was released from prison this week. Family and fans greeted her Friday outside Rikers Island where she has been incarcerated for 8 months. She was quoted as saying "I did almost a year in prison, a year in prison, just because my name is Foxy Brown." State Attorney general Spitzer retorted :Actually it was for beating up a manicurist.”

The living children of famed pianist Ray Charles have accused Joe Adams, his longtime manager, of mismanaging his estate. Adams said in a formal statement, "just because he can't see doesn’t mean he didn’t know what was in the contract.”