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.
