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Steven Tyler Hanging Up His Scarves?

Posted on May 31, 2007 at 09:33 AM

Lock up your daughters and skin creams, the NY Post's Page Six this week reported that Steven Tyler may be leaving Aerosmith! The reason? That classic rock n' roll malady, egotism. For a band that survived stupendous amounts of drugs and alcohol in the 70s to become a healthy, money-making machine in the 80s and 90s to finally becoming mainstays of mainstream, pan-platform pop culture, this seems like a pretty stupid way to go out. Lame.

Is iconic rock band Aerosmith about to be leaderless? Liv Tyler, daughter of frontman Steven Tyler, has been telling people "her dad is going to announce he's leaving Aerosmith soon because he can't take how the rest of the band is treating him," a spy said. "She said they don't appreciate him." A rep for Liv - who is off to Toronto this summer to star in "The Hulk" with Ed Norton - said he couldn't reach the actress. A rep for Tyler said, "Liv never said anything about her father leaving Aerosmith."

Tagged as: Music

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In Case You've Been On Mars...

Posted on May 30, 2007 at 12:06 PM

...Britney Spears hit rock bottom. It's true, she says so herself. In a recent letter on her official website, Brit opens her heart to her fans and admits to having traveled a rocky road since her divorce from Fed Ex. She describes rehab as humbling, and notes that her shortiez were sound asleep at the time of writing. Also, she loves us for still loving her. Britney may be nuts, but she does seem genuine. Lindsay Lohan on the other hand, ugh.

Recently, I was sent to a very humbling place called rehab. I truly hit rock bottom. Till this day I don't think that it was alcohol or depression. I was like a bad kid running around with ADD. I had a manager from a long time ago come in and try to direct me and my life after I got my divorce. I was so overwhelmed I think that I was in a little shock too. I didn't know who to go to. I realized how much energy and love I had put into my past relationship when it was gone because I genuinely did not know what to do with myself, and it made me so sad. I confess, I was so lost.

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Lohan Back In Rehab

Posted on May 30, 2007 at 11:37 AM

Given the events of the weekend, it comes as no surprise that Lindsay Lohan has entered rehab. An intriguing consequence of Lohan's tragicomic misadventures is the effect of her actions on her career. As noted below, she's lost two roles in the past due to partying, and could lose a third this week, as she enters rehab a day before a new flick was supposed to get cameras rolling. Anyway, that New York Post front page says it all.

Lindsay Lohan has left the party train and is finally on the wagon.

The wild child star yesterday admitted herself at Promises drug and alcohol rehab in Malibu - the same facility her one-time pal Britney Spears used to try to kick her booze habit.

Lohan finally hit rock bottom after an alcohol-fueled Memorial Day weekend. In the process, she's jeopardized yet another one of her movies.

She was scheduled to begin filming "Poor Things," with Shirley MacLaine, tomorrow. A rep for the film did not return calls to say if she'd be replaced.

She dropped out of her last film, "The Edge of Love," a week before shooting because she refused to take a drug test, a source told The Post yesterday. She was replaced by Sienna Miller.

In July, "Georgia Rule" producer James G. Robinson blasted Lohan for showing up late to the set. He penned her a letter, calling her "irresponsible and unprofessional."

"We are well aware that your ongoing all-night heavy partying is the real reason for your so-called 'exhaustion,' " Robinson said. The movie has received horrible reviews since opening two weeks ago.

Lohan's high-powered L.A.-based lawyer Blair Berk drove the "Mean Girls" star yesterday to Promises, where she enrolled in a comprehensive 30-day inpatient program.

It was her last straw after a wild weekend that began with her cracking up her car Saturday morning, and ending with her collapsing outside a Hollywood club early Monday morning.

In between, she bizarrely made a "tipsy" appearance at frenemy Paris Hilton's barbecue, a source told The Post.

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The Craziest Garage Sale On Earth

Posted on May 29, 2007 at 03:40 PM

If you've ever wanted to own an authentically Michael Jackson-sweat-stained piece of onstage (and who knows, probably offstage, too) costumery, then head to the Hard Rock in Vegas, baby, for what is sure to be history's silliest auction. A treasure trove of Jackson family crap is being auctioned off tomorrow and Thursday. Items include a dress that Janet Jackson wore when she was 8 years old, and a telegram sent to MJ from Marlon Brando. I'm considering dropping my life's savings to get some of this. Who's in, etc. All proceeds do not go to charity.

Workers pulled glittery suits and platinum records out of cardboard boxes Sunday ahead of what's being called the largest auction of Jackson family memorabilia ever.

Auction staff unpacked and displayed more than 1,100 lots including rhinestone-studded costumes, faded documents and other mementoes at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The items are expected to fetch millions of dollars from bidders from around the globe Wednesday and Thursday.

"This really is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence," said Arlan Ettinger, president of auction house Guernsey's. "I cannot imagine that somewhere down the road some other collection could come out of the woodwork and rival this. It's not going to happen."

There's a Bill Whitten-designed militaristic red coat with gold rope that belonged to Michael Jackson, and a 1987 contract detailing his $30 million purchase of the California ranch that became the infamous "Neverland."

There's also a frilly pink "Mae West" dress worn by Janet Jackson at age 8 during family performances at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in 1974.

In a worn telegram from July 6, 1984, Marlon Brando encourages Michael Jackson before a show: "Please try not to make an (expletive) of yourself and please for God's sakes don't fall in the orchestra pit."

The items are to go on sale following a protracted court battle that ended two weeks ago when Michael Jackson's lawyers reached a confidential settlement and dropped an effort to block the auction.

Richard Altomare, chief executive of Universal Express Inc., the Boca Raton, Fla., luggage transportation company that owns the items, said Jackson's lawyers settled when they were convinced they had no legal claim to the goods.

"Despite his emotional attachment he had to accept he didn't have it," Altomare said.

As part of the settlement, Jackson was formally invited to attend, although it was unclear if he planned to do so.

Jackson, 48, has been living in Las Vegas planning his comeback after his 2005 acquittal in California on child molestation charges.

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The Police Are Back

Posted on May 29, 2007 at 12:26 PM

Here are some facts. The Police broke up in 1984. They were at the top of their careers. The Police broke up because they hated each other. They hated each other because they all had huge egos (perhaps not Andy Summers, though). No one ever thought they would get back together. Three months ago, they announced they were getting back together. They have been intensely rehearsing for those three months. This weekend, they played their first show in over two decades. The Police rule.

Playing loud and loose like they had never been away, the Police kicked off their first world tour in more than 20 years on Monday, delivering a two-hour set for 20,000 fans in Canada.

Singer/bass player Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland dusted off old favorites such as “Message in a Bottle,” “Roxanne” and “Every Breath You Take” during the show, the first of two at the GM Place arena.

“Since we haven’t been together in 25 years, I’d like to introduce the band. Andy, this is Stewart,” a casual Sting joked a few songs into the concert.

Famous fans in attendance included actress Penelope Cruz, and Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder. Sting’s wife, Trudie Styler, sang along ecstatically from her seventh-row berth, accompanied by Jerry Moss, the co-founder of the Police’s A&M Records label.

The tour unofficially kicked off the night before when the band played a dress rehearsal for about 4,000 members of its fan club. The Police have been rehearsing for about four months, after Sting decided the time was right for a reunion and called up his old bandmates.

The band broke up amid clashing egos in 1984, after the last date of its Synchronicity world tour in Australia, but it reunited for a handful of dates benefiting Amnesty International in 1986.

Sting went on to even greater fame and fortune as a solo artist delving into the pop, rock, jazz and even classical genres, while Copeland focused on composing for film and television, and Summers explored his jazz roots with various projects.

Monday’s show began with the early hit “Message in a Bottle,” an ode to loneliness drawn from the band’s second album, 1979’s “Reggatta de Blanc.” Six songs came from their final album, 1983’s “Synchronicity,” which topped the U.S. charts for 17 weeks.

Tunes such as “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” and “Walking on the Moon” recalled the band’s early reggae stylings, while the evening’s final song, “Next To You,” served as a reminder of its punk-rock roots.

Tagged as: Music

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Lohan Wears Hoodie, Passes Out

Posted on May 29, 2007 at 12:05 PM

In the words of the Giant on Twin Peaks, It is happening again. Astonishingly immature star Lindsay Lohan had quite the weekend in La La Land. Let's review the timeline. Early Saturday morning, around 5:30am, Lohan was arrested after hitting a curb on Sunset Boulevard. Apparently, she was speeding. In the vehicle (but not on Lohan), cocaine was found. Yes! Classic Lohan. Then, early on the morning of Memorial Day, Lohan was photo'd passed out in the passenger seat of a friend's car. This was doubtless Lohan's tribute to our troops on that most solemn of American holidays.

Lindsay Lohan, who was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Saturday in Beverly Hills, California, was photographed less than 48 hours later slumped in the passenger seat of a car.

Web site X17online.com posted the photos Monday, which it said were taken early that morning at a gas station after the 20-year-old actress left the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, California, with a girlfriend.

The photos show Lohan, wearing a gray hooded sweat shirt, with her mouth open and her eyes shut, apparently asleep. Another photo shows her kneeling on the ground, her back to the camera, apparently before getting into the vehicle.

Leslie Sloane Zelnik, Lohan's publicist, didn't return repeated phone calls and e-mail messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Lohan was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Saturday after her convertible struck a curb in Beverly Hills, and investigators found what they believe is cocaine at the scene, police said.

The actress and two other people were riding in her 2005 Mercedes SL-65 when it crashed on Sunset Boulevard around 5:30 a.m., Sgt. Mike Foxen said. It appeared Lohan was speeding, Lt. Mitch McCann said at an afternoon news conference.

Officers at the scene found a "usable amount" of a drug tentatively identified as cocaine, McCann said. He declined to say where the drug was found other than to say Lohan wasn't carrying it.

Photo via.

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Lohan Party Nets Boozy Sponsor

Posted on May 24, 2007 at 08:59 AM

A quick update on the upcoming Lindsay Lohan 21st Birthday Bash we recently told you about - it will be sponsored by a vodka company. You heard us right. Lohan's party will be sponsored by Svedka Vodka, despite the fact that the not yet 21 Lohan has already been treated for alcoholism in rehab and is a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. Nice.

Lindsay Lohan's 21st birthday party will be sponsored by a vodka company, according to her lawyer.

The actress' legal representative Mike Heller has revealed Svedka Vodka will be one of the sponsors of Lindsay's upcoming July birthday bash.

Heller told Us Weekly magazine: "This should be one of the best parties ever."

However, the star's representative is not willing to discuss her party plans, saying: "I am unaware of who is sponsoring Lindsay's birthday, as I am not the one planning it."

Lindsay - who reaches the landmark age on July 2 - checked into the Wonderland rehab centre in January, to be treated for alcoholism, following an all-night drinking binge at the Golden Globe Awards.

She is now a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, despite not yet being legally old enough to drink in the US.

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Non Rap-Rock Group At Number One

Posted on May 24, 2007 at 08:40 AM

It had been a long time, but apparently Linkin Park's four year absence did no harm to their standing on the rock map. Minutes To Midnight, their first release since 2003's Meteora, sold well over half a million copies in its first week of release. Clearly, the band's exasperation-filled denials of being a rap-rock band did not harm their sales. I guess Linkin Park's fans were all about the rock.

Linkin Park have scored this year's best-selling album on the US Billboard charts with 'Minutes To Midnight'.

Hitting the Number One spot this week with 623,000 copies sold, it is the highest-selling album of 2007 in its debut week, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The last album to sell more copies the first week of its release was Jay-Z's 'Kingdom Come', which sold 680,000 copies last December.

As previously reported, Linkin Park have recruited My Chemical Romance and Placebo to headline their Project Revolution tour throughout North America this summer.

Photo via.

Tagged as: Music

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A Scott Stapp Update

Posted on May 23, 2007 at 12:20 PM

Because I know you want it, here is an update on CreedGate, aka The Scott Stapp Affair. A jdge reduced the aggaravated assault charges against Stapp after Stapp's defense attorney argued that the weapon in question, a bottle of Orangina, was not a deadly weapon. Maybe not, but a bottle of Orangina can cause some deadly heartburn. It may not get you right away, but over time...

A charge against former Creed frontman Scott Stapp stemming from an apparent confrontation with his wife was reduced to a misdemeanor Monday.

Stapp had been charged with aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony after he was arrested at his home Sunday. No one was injured, Palm Beach County sheriff's officials said.

Judge Cory J. Ciklin reduced the charge "because the allegation is that Stapp threw a bottle of Orangina at his wife, at her head, and missed and the bottle broke," sheriff's spokesman Paul Miller said.

"Based on the circumstances, the defense attorney argued that was not a deadly weapon," Miller said.

"This is a private matter between the members of the Stapp family and we would hope that their privacy is respected. Scott and Jaclyn are both well, and any further relevant information will be forthcoming at the appropriate time," said a statement from Stapp's record company, Wind-up Records.

Stapp was scheduled to be released Monday on supervised release. He would be subject to random drug and alcohol testing, Miller said.

Tagged as: Music

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G-Unit Is Everywhere

Posted on May 22, 2007 at 12:05 PM

Here's a bizarre, unsettling image from today's New York Times. Attacks today in two Sunni neighborhoods in Baghdad killed at least 29. Sadly, such news is somewhat common. Also, apparently somewhat common? Marketing images. In this photo, a survivor walks through the rubble in his G-Unit jersey. The American corporate machine's tentacles reach far deeper, and more successfully, than even military might. What a world we live in.

Tagged as: Current Affairs

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Indie Rock's Mainstream Move

Posted on May 22, 2007 at 08:23 AM

It seems hard to believe, but indie rock has gone mainstream. Some of the giants (with a small g) of indie rock have their music on TV commercials or major TV shows, and they regularly sell out larger and larger venues. Omaha troubadour Bright Eyes is set to play seven nights at New York's Town Hall. How did this happen? According to the Denver Post, the internet is the key. The internet has made every band a local band, says Alexandra Patsavas of L.A.'s Chop Shop Music Supervision, a firm that places music in TV shows, ads, and more. The soundtrack to Spiderman 3 bypassed traditional major label acts in favor of acts like The Walkmen, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Flaming Lips. And there is no end in sight.

An excerpt from the article below. Also below, the Denver Post's list of Hall Of Fame Indie albums. Link via the incomparable Brooklyn Vegan.

The revolution known as indie rock - a subgenre emphasizing individual creative interests over commercial viability - has landed squarely in the mainstream. Bands that used to rock warehouse tours, playing to crowds of 20 or 30 people throughout the Midwest, are now in major films, primetime broadcast and cable television shows, and commercials for McDonald's, Dell and Nissan.

"I don't know if it's quite a revolution as much as it is an eventuality," said Ben Gibbard, the singer-songwriter behind Death Cab for Cutie. "People don't play rock 'n' roll on the radio anymore. But the people who grew up loving rock 'n' roll - the Beatles and Big Star - the kids 10 years older than us who loved R.E.M. and the Replacements, they didn't stop liking music.

"The mainstream culture ceased to make it a priority," he said. "There had to be a breaking point where people were suddenly going to find out about all this music happening in the underground, and I guess that's where we're at."

Jordan Tappis, president and owner of the Record Collection label and the executive producer of the "Spider-Man 3" soundtrack, said the move toward indie rock was not "a conscious decision ... because it was the flavor of the moment. But I think (Sony) was more open-minded to doing it this way because of the commercial viability of bands like the Shins and Modest Mouse."

Indie rock's hall of fame

A list of essential indie rock albums is something fans could bicker over for years, but here's our list of a dozen records that help define the subgenre and its exciting history.

"Zen Arcade," Hüsker Dü: This 1984 double-LP concept album on SST changed the rules in the American underground.

"Tim," the Replacements: The Replacements were just making their transition to the majors with this release, which was a poetic melding of the hard-core and accessible.

"Daydream Nation," Sonic Youth: Two LPs, 14 songs and careening art rock made the ground shake in 1988.

"You're Living All Over Me," Dinosaur Jr.: This primal, thrashy masterpiece was influenced by everything surrounding it, yet still maintained its originality.

"III," Sebadoh: You'll often hear lo-fi thrown around while talking indie rock, and this classic is what they mean.

"Slanted and Enchanted," Pavement: Of all its records, this is where Pavement tapped the vein.

"Bee Thousand," Guided by Voices: It took a while for Bob Pollard to be heard outside of Ohio. But this record busted the state line and started something special.

"Exile in Guyville," Liz Phair: Most records with 18 songs are excessive. Not this one.

"In the Aeroplane Over the Sea," Neutral Milk Hotel: If you're a fan of melodic rock music, quirky or not, this record demands to be part of your collection.

"69 Love Songs," Magnetic Fields: Stephin Merritt is a songwriter of the people, and this is his most impressive outing.

"Kill the Moonlight," Spoon: Song for song, one of the most consistent indie rock releases of all time.

"Funeral," the Arcade Fire: An exuberant instant classic that scored a 9.7 rating from the notoriously tough Pitchfork, this record is one of the greatest debuts in rock history.

Tagged as: Music

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More Britney Crap

Posted on May 22, 2007 at 08:13 AM

Britney apparenly likes to join the Mile High Club in style; no leather seats? No way she's flying. Britney demanded to be let off an airplane that had no leather seats with the same fervor that fans at her recent shows demanded she play more than five songs and not lipsync.

What can we say? Apparently she likes her leather.

Britney Spears reportedly threw a temper tantrum on a United Airlines flight en route from Los Angeles to Miami on Friday night because the plane didn’t have leather seats, according to the New York Post's Page Six based on info from Splash News.

As a result, just minutes before takeoff, Britney reportedly demanded to be let off the flight.

“She just said, ‘I don’t want to fly on this plane. It hasn’t got leather seats,’ ” passenger Tony Sanchez reportedly told Splash News. “Some people were getting really annoyed.”

According to the report, the plane's captain and crew accommodated Britney’s request and let her off the flight.

Britney was scheduled to perform at the House of Blues in Orlando on Saturday night, followed by a Sunday performance in South Beach.

The trek to Florida marks the latest stops in Britney's abbreviated tour which has so far hit San Diego, Anaheim and Los Angeles.

Photo via.

Tagged as: Current Affairs

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The Worst Album Covers Ever Created

Posted on May 21, 2007 at 12:16 PM

In this age of downloads, album artwork is in danger of slipping away into the vinyl crates of history. Once upon a time, artwork was as examined, lusted after and loved as the music they illustrated. Thankfully, there's a website that gathers together some of the finest art from a bygone era. My favorite? Por Primera Vez By Tino. See them all here.

Tagged as: Music

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Insert Creed Joke Here

Posted on May 21, 2007 at 09:58 AM

But wait - Creed IS a joke, I hear you saying. Indeed they are! But due to active dislike of Creed and their catalog, I can't think of a single song or album title to use in a joke about this. This being Scott Stapp's arrest last night. There is nothing funny about alleged domestic violence. There IS something funny about Scott Stapp and his music. Actually, there's nothing funny about that, either.

Former Creed frontman Scott Stapp was arrested at his home Sunday and charged with assault related to domestic violence, authorities said.

Stapp was charged with one count of domestic assault with intent to commit a felony and was being held without bond, according to a Palm Beach County Jail official who was reached by telephone and would not give her name.

No one was injured and no one was taken to the hospital, said Paul Miller, a Sheriff's Office spokesman.

Miller declined to identify the victim and said he had no information about any physical violence.

"We don't know exactly what occurred here," said Miller.

It was not immediately known if Stapp had an attorney.

Stapp, 33, was married a year ago last February at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami to former Miss New York Jaclyn Nesheiwat.

Nesheiwat declined to comment Sunday night.

"It's just a rough time," she told The Palm Beach Post.

Stapp's former band Creed sold more than 25 million records in the United States. He has since launched a solo singing career.

Tagged as: Music

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Trent Reznor: My Label Sucks

Posted on May 17, 2007 at 10:24 AM

Never let it be said that Trent Reznor doesn't care. Or if he doesn't, he's doing a good job of faking it. In a letter on his website, Reznor rips into his label, Universal Music Group, for it's pricepoint for the Australian version of NiN's latest, Year Zero. If you're down under and want to pick up Year Zero, it's going to set you back 35 Austrailan dollars. That's works out to about 30 U.S. bucks. Ridiculous, right? Which is why Trent called up the label to complain. Their response is below.

Nine Inch Nails main man Trent Reznor has spoken out against his label, Universal Music Group, via a website post for ripping off his "true fans" with the steep pricing of Year Zero, NIN's latest chart-topper and follow up to 2005's With Teeth. "As the climate grows more and more desperate for record labels, their answer to their mostly self-inflicted wounds seems to be to screw the consumer over even more," Reznor wrote from his Australian tour. "The ABSURD retail pricing of Year Zero in Australia. Shame on you, UMG [Universal Music Group]. Year Zero is selling for $34.99 Australian dollars ($29.10 US). No wonder people steal music. Avril Lavigne's record in the same store was $21.99 ($18.21 US)."

Reznor continued, saying he telephoned his label about the over pricing of the album copies, and spoke to someone there. According to Reznor's post, this is what the label rep told him: "It's because we know you have a real core audience that will pay whatever it costs when you put something out...It's the pop stuff we have to discount to get people to buy." Reznor's response: "I guess as a reward for being a 'true fan' you get ripped off."

Tagged as: Music

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America's Million Dollar Smile

Posted on May 17, 2007 at 10:08 AM

When you've got something great, you want to insure it. Keith Richards knew to insure his fingers, Dolly Parton knew to insure her breasts and (it's rumored) David Lee Roth knew to insure his weiner. America Ferrera, TV's Ugly Betty, has a heck of a smile. And though she isn't so vain as to think to insure her smile, Aquafresh is! The toothpaste company is ponying up the pound sterling for a policy from famed U.K. insurer Lloyd's Of London - it's all to raise awareness for charity. And their product.

The star of hit U.S. television series Ugly Betty has had her smile insured for $10-million (U.S.) by Lloyd's.

Lloyd's said the policy for America Ferrera - who plays dorky, braces-wearing assistant Betty Suarez in the show - was bought by home teeth-whitening product Aquafresh White Trays as part of a promotion to raise money for U.S. charity Smiles for Success.

"It's very flattering to have my smile insured for $10-million, it's not something that I ever imagined happening," Ferrara, 23, said on the Lloyd's website.

Lloyd's America president Wendy Baker said the group has centuries of experience devising policies for unique risks, and has insured the fingers of guitarist Keith Richards and the legs of Marlene Dietrich.

Photo via.

Tagged as: Television

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Bud Bundy Busted

Posted on May 16, 2007 at 01:05 PM

Couldn't let this one pass without a mention: former Married... With Children star David Faustino, portrayer of the snarky, hormone-raged Bud Bundy, was busted for pot.

David Faustino, famous pretty much only for his stint as Bud Bundy on "Married with Children," was arrested in Florida early Saturday morning.

Cops say the former TV star (and one-time wannabe rapper by the name of "D Lil") was drunk and arguing with his estranged wife in the middle of the street. After they arrested him for public drunkeness, cops also say they found a baggie containing about a gram of pot on him.

He was booked and released.

Thank god he had royalties from his epic album "Balistyx" so he could bail himself out of jail.

Tagged as: Television

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Lily Allen Not Fat, Totally Cool

Posted on May 16, 2007 at 12:52 PM

One of the wonderful aspects of the millions of artist MySpace pages out there is that sometimes the artist will blog, giving fans a chance to peek into their psyche, hear about recording or touring from the inside or just get to know their favorite artists better. UK pop sensation Lily Allen delivers these goods... and, um, a whole lot more. On her MySpace page, Lily Allen bares all for the world to see. Recently, she revealed some insecurites, specifically about her appearance (a fairly universal hangup, that). Later, she amended her thoughts, in a confident, hilariously frank manner:

Sorry
Current mood: Better

Hi guys , I'm sorry if I worried anyone with the blog I wrote yesterday . I was feeling pretty sorry for myself , I've been reading all your comments and they have made me realise there is more to life than being thin ! So thank you . I think I was just having a hard time last week . After reading cheryl tweedys comments branding me a "chick with a dick". I was feeling pretty low and aswell as that, some of you might know I launched my clothing line for new look last tuesday , and seeing my picture in so many newspapers next to kate moss' , made me feel grotesque momentarily . I know its a silly way to feel and I am incredibly proud of myself and my achievements over the past year, there are so many good things about my life . I really am incredibly lucky . I guess it shows how much of an effect the media can have on us young ladies . As for the amy winehouse bit , someone sent me a link to a picture blog where there were some paparazzi shots of my brother and I , and there were hundreds of comments from mean sad people , saying I was a fat ugly bitch and how much better amy is than I . Usually I ignore these things , but in my heightened emotional state I let them get the better of me . My mum has come out here to keep me company and I feel much better now , I sha'nt be getting any surgery , instead I will be eating lots of bread and pasta and thinking about what to write about for the next album . I really am touched and was quite surprised at the reaction the blog received and it definitely has restored my faith in humanity .

I know I've said bad things about people in the past , though the majority of them have been blown wayyyy out of proportion , but this i mean
Cheryl if you're reading this , I may not be as pretty as you but at least I write and SING my own songs without the aid of autotune . I must say taking your clothes off , doing sexy dancing and marrying a rich footballer must be very gratifying , your mother must be so proud , stupid bitch .

Tagged as: Music

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Shocker: Lindsay Lohan Hot

Posted on May 16, 2007 at 09:49 AM

Lists. Everybody makes them. Lists are bullet-pointed, A.D.D.-sensitive content acting as a balm for stress-addled minds. No one thinks they're important, but we all love them. And generally, they're accompanied by lots of photos. And when the list concerned is of Maxim's Hot 100, the more pics, the better. In a move that will shock no one, and yet is still worthy of our attention, Maxim has placed Lindsay Lohan atop its annual Hot 100 list. The actress/partier tops a rundown filled with the usual suspects, including Scarlett Johansson and Jessica Biel, and not so usual suspects, like Christina Aguilera (she's got pipes, but here she's up against some heavy hitters). One of the Olsen twins made it (Ashley, the hot, non-sickly one) made it, one did not.

Lindsay rules.

According to Maxim magazine, at least this month, she’s the hottest woman in the world.

The “Georgia Rule” actress-troublemaker tops the magazine’s eighth annual “Hot 100” list, a ranking by editors weighing buzz and beauty for women in film, TV, music, sports and fashion.

“There is no other star in the world (who) causes more of a stir in the public eye than Lindsay,” said Maxim Editor in Chief Jimmy Jellinek in a statement. “Her every move is watched and reported on.”

Not surprisingly, Jellinek described his young, male readership as being “obsessed” with the 20-year-old Lohan, a ubiquitous party girl who spent the weekend soaking up the sun (with a new boyfriend) in the Bahamas.

Jessica Alba had to settle with the No. 2 on the list, which is in the magazine hitting stands Saturday. She’s followed, in order, by Scarlett Johansson, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Biel, Ali Larter, Eva Mendes, Rihanna, Eva Longoria, Fergie, Sienna Miller, Angelina Jolie, Beyonce Knowles and Katherine Heigl.

Celebrity sisters Ashlee and Jessica Simpson are on the list at No. 16 and 41, respectively. Ashley Olsen, half of the mogul acting twins, placed 37th, while sister Mary-Kate didn’t make the cut.

Tagged as: Film

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Encores - Love 'Em Or Hate 'Em?

Posted on May 15, 2007 at 11:10 AM

It's a familiar routine. You go to your local rock, pop, punk, pop/punk, emo, metal, or hip-hop show. Depending on the venue, you either mosh, stand, jump or sit in your seats throughout a 45 minute or hour or 90 minute set. The artist reaches a peak and leaves the stage. And you, the audience, scream for more. And even though, historically, an encore is meant to be given only on special nights, you know the artist is coming back; that's just the way it is these days. But it wasn't always thus, and while many, if not most, artists plan for an encore, some artists detest the idea. Personally, I think the break before the encore is a nice breather, and it allows the audience member to anticipate and prepare for a nice end of the show.

You know the drill. The band plays a raucous set that weighs heavily on their newest stuff and jumps offstage before the audience even realizes the show is done.

And then the real performance starts - the one where the crowd dutifully clamours for more and the band triumphantly returns to play their dated, but beloved, break-out hit and the kooky cover everyone has been waiting for. Is this what encores have come to?

It would appear so, say some veteran Canuck acts who admit the time-honoured custom can get a bit stale once a band reaches a certain level of fame.

Sloan's Chris Murphy went so far as to suggest he resents having to make his encores appear spontaneous and unexpected - even when they're not.

"They expect you to go through this baloney ritual of going off and then coming on again," gripes Murphy, whose band is nonetheless known for staging loose, goofy encores.

"I really only do it because if the ticket price is high enough I just think that people just sort of expect that that's part of the show, even though I think it's dumb."

"We went through a period in about 1990 where we said, 'Forget it, it's an embarrassing custom. Why don't we just play till the end and that's the end.' It's embarrassing to go off for the obligatory minute and then (return), so I don't like them. But I have succumbed to them."

At their best, spontaneous encores can offer music fans a chance to see polished acts go off-script and create an on-the-fly show tailored just for them - perhaps taking audience requests, playing a local anthem or indulging in an off-the-wall cover.

Murphy admits that he enjoys moments like these, noting Sloan will jazz up a finale by pulling a fan onstage for impromptu karaoke.

But oftentimes encores are planned well in advance much like the set list, particularly among bands higher up the fame echelon, says veteran Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson.

"Certainly, on our level, it's to be expected," Lifeson says of Rush encores, noting there's little variation among them, despite the group's vast catalogue of songs.

"It's the same thing every night. You know, we anticipate the encore, so it's just really it's just an opportunity for us to come out and play a few more songs."

Tagged as: Music

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Boston Pops... Pop! Pop! Pop!

Posted on May 14, 2007 at 10:11 AM

A few days old but worth mentioning - a freakin FISTFIGHT broke out at an opening night performance of the Boston Pops. At the time of the fight, the orchestra was accompanying none other than piano man Ben Folds. Reportedly, the fisticuffs erupted after some tense moments involving one combatant accusing the other combatant of being too loud. No word on whether Folds' nasal smarm directly or indirectly inspired the kerfuffle.

Something else popped at the Boston Pops’ opening night concert — a brawl broke out at Symphony Hall.

Before rocker Ben Folds appeared as a special guest Wednesday night, two men did some rockin’ and rollin’ in the balcony as the orchestra performed a medley from the movie “Gigi.”

The fight started after one of the men tapped the other on the shoulder with a program to complain about noise, police said.

Television video of the fight showed the two struggling — one with his shirt partially pulled off — as several people stood around them.

Conductor Keith Lockhart briefly halted the performance while the men were escorted out.

Witnesses said they heard a scream from the balcony, and the sound of chairs falling, then a second scream as the fight escalated.

“The first time there was a scream, Keith looked up that way but he kept going,” audience member June MacIndoe told Boston’s WHDH-TV. “Then about a minute and a half later ... there was a big scream and you could hear chairs falling over and you could see them up there, fists going.”

At that point, Lockhart stopped the performance for a couple of minutes, she said. “He just stood there, you know, quiet.”

The concert resumed, and Folds performed later.

“It was an unfortunate incident, but thankfully this kind of behavior is truly out of the ordinary at a Boston Pops concert,” the orchestra said in a statement. It referred calls to the Boston police department.

Boston police spokesman David Estrada said police officers on security detail at the hall escorted the men off the property, and no charges were filed. No injuries were reported, he said.

Photo via.

Tagged as: Music

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Chevelle Ripped Off, Cancel Tour

Posted on May 10, 2007 at 10:15 AM

Whatever you think of Chevelle, this stinks: All of their gear was ripped off this week, forcing them to cancel their tour (though their MySpace page lists only a few as officially canceled - obviously they are trying to track down replacement gear). The gear was stolen at 11am - in plain sight - in a Dallas hotel parking lot. Their whole trailer was stolen. Bummer. If you have any leads, or if you are one of the crooks and are feeling remorseful, email thestolenchevellegear@hotmail.com . You have your assignments. Please eat this blog post when you have finished reading.

CHEVELLE has issued the following update via its MySpace page: "We regret to inform you that we are unable to perform our scheduled tour dates (until further notice) due to the entire trailer full of pretty much ALL our gear we own getting STOLEN TODAY (May 9) from the Clarion Dallas Park Central hotel at approximately 11:00 a.m.

"If anyone has any information, or sees a light gray KZ Cargo trailer, with an Illinois plate 57002. Please call 911 or your local police authority.

"Most items are labeled 'Chevelle' and if you notice anything suspicious on eBay or other online resellers selling 'authentic' CHEVELLE items... Pete's guitars, Dean's basses, Sam's drums, amplifiers, risers, backdrops, tee shirts... please call the police ... or [send an] email [to]: thestolenchevellegear@hotmail.com.

"Any information would be greatly appreciated... and we hope to see you soon...but it will take some time to get all our items replaced.

"Thank you for your support and understanding. Lets catch these crooked &^*^%!!!"

CHEVELLE recently added a batch of new dates to its current headlining tour with FINGER ELEVEN and STRATA. CHEVELLE is supporting its fourth album, "Vena Sera", which debuted at Number 12 on the Billboard album chart and has sold 122,000 copies since its release.

Tagged as: Music

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A Permanent Barstool At The Loser Lounge

Posted on May 9, 2007 at 11:59 AM

The fun never stops in the World Of Britney. In case you hadn't heard (I hadn't), Britney Spears has been sorta seeing musician Howie Day. In fact, they recently had a sleepover! If the name Howie Day sounds familiar, that may be because, in 2004, he pleaded No Contest to locking a fan in the bathroom of his tour bus because she rejected his sexual advances. Nice. K-Fed thinks he is a joke. For once, he is right.

Kevin Federline has been talking trash about Britney Spears’ new man, musician Howie Day.

“When Kevin heard they had a sleepover at her house, everyone wanted to know about it,” a source tells the new issue of Star. “He lit up a cigarette and said he guessed you have to head to the dump to find trash, referring to how Britney and Howie met while in rehab.”

Apparently, K-Fed isn’t the only one with a low opinion of Day. Spears’ new sweetie was arrested in 2004 for allegedly locking a fan in the bathroom of his tour bus when she rejected his sexual overtures, reports the tab. The next year, he was charged with verbally abusing a flight attendant while under the influence of alcohol and sleeping pills. He pleaded “no contest” to the fan incident, was fined and ordered to apologize; he served a year of probation for the episode aboard the plane.

“People have told Britney point-blank this guy has a permanent barstool in the Loser Lounge,” a friend told Star. “I was with her when one of her most trusted girlfriends told her, ‘You cannot let this guy into your life — after he gets a little publicity he will be gone.’ But when people say stuff like that, it’s music to Britney’s ears. She likes the drama.”

Tagged as: Music

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Evanescence In Tatters

Posted on May 8, 2007 at 02:47 PM

Looks like everything is upside down in Evanescence Land. In case you haven't heard the news, please follow closely - it's complicated, and everyone has an opinion. OK, a few days ago, Amy Lee fired guitarist John LeCompt and drummer Rocky Gray. She thanked them for their services. Then LeCompt painted a not-so-rosy view on his MySpace blog:

Without any warning or negotiotiations for my future, I was fired for no good reason. We have not always seen eye to eye on everything, but who does? Our common goal was always the same. To make Evanescence the best rock band it could ever be. I have always given blood, sweat and tears to make that happen but apparently that is not enough. I have now become just another of the people fallen by the wayside on the revolving door of [Amy Lee's] life. It's funny how many of us there are now. I guess it's good for lyrical content, though. Maybe I will be among the blessed to have a song written about me, too. Maybe the song will be "Call Me When You're Broke". ... What I will say it that I know that many of you think she is some genuis or saviour of some kind. I just want you to know that my family and I will forever remember her as being about as deep as the shallow end of a child's wading pool and her lyrics about as deep as the 2 dimensional surface that they were written on. Singing beautifully for the duration of a record or two can move the spirit of the people listening, but the way you treat those around you who you are supposed to care about speaks volumes more than that and I would hope that some of you are listening.

Drummer Rocky Gray would also like to tell you about these events, but legally, he is not allowed to:

"Amy Lee's management emailed me last night to tell me that, in their view, the contract I signed to record, perform and tour with the group says that I'm not allowed to have any free speech in regard to Evanescence," Gray said from his home in Arkansas. "The way they spin it, I'm not even allowed to say I quit the group, I guess. But the news is out there, so, there ya' go. I need to have a lawyer read over all that mess to tell me what, when and how I can tell you all -- the REAL FANS -- what really went down, if I ever can, haha."

THEN former Evanescence keyboardist Paul Hodges chimed in:

"Amy and Ben started EVANESCENCE. The three of us got signed and four of us (I tip my hat to the great Dave Fortman) made the record ('Fallen') that it seems many of you love. No one else. What the hired band did do was accept the chance of a lifetime — be part of one of the biggest-selling records in the last 10 years and make more money playing in front of bigger crowds than any other musician we'd known. Are there sacrifices? Sure, life is full of sacrifice; if someone wanted to leave to be with their family, then that's understandable. But for anyone to be even the least bit ungrateful is mind-boggling. What exactly did they think they deserved out of this? Amy doesn't owe them anything, and anyone who thinks differently is sorely mistaken.

Is Evanescence even worth all of this hubbub?

Lots o' help via Stereogum.

Tagged as: Music

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Sweet Dreams Aren't Made Of This

Posted on May 8, 2007 at 02:03 PM

Here's something weird, disturbing and kind of funny, but only kind of - Eurythmics singer Annie Lennox's home was trashed when her teenage daughter held a party that raged horribly out of control. Apparently, the latest ruffian trend in the U.K. is to find out about parties, spread the online word, gather as mony like-minded thugs as you can, and show up and trash the place. And that's just what they did.

Eurythmics singer Annie Lennox might well be feeling, as in the words of her hit song, just like she's walking on broken glass today.

The popstar, 52, has been hit with a hefty repair bill after her 16-year-old daughter became the latest victim of gatecrashers who get wind of a party on the internet.

The mayhem happened after Annie's teenaged daughter Lola innocently let slip she was having a get-together at home while her film producer father Uri Fruchtmann was away.

But the email which was meant to get to just 30 close school friends ended up frenziedly circulating to hundreds of others. It is understood that the information about the party spread on websites like MySpace.

Their £2 million family home in north London was trashed when more than a hundred youngsters forced entry.

Party-goers daubed graffiti on walls, broke pictures and lampshades, tore apart books, urinated and vomited on carpets, flooded the kitchen and had a pitch battle in the garden.

It was not long before it was standing room only at the house and in its grounds and the party quickly got out of hand.

Neighbours intervened and police were called to evacuate the house.

'People just kept coming and coming - there was a constant stream of them turning up from all over London and further afield. It got to a point when it was shoulder to shoulder and then a band turned up completely unannounced.'

The friend added: 'At first it was just lamps being knocked over and drinks being spilled.

But as things got worse people were urinating on the carpet in the corner of the living room, then there was graffiti being scrawled on and even etched into the walls, pictures were being taken down and damaged, CDs went missing, books were taken off bookshelves and pages were inexplicably ripped out.

'Lola's friends were totally outnumbered and the gate-crashers would not leave. The front door was locked shut to make sure no one else could get in, but the ones outside actually rammed it in, breaking its hinges.'

Photo of Annie Lennox via.

Tagged as: Music

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More Breaking Paris News

Posted on May 8, 2007 at 01:46 PM

Remember when Paris Hilton fired her publicist because she blamed him for her getting sent to the big house for 45 days? Well, she rehired him.

The many moods of Paris Hilton shifted again when the jail-bound socialite rehired the publicist she blamed for her 45-day sentence.

Elliot Mintz confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday that he is again representing the 26-year-old socialite, who was ordered to report to county jail by June 5 for violating the terms of her probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case.

Mintz, 62, wouldn’t elaborate on why he reunited with Hilton. The publicist, whose clients have included John Lennon and Bob Dylan, issued a statement Sunday night that he and Hilton had parted ways over an apparent “misunderstanding she received from me regarding the terms of her probation.”

Photo via.

Tagged as: Current Affairs

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Paris Not Checking Into A Hilton

Posted on May 7, 2007 at 10:33 AM

Well, the sh*t has finally hit the fan - Paris Hilton is going to jail. Though moralists and subscribers to varied karmic concerns will argue that this is a just and expected comeuppance for years of shameful celebrity, her time of incarceration is due mainly to driving with a suspended license. Which she blames on her publicist. He told her she could drive. She could not. And now she's going to the big house! She fired the publicist. And the publicist, being a publicist, released a statement claiming he still has the utmost respect for Paris and her family, blah blah blah.

In her first public comments since she was handed a 45-day jail sentence for a driving related offense, celebrity heiress Paris Hilton has described her punishment as cruel and unwarranted.

She also fired her spokesman, veteran publicist Elliot Mintz, whom she blamed for getting her into the mess.

Visibly shocked and tearful, the 26-year-old socialite was sentenced to 45 days in a suburban Los Angeles jail after a judge ruled she knowingly violated her probation on a previous traffic offense by driving without a valid license.

At the hearing, Hilton said Mintz had told her she was permitted to drive for work-related reasons. But Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Sauer rejected her claims and ordered her to turn herself in by June 5.

"I told the truth," Hilton told photographers waiting outside her Los Angeles home on Saturday night.

"I feel that I was treated unfairly and that the sentence is both cruel and unwarranted. I don't deserve this."

In a statement published on Sunday by news web site TMZ.com, Mintz was said he was "deeply and profoundly sorry" for giving his client bad advice.

"Due to this misunderstanding, I am no longer representing Paris. For the record, I have nothing but love and respect for Paris and her family. Paris is a wonderful person and does not deserve the punishment that was handed down by the court. I only wish her my best."

Hilton's troubles began last September when she was arrested for drunk driving. In January, she pleaded no contest -- the equivalent of a guilty plea -- and was sentenced to three years' probation and had her license suspended. In February, she was pulled over again for driving without headlights. Police impounded her blue Bentley when they discovered she was driving on a suspended license.

Tagged as: Current Affairs

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Reminder: Lindsay Lohan Is Not Yet 21

Posted on May 3, 2007 at 09:25 AM

Break out the guyliner and toss those old DVDs of The Parent Trap: the bender to end all benders is coming. Appearing on Ellen Wednesday, Lindsay Lohan revealed that her 21st birthday celebrations will take place in Las Vegas (as well as a dinner in Malibu, but who cares about that) and has been, according to Lindsay, a long time coming. Yikes. You can practically feel the party machine already sputtering to alcohol fuel-choked life. Oh, and she has a new film with Felicity Huffman and Jane Fonda blah blah blah.

Lindsay Lohan won’t be satisfied with a cake and some candles when she turns 21.

The raspy-voiced actress, who celebrates her big birthday on July 2, said Wednesday on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that she plans to “milk it” when she becomes old enough to legally go to clubs.

Lohan said turning 21 has “been a long time coming” for her friends who own clubs in Los Angeles. After she’s legal, “they don’t have to worry about getting into trouble,” for letting her inside, she told host Ellen DeGeneres.

She’ll celebrate by partying in Vegas, she said, and also with a dinner in Malibu, Calif., with family and friends.

Lohan, who stars opposite Felicity Huffman and Jane Fonda in the upcoming Universal Pictures film “Georgia Rule,” also showed off a white tattoo of the word “breathe” on the inside of her wrist.

Tagged as: Film

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Britney Hits The Stage

Posted on May 2, 2007 at 01:42 PM

It happened. Britney Spears took the stage last night at the House Of Blues in San Diego and performed a brief five song set. I say performed because it appears that she did not sing. The bill was for a band called The M & M's. Of course, it was Britney, making her first public performance in three years. Yes she played Baby One More Time. And yes she played Toxic. And then she was whisked into the night aboard a tour bus.

Britney Spears waited more than three years to return to the stage. She made her “comeback” last night in San Diego, but the short show left some fans disappointed.

After two hours of various DJs twiddling knobs onstage at the House of Blues in downtown San Diego, the much-hyped show began about 10 p.m.

In what was talked up as a comeback performance, Spears played for, at most, 20 minutes.

“That was so disappointing,” one exasperated woman said as she strode out.

The abbreviated performance, billed as a show by a band called M+M's, opened with Spears singing her first hit, “ . . . Baby One More Time,” as a quartet of female dancers in hot pants and skimpy shirts gyrated by her side.

She sang four songs, including one of her last hits, “Toxic.”

Seemingly almost as soon as the show started, Spears was being whisked onto her tour bus, which drove off, leaving a crowd of fans that had rushed out to see her.

“It wasn't a good move for her career,” Mackenzie Trimble said after the show. “When you come out and do four songs and lip-sync . . . that's not what Britney fans came to see.”

Tagged as: Music

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Don't Recite Lyrics So Close To Me

Posted on May 1, 2007 at 10:01 AM

Lyrics by Sting. Vomit by anyone who sees this cover. Capitalizing on The Police's sold out reunion your, Bantam Dell is releasing a book of all of Sting's lyrics. The book gives Sting an opportunity to revisit his songs, according to Sting. Additionally, Sting provides commentary throughout the book (perhaps critiquing the reader's reading skill?), providing his special perspective along this rockin' trip down memory lane. The Police rule, but is this necessary? A book of Bob Dylan's lyrics... Sure. But Sting? I'd prefer a Sting workout book, actually; dude is ripped.

The lyrics of Sting, almost every word he wrote, from his solo records to his years with the Police, will come out in book form this fall.

Lyrics by Sting will include the words of such hits as "Roxanne," "Every Breath You Take" and "Spirits in the Material World," along with commentary by Sting.

"Over time, the meaning of a song can continue to reveal itself," Sting, the bassist and lead vocalist for the Police, said Monday in a statement released by The Dial Press, an imprint of the Bantam Dell Publishing Group.

"In putting this book together, I have relished the opportunity to revisit my songs, the times in which they were written and pay tribute to those with whom I've shared my creative life."

The Police, which includes Sting, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland, broke up in 1986, but have reunited and will tour North America and Europe this summer and fall.

Sting has also written a memoir, Broken Music, which came out in 2003.

Tagged as: Music

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