New Nirvana material this year: Novoselic
Unreleased Nirvana material may make it to store shelves sooner than expected.
Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic told Billboard.com that there is "good will" between him, ex-Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl and Kurt Cobain's widow Courtney Love, despite the continuing litigation over the band's musical legacy.
Novoselic hinted that the much-talked about unreleased Nirvana song "You Know You're Right" (recorded in 1994 just before Cobain's death) could be among the material released this year. "I can't say until the ink's dry, but it's just probably what you'd expect, what you've been hearing."
He added that Universal, Nirvana's label, have eyed a "fourth quarter" release date for the material.
Courtney Love originally blocked the release of a proposed box-set of unreleased Nirvana music, which was to come out last year as part of the 10th anniversary of the group's landmark album "Nevermind." "You Know You're Right" was supposed to be included with the package.
An MTV report in June claims Love had issued a new proposal to Novoselic and Grohl in an attempt to resolve the impasse over how to control future Nirvana releases. The litigation over the band's assets is scheduled to continue in a Washington state courtroom later this month.
Meanwhile, in another court case, Love's lawyers have asked for an extension in her battle with Universal Music in order to continue talks aimed at ending her dispute with the music label, reports Variety.
The label claims Love owes them several more records under her contract, while the songstress/actor counters that the long contract terms amount to an "indentured servitude."
BBC Nominates 100 Greatest Britons
Princess Diana is in, Prince Charles is out.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison are on the list of the 100 greatest Britons of all time released Wednesday, but Ringo is not.
Richard Burton made it, but Elizabeth Taylor didn't.
The British Broadcasting Corp. polled more than 30,000 people to come up with the list, in which John Lydon (better known as Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten) and Boy George mingle with Winston Churchill, Isaac Newton and Tim Berners Lee, the father of the Internet.
Stretching eligibility to all of the British Isles, the list also includes two Irish rockers, Bono of U2 and Bob Geldof.
The BBC2 television channel plans a series of programs later in the year to choose a top 10.
"I'm sure this series will arouse enthusiastic debate in offices and homes all around the country. Just from talking to people I've got a real sense of how passionately they feel about the subject and who they feel is worthy of the title of Great Briton," said Jane Root, comptroller of BBC2.
Canadian Hookers Campaign Against Hollywood
Runaway production is clearly a problem: Now even Canadian hookers, beggars and druggies are upset.
For years, Hollywood guilds have bemoaned the fact production has emigrated to Canada, which offers cheaper costs. But now shooting in downtown Vancouver has created a Canuck conundrum as street workers are demanding compensation for the business they lose thanks to filming.
The Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, which represents about 1,000 residents of the seedy Downtown Eastside, has sent a letter demanding compensation to 30 production firms. They include Club Six Prods., currently filming MGM's "Agent Cody Banks" starring Frankie Muniz and Angie Harmon.
The letter states: "Sex trade workers must be compensated for displacement they experience at your hands in the same manner you would compensate a business if you were to use their locale during operating hours. The same must hold true for homeless people you push from beneath a bridge or doorway, and drug users you move from a park."
It also wants financial compensation for all disrupted work, including panhandling; alternative accommodation for affected residents; and equal financial compensation for residents of buildings impacted by filming.
The Vancouver Sun is backing the campaign; it said in an editorial Tuesday "we see no reason why any unorthodox entrepreneur should be treated differently from other businesses when it comes to compensation."
The newspaper suggests moviemakers could donate "a reasonable sum" to charities that serve residents of the area.
However, producers claim adequate payment is already made to organizations including the Downtown Eastside Residents' Assn. for location fees, permits and liaison costs.
"Local shop owners are more than fairly compensated for their supposed loss of business, which detailed studies have shown to be more fiction than fact," said Brent Karl Clackson, a Vancouver producer.
"I would ask these people to rethink their position and not become part of the greedy, foolish and short-sighted who continue to chip away at our industry, driving up costs and making us less competitive with Hollywood."
A spokesman for the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users says it has consulted a lawyer and intends to pursue the matter in the courts.
It is also insisting that anyone interviewed or documented on film be treated respectfully and fairly and paid, "according to the rate requested by the individual subject."
Committee spokesman Chris Livingston claims he was filmed last week as part of background by a crew shooting for the Canuck TV series "Da Vinci's Inquest" but was not paid.
Chris Haddock, executive producer of "Inquest," says it is not the show's policy to film anyone without compensation, unless the person is unrecognizable and unidentifiable.
Go Ahead! Click On The Link!
This will make you laugh, cry and feel pity!
Timberlake To Make Solo Debut on MTV
First he split with Britney, now he's singing without *NSync.
MTV announced Tuesday that Justin Timberlake will make his first live solo performance at the "2002 MTV Video Music Awards." The 19th annual awards show will broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Thursday, Aug. 29th at 8 p.m. ET. "Saturday Night Live" comedian Jimmy Fallon will host the ceremony.
Timberlake will world premiere the song “Like I Love You” from his debut solo album, "Justified" . The song was co-written by Justin Timberlake and The Neptunes.
Previously announced performers at the "2002 MTV Video Music Awards" include Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Pink, The Hives, Ja Rule, Sheryl Crow, Ashanti, Eminem, The Vines, Nas, Shakira, and P.Diddy. Presenters include Brandy, James Gandolfini, Usher, Kirsten Dunst, Linkin Park, Brittany Murphy, P.O.D., Britney Spears, the final two "American Idol" contenders, Kylie Mingoue, Nelly, Avril Lavigne, Enrique Iglesias, B2K, Johnny Knoxville, Bow Wow, and the "American Idol" judges, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, and Randy Jackson.
Get Ready for Hong Kong Phooey
You just can't keep a cartoon dog down, as Brett Ratner (the horrible director of RUSH HOUR) has signed a deal with Alcon Entertainment to develop a live action version of the classic Hanna Barbera cartoon series HONG KONG PHOOEY. If you've for some reason never seen the cartoon, it focuses on a clumsy, kung-fu fighting, detective dog that is a janitor by day. The film will focus on the origin of Phooey and a villain that wants his powers. Alcon hopes to turn it into a family franchise.
NO R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Thousands of fans signing an Internet petition denouncing the Soul Train Awards' decision to give its Lady of Soul Entertainer of the Year Award to 21-year-old R&B newcomer Ashanti. The fans say Ashanti hasn't been around long enough to deserve an award named after the legendary Aretha Franklin.
BIGGER, TRASHIER--AND IN SONG
Jerry Springer: The Opera, replete with expletives and a chorus line of dancing Klansmen, crack addicts, strippers and adulterers, selling out its daily performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and earning positive reviews. There are also rumors the production may move to London's West End.
"Hi, I'm Corey. Remember me?"
Does Corey Hart still wear his sunglasses at night? People Magazine catches up with the Can-Con mainstay in this story.
Want To Have A Kick Ass Party?
What it will cost to book Creed for your next party: $200,000. But for the bargain price of $5,000, you can have Vanilla Ice! This fascinating page from Clear Channel College Entertainment reveals how much money entertainers are requesting.
Courtney Love Trial Postponed, Talks Continue
A trial in a closely watched breach of contract case pitting rock star Courtney Love against Universal Music was postponed on Tuesday as the two sides continue talks to reach an out-of-court settlement.
Sources familiar with talks said the case is likely to be resolved, rendering a trial unlikely.
Officials for Universal Music, the world's biggest record company and a unit of Vivendi Universal, declined comment. Love's attorney, Barry Cappello, also declined comment.
The case's roots date back to December 1999 when Love, the widow of Nirvana's late bandleader Kurt Cobain, decided to stop recording for Geffen, a unit of Universal Music.
Last year, Geffen/Universal Music sued Love, seeking millions of dollars in damages for five undelivered albums. Love countersued, also in 2001, claiming she was cheated out of substantial royalties.
Universal's complaint and Love's cross-complaint will be tried together if the case goes to trial. A trial date of Sept 3 was set Tuesday.
If Love were to reach a deal, it would be the second high-profile member of a pop artist coalition challenging record industry practices to quietly settle a dispute that had thrust them into the vanguard of the activist movement.
In June, Grammy-winning trio Dixie Chicks -- also members of the Recording Artists Coalition (RAC) made up of Don Henley, Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow and several others -- settled a suit with Sony Corp's Sony Music Entertainment, 10 months after accusing their record label of "systematic thievery."
Love is also part of the group, which staged a series of fund-raising concerts on the eve of the Grammy Awards last February, but suffered a big setback last week when a state senator withdrew a controversial bill he had authored on behalf of the artists.
ANOTHER LOVE SUIT
In a separate bitter dispute in Seattle, Love is suing the remaining members of Cobain's grunge band Nirvana over ownership of the group's recordings and songs in the case worth millions of dollars in royalties.
Irish superstar Bono of the group U2 has been asked to testify for Love, while the band's former band members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic questioned Courtney's mental stability in court papers filed this year.
Love recently submitted a written settlement proposal, but Nirvana's lawyer, Kelly Corr, on Tuesday said he told Love's lawyers upon receipt of the proposal that he considered it "one-sided and unreasonable."
"Krist and Dave would like to settle this case if possible because they'd like to get the music out to fans," he said.
A hearing on a motion to dismiss Love's suit is set for Aug. 30. If denied, the case is set to go to trial Sept. 30.
Love's lawyer in that case, O. Yale Lewis, was not immediately available for comment.