New CD Releases, November 20: Keith Urban, Nine Inch Nails, U2
Keith Urban "Greatest Hits"
After topping the charts with last year's "Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing," the Grammy-winning country star returns with a best-of package. Urban's "Greatest Hits" features all of the performer's No. 1 hits, two new tracks, a remake of Steve Forbert's 1979 hit "Romeo's Tune" and a new full-band recording of "Got It Right This Time (The Celebration)."
Recently, Urban, who is married to film star Nicole Kidman, announced that he will join with fellow country sensation Carrie Underwood for a 24-city trek across the US in 2008. The "Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride Tour," which combines the names of the Grammy-winners' recent studio albums, is set to launch Jan. 31. Dates and venues have not yet been announced.
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Nine Inch Nails "Y34RZ3R0R3MIX3D"
Not crazy about how the songs sounded on Nine Inch Nails' last record, "Year Zero"? Well, do something about it. With "Y34RZ3R0R3MIX3D," fans actually have the ability to remix the tracks. There's a DVD-ROM in the package containing every track from "Year Zero" in multi-track format, which fans can use their home Mac and PC computers to rearrange.
That will appeal to the technically savvy folks. The rest of us will be content to just listen to how the pros do it. The regular CD portion of "Y34RZ3R0R3MIX3D" features remixes of "Year Zero" songs by such celebs as New Order's Stephen Morris, The Kronos Quartet, Saul Williams, Interpol's Sam Fogarino and The Faint.
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U2 "The Joshua Tree"
U2 fans will probably want to check out this deluxe edition of the band's signature album, 1987's "The Joshua Tree." It's a 3-disc box set that contains a remastered version of the original CD, a bonus audio CD and a DVD recorded live in Paris in 1987.
The set also includes a 56-page hardback embossed book, featuring previously unseen Anton Corbijn photos, handwritten lyrics by Bono and liner notes by the band members, producers Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois and other creative forces behind the blockbuster original CD.
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Jordin Sparks "Jordin Sparks"
Back in May, 17-year-old Jordin Sparks became the youngest singer to ever be crowned an "American Idol." Now, the vocalist, who is also known by the nicknames JoJo and J-Speezy, is set to release her self-titled debut CD. The set includes a duet with R&B star Chris Brown on "No Air."
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Amy Winehouse "Frank"
There will surely be a lot of interest in the reissue of Winehouse's 2003 debut CD, "Frank." That's because Winehouse has become one of the biggest stars of the year, thanks to the CD "Back to Black," the single "Rehab" and her constant partying that has made her a favorite of tabloid reporters.
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More new releases:
Sebastian Bach, "Angel Down" (MRV)
Melissa Etheridge, "The Awakening Live" (Island)
Genesis, "1983-1998" (Rhino)
Genesis, "Live Over Europe" (Atlantic)
Gorillaz, "D-Sides" (Virgin)
Led Zeppelin, "The Song Remains the Same" (Rhino)
OneRepublic, "Dreaming Out Loud" (Interscope)
Opeth, "The Roundhouse Tapes: Opeth Live" (Peaceville)
The Traveling Wilburys, "The Traveling Wilburys" (Rhino)
Various Artists, "Brit Box" (Rhino)
Soundtracks and scores:
"Enchanted" (Disney)
"Hairspray (2-Disc Collector's Edition Soundtrack)" (New Line)
"Halo 3" (Sumthing Else)
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (The Complete Recordings)" (Reprise)
Bruce Springsteen nails down more shows
With one show left on their 2007 North American tour, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band continue to roll out dates for another run across the continent early next year.
The veteran rockers have been announcing 2008 shows in drips and drabs, with the latest additions comprising March shows in Hamilton, Ontario; Milwaukee; and Vancouver, British Columbia. Tickets for the Hamilton and Milwaukee shows will hit the box office during the coming week; an on-sale date for the Vancouver show was not available at press time. Details are listed below.
In addition to penciling in the aforementioned handful of new shows, strong ticket sales last weekend in Anaheim, CA, prompted the group to add a second consecutive night in that city, as well.
Springsteen and company are due to wrap up their current North American outing tonight (11/19) in Boston. From there, the group will tackle a European tour that launches in Spain next Sunday (11/25) and runs into mid-December. Details for that jaunt are posted at Springsteen's website.
On Oct. 2, Springsteen and the E Street Band hit the road for the first full-scale tour of the US and Europe since 2003. That same day, the group issued "Magic," its first new studio set since 2002's Grammy-winning "The Rising."
On tour, Springsteen is joined by E Street Band keyboardist Roy Bittan, saxman/percussionist Clarence Clemons, keyboardist Danny Federici, guitarist Nils Lofgren, vocalist/guitarist Patti Scialfa, bassist Garry Tallent, guitarist Steven Van Zandt and drummer Max Weinberg.
November 2007
15 - Albany, NY - Times Union Center
18-19 - Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Garden
February 2008
28 - Hartford, CT - Hartford Civic Center
March 2008
3 - Hamilton, Ontario - Copps Coliseum (on sale 11/23)
6 - Rochester, NY - Blue Cross Arena
7 - Buffalo, NY - HSBC Arena
16 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
17 - Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center (on sale 11/26)
31 - Vancouver, British Columbia - General Motors Place
April 2008
7, 8 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center
25 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
Red Hot Chili Peppers sue Showtime
LOS ANGELES - The Red Hot Chili Peppers on Monday sued Showtime Networks over the name of the television series "Californication," which is also the name of the band's 1999 album and a single on it.
The lawsuit alleges unfair competition, dilution of the value of the name and unjust enrichment, claiming the title is "inherently distinctive, famous ... and immediately associated in the mind of the consumer" with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
"Californication is the signature CD, video and song of the band's career, and for some TV show to come along and steal our identity is not right," the band's lead singer, Anthony Kiedis, said in a statement.
The television series stars David Duchovny as a novelist suffering from writers' block and a mid-life crisis.
The show features a character named "Dani California," which is also the title of a Red Hot Chili Peppers song released in 2006, the lawsuit noted.
The suit also names the show's creator and executive producer, Tom Kapinos, and two production companies, Twilight Time Films and Aggressive Mediocrity, Inc.
A call Monday to an attorney for Showtime was not immediately returned. Attempts to find a listing for Kapinos were not successful.
The suit seeks a permanent injunction barring Showtime and the other defendants from using the title "Californication" for the show, damages and restitution and disgorgement of all profits derived by the defendants.
In July 2007, Kapinos told reporters at a Television Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills that he first heard the term in reference to Oregon.
"Apparently in the '70s there were bumper stickers that said 'Don't Californicate Oregon,' because Californians were coming up there, and I just thought it was a great, great title for this show," said Kapinos.