Phish honored at the Jammy Awards

Wednesday night's Jammy Awards, held at Madison Square Garden's WaMu Theater in New York City, found the four members of Phish, reunited on stage for the first time since their final concert in 2004, trading fond memories of their two decades on the road. Honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, frontman Trey Anastasio made a surprise post-rehab-and-jail-stint appearance, sitting in with Beatles cover band the Fab Faux to handle Eric Clapton's part on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." He then joined his Phish bandmates Mike Gordon, Page McConnell, and Jon Fishman side-stage to hear rock scribe Anthony DeCurtis' introduction. "Remember when I snapped that one day [and said], 'You try getting up at 4:00 p.m. for a photo shoot!'" Fishman recounted to a round of laughs. Ever the jokester, even this drummer-turned-farmer ("This morning as we were getting ready to leave, the post office called to say your geese, ducks, and chickens have arrived," he cracked), could not overstate the importance of the moment.

But the real emotion came from Anastasio, who has battled his share of personal problems in recent years, and now seems healthy, inspired, and motivated to get back to music (he has a new album due out this June). Holding back tears, the guitar god told a crowd of 5,000 ecstatic jam-band fans: "I want to express something that's been on my mind for the last five years. I've always wanted to have a moment to convey to some degree what all this meant to me and the guys — it was always so much bigger than the four of us. I feel like, as a musician we're servants, and musicians from the beginning of time have been there to express the mood and the musical feelings in the air for whatever's going on in that particular culture. It's the greatest joy to be able to translate that, be part of something and watch the scenery around you. That's what it felt like to be in Phish all those years.... Thank you so much for the experience." As for whether phans will see a real reunion sometime in the band's future? "Never say never," Fishman said cryptically backstage afterward.

John Rich: ''American Idol' infuriates me'

Country music star John Rich, of Big & Rich, attacked American Idol at a press conference this morning. "American Idol infuriates me as an artist," Rich said at NBC's "All American Summer" Press Day in Pasadena, where Rich was stumping for his talent competition show, Nashville Star (which is moving to NBC after five seasons on USA). "You can tell when somebody's comment was scripted. You can tell when a [competing] artist was told to wear this and sing that. That's not going to happen in [Nashville Star]." Rich, who will function as a judge and mentor on Nashville Star, as well as produce the album of the NS winner, said he was especially upset when Paula Abdul commented Tuesday night on Jason Castro's second song before the dreadlocked contestant had actually sung it. "Why don't you just walk up on stage and slap them right across the face while you're at it?" Rich said. "It's not a problem of [a judge] being tough on somebody. You've got to be tough on people and be honest with them. But you've got to respect these people. This is their entire life hanging by a thread....I'm sure [Paula] is a fine lady, but I thought that was a very, very disrespectful thing."

Common critiques coverage of his former pastor -- the Rev. Jeremiah Wright

Hip-hop artist Common has made no secret of his support for Sen. Barack Obama's presidential bid. The Grammy-winning rapper has shouted out the fellow Chicagoan on at least two songs, and he's also a lifelong member of Trinity United Church of Christ, where Obama's controversial former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, preached until his retirement this year. When EW.com stopped by a Manhattan studio today to hear Common's latest album-in-progress, Invincible Summer (including an uplifting song called "Changes," which he describes as perfect background music for an Obama victory speech), the Chi-Town MC shared his thoughts on the recent media firestorm surrounding Wright.

"Obviously, the media has an agenda," Common said. "I don't follow what the media says. I'm a thinker for myself. And I just encourage people to be objective: When you're watching, use your inner eye and really try to watch the person and see what you think about them. Because you can never really capture a person in the media blitz."

Common added that he feels Wright is more than the sum of his sound bites. "I may not agree with people that I love, but if we understand, that what's important. I've been going to that church since I was eight years old. So what he's doing is giving people an understanding of a man's perspective that grew up in the era of racial prejudice and has since progressed. The only way we’re going to progress is not judging and not quickly becoming offended. Just because somebody believes in something different from you don't make them against you."

For more on Invincible Summer, check EW's summer music preview coverage in print next month.

Roger Waters' inflatable pig recovered in desert

So what became of the giant pig that floated off during Roger Waters’ climactic set at the Coachella Festival on Sunday? The pig that prompted a $10,000 reward for its return? It’s been found. Even now, though, some mysteries remain: Did the pig “escape,” as stated in the press release offering the reward money, or was it liberated? Who, exactly, wanted the porcine porker back? (And by the way, which one’s Pink? Sorry, we got off track there.)

First, the find. Susan Stoltz, a resident of La Quinta, one of the towns adjoining the festival grounds in the California desert, got up Monday morning and decided to take a jog. She put on—irony alert!—a Pink Floyd T-shirt. It’s not that she’s a fan; she bought it a couple of years ago for a 1970s theme party. In the driveway, she found a “huge pile of vinyl and latex,” which she and her husband stuffed into the trash.  Tuesday morning, she went out to her driveway and found another surprise—the front page of the local Desert Sun newspaper, with a story about the wayward pig and the $10,000 finder’s fee. (Waters, a  left-wing Brit, has used the floating pig as a symbol for right-wing forces since he first started setting ‘em aloft during Pink Floyd shows in the late ‘70s.) Suddenly, Stoltz realized what she had, and so did a neighbor, who’d found the other half of the pig. They e-mailed the address listed in the story: lostpig@coachella.com. “I told them it it was more like pulled pork now—it was pretty shredded—but they said they’d be right out to get it,” Stoltz says. Within hours, she was being besieged by local media: “A lot of people think it’s pretty funny that this capitalist pig landed in a country club in [the] Palm Springs [area].”

Exclusive: Scott Weiland will serve jail time; will be free in time for Stone Temple Pilots tour

Playing the part of a bad-boy rocker sometimes involves a little method acting. Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland was recently sentenced to 192 hours in jail for a November 2007 DUI in Los Angeles. EW has now learned exclusively that the singer will serve his sentence, which the judge ordered he do before May 28, and be out in time to commence the band's 65-date reunion tour, which kicks off May 17 in Columbus, Ohio. Weiland's lawyer confirmed this with EW via Weiland's spokesperson. A statement from Weiland should be released soon, along with further details.

STP sold some 35 million records starting in the early 1990s and had 15 top-ten hits; Weiland, 40, recently left rock supergroup Velvet Revolver to rejoin his old band after a five-year break. They will spend the summer on the road before possibly returning to the studio this fall for their first album of original material since 2001. In addition, Weiland has a solo album due later this year. As the singer told EW earlier this month: "We still have a lot of music in us. I don't want to wear out our welcome, but we'll know when it's time to go." To read a full feature story on Weiland and STP, check out the next issue of EW, hitting newsstands and EW.com on Friday, May 2. —Leah Greenblatt

Coachella backstage report

Celebrity turnout was a bit light at Coachella 2008, perhaps because of a weaker-than-usual lineup and the triple-digit heat, which made the backstage scene kind of tame. Still, we still had a smattering of B-list actors and scenesters trolling the grounds, along with a couple of rock star offspring and one notable parent. Read on for a day-by-day breakdown...

Lemonheads' Evan Dando trashes NME Award

A bit of chaos — some of it comic — unfolded at last night's NME Awards (held at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles), where few of the award winners were big on acceptance speeches. Members of MGMT, who were voted NME's Breakthrough Artist, and Vampire Weekend, who took home Best New Indie/Alternative Band, barely mumbled a 'thank you' before taking their bronzed middle finger back to their tables. But one recipient was particularly unenthused. Lemonheads frontman and founder Evan Dando, who was given the Classic Album award for his band's seminal 1992 record, It's A Shame About Ray, walked offstage and literally chucked the weighty trophy in the garbage can, telling a minder, "I don't want this." Afterwards, he performed two songs from that album solo — the title track and "My Drug Buddy" — to an audience that included celebrity attendees Kelly Osbourne, Danny Masterson, and Bijou Phillips, but then disappeared for the rest of the night and never explained his actions.

Dando's strange antics were just the tip of the iceberg, though. At one point, Osbourne spat at the show's host, Aussie comedian Jim Jeffries, who responded with, "Wow, Kelly Osbourne spitting — that's not what I read on the Internet" — which prompted attendee Sienna Miller to throw a drink at him.

But all hell broke loose once a reunited Jane's Addiction took the stage to play four of their classics, including "Been Caught Stealing" and "Jane Says." Singer Perry Farrell was clearly thrilled to be back and on his home turf. He told the crowd, "I do this in my underpants, but it's not as much fun."

Kanye West burns the midnight oil between tour dates

The managers of Sacramento recording studio The Hangar, where albums by many a freak-folker have been made (Devendra Banhart, Vetiver, and Bright Black Morning Light, among others), were surprised to get a call last week from Kanye West's camp looking to book some time in the hippie- and skater-friendly space. The chart-topping rapper had just finished the second date of his Glow in the Dark tour at nearby ARCO Arena, but needed to work on a track for Young Jeezy's upcoming album which, EW.com has learned, is scheduled for release in July. "We thought it was a joke at first," says studio owner John Baccigaluppi, who's also the publisher of respected indie recording magazine Tape Op. "It was certainly an unusual booking for us, but they seemed to dig the studio and all the skate ramps." West hunkered down for two overnight sessions before heading south to San Jose, San Diego, and then Los Angeles, where his Nokia Theater performance drew several famous fans, including Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, and Jamie Foxx.

Kanye West's 'Glow in the Dark' tour opens in Seattle

Kanye West has tried to keep the design and theme of his new tour shrouded in secrecy, but the cat's out of the bag now that the nationwide trek opened at Seattle's KeyArena on Wednesday night. EW.com was on hand for the premiere of the "Glow in the Dark" tour — which also features Rihanna, N.E.R.D., and Lupe Fiasco as opening acts — and can offer a preview of what audiences across the country have in store over the next few months.

It's as "big" a production as you might have expected from all the anticipation West has been building up, but maybe the biggest conceit is how minimalist it really is, in that West spends his entire 83-minute performance alone on stage. Indulging in metaphorical dialogues with a computerized voice and rapping and dancing in front of a giant LED screen full of star fields and spacey desert landscapes, West is attempting to pull off the hip-hop equivalent of a Broadway one-man show.

More details and — WARNING — spoilers, after the jump.

Bob Dylan, Norah Jones put tunes to Hank Williams' lyrics

On March 31, Norah Jones commemorated the 10th anniversary of The Living Room with a midnight performance at the intimate Manhattan music venue where the singer got her start. After a few numbers, she played a new song and explained that it originated from newly-found Hank Williams lyrics that she was had been asked to put music to. She also mentioned that she "was probably not supposed to play this."

So we did a little digging, and it turns out there's even more new music planned for those Williams lyrics. According to Keith Atkinson, an attorney who reps Hank's daughter Jett Williams and the estate, the song is a part of what's been referred to over the decades as the Shoebox Songs -- several notebooks and a few scraps of paper -- that Williams' mother had turned over to music publisher Acuff-Rose (which is owned by Sony) when he died. "Finally, we came up with the brilliant idea [to have] Bob Dylan, who's a huge Hank fan, put music to it," Atkinson says, "and he decided he wanted to involve some other folks that are world-class artists." Sony is mum on who else is participating, but the label told Atkinson an album is 80 percent complete and would be out for the holiday season.

We can't recall whether Jones had a name for the Williams-inspired song, but it went something like this: "Night after night I've cried over you/Hoping someday you'll be true/You took my heart, tore it apart.. How many times have you broken my heart." It was definitely enough to whet our appetites for the rest of this project.

Tommy Lee says 'Rock of Love' is 'the stupidest s--- I've ever seen'

Motley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee is no stranger to reality TV (remember Tommy Lee Goes to College?), but that doesn't mean he's a fan of celebreality. Following a press conference and performance to announce Motley's new album, Saints of Los Angeles, and this summer's Crüefest tour, the always-outspoken stick-man revealed he could have had Bret Michaels' VH1 gig but turned it down. "They asked me to be on the second Rock of Love and I was, like, 'Are you out of your f----- minds? F--- no!," he told EW.com. "I think it's the stupidest s--- I've ever seen." Crüe singer Vince Neil, ironically, was more forgiving of their Poison peer. "I think it's pretty funny," he said. "Trying to deal with 20 chicks in the same house? You gotta hand it to the guy."

Lee hasn't given up on television entirely, however. He and rapper Ludacris have signed on for Battleground Earth (a show premiering on Discovery's new Planet Green network) in which the two will criss-cross the country in various competitions designed to raise awareness of environmental issues. And just to show he's serious, this weekend Lee heads to San Francisco to join the Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart and Phish drummer Jon Fishman on stage at the Green Apple Music Festival, one of eight free Earth Day concerts being held around the country. He's also planning to make the ultimate sacrifice sometime in the coming weeks: "I'm gonna quit smoking," he declared. "Or I'm gonna try."      

'American Idol' rules iTunes

iTunes doesn’t include live individual American Idol performances or recordings in its weekly chart of the most downloaded songs, but if the online music retailer did, the Idols would likely be landing near the top. Just consider the artists they’ve covered: After David Cook name-checked Chris Cornell’s version of “Billie Jean,” sales jumped from 224 to 14,861 weekly downloads, while Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah,” sung by Jason Castro, shot to the top of the charts with sales of 174,553. As for video performances, after April 9’s Idol Gives Back, six clips hit the top 10, including the Idols’ opening number cover of Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music,” which went all the way to No. 1, beating new videos by Madonna and Mariah Carey. Apple's iTunes store was recently named the top music retailer in the country, surpassing Wal-Mart for the first time. Could Idol be the reason why? 

'Idol' alum Elliott Yamin roots for Archuleta

Add a former American Idol top three finalist to the fast-growing list of Archie devotees. Season 5's Elliott Yamin told EW.com at last night's ASCAP Pop Music Awards that he's rooting for young David Archuleta to take the crown this year. "It would be really cool to see a young kid like him win," he said. "I really love his songs, and musically, he's very talented. He plays the guitar, piano... it's nice to see [Idol] bringing out the creative sides of those kids." As for the other male contenders? "No one's really impressed me this season," Yamin maintains. "David Cook is okay, Michael Johns is alright, but it's anybody's game at this point."

As for himself, though still mourning the recent loss of his mother, Yamin was in good spirits walking the red carpet at Hollywood's Kodak theater, relishing his time out of the recording studio. The velvety-voiced singer is hard at work on his second album, which he hopes to have out by the fall, and has recruited Janet Jackson's man Jermaine Dupri to lend a hand with production. "I'm looking forward to seeing what he adds," Yamin says. Also on his wish list: D'Angelo. "I've always wanted to work with him, and I've said it in interviews lots of times. Still, we've never heard from him."

Jimmy Kimmel's 1,000th episode: Don Rickles, Sarah Silverman, Kid Rock join in the post-show festivities

After five years on the air, does Jimmy Kimmel Live have a chance at ever nabbing the 11:35 p.m. time slot? Thursday night was a test, of sorts: In honor of its 1,000th episode, the show expanded from an hour to 90 minutes, starting at 11:35. And the overnight results are looking good. According to ABC, overall viewership was up 20 percent from the show's season average; among men 18-34, Kimmel actually tied Late Show With David Letterman.

But long before the numbers came in, Jimmy and pals were celebrating the TV milestone with a private post-show party (and lots of free Jameson Irish Whiskey) at the famed Hollywood Roosevelt hotel. Among those in attendance: Don Rickles, Adam Carolla, David Spade, Kid Rock (the evening's musical guest), Johnny Knoxville, Rebecca Romijn, Paul Reubens, Carson Daly, Andy Milonakis, Dax Shepard, and comedian Doug Benson. Sarah Silverman, who took out a full-page ad in Variety on Thursday congratulating her boyfriend while posing with Matt Damon in tennis outfits, was also on hand to help blow out the candles. She's been knee-deep in writing for the next season of the Sarah Silverman Program, she told us, which is scheduled to start shooting in two weeks. (Damon, sadly, could not make the party. He's shooting a movie in Europe.) As for Kimmel, he's riding high from residual love pouring in from all over Hollywood following the infamous Ben Affleck affair. Coming soon to his couch: ESPY host Justin Timberlake and Stone Temple Pilots, who'll take over Kimmel's outdoor stage for their first reunited TV appearance on May 1.   

Velvet Revolver parts ways with singer; Scott Weiland responds

It wasn't all that long ago that Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum was praising Scott Weiland for taking the initiative to check himself into rehab, but little more than a month later, the band has announced that they are officially parting ways with the singer. "This band is all about its fans and its music and Scott Weiland isn't 100 percent committed to either," said Slash in an announcement made on Tuesday. "Among other things, his increasingly erratic on-stage behavior and personal problems have forced us to move on." 

In a statement released to EW.com, Weiland responds by saying: "The truth of the matter is that the band had not gotten along on multiple levels for some time.... I choose to look forward to the future and performing with a group of friends I have known my entire life, people who have always had my back. This also speaks to my commitment to my music and my fellow band mates in [Stone Temple Pilots] and to the fans who I feel would much rather watch a group of musicians who enjoy being together as opposed to a handful of discontents who at one time used to call themselves a gang." (The entire statement available after the jump.)

So what happened?

David Cook gives Doxology its 'Idol' due -- we got the band's response

You didn't have to pay extra-close attention to David Cook's introduction on Tuesday night to hear him credit Doxology (pictured with Cook inset), the little-known Seattle band whose arrangement of "Eleanor Rigby" partly inspired his own performance — he made sure to say it loud and clear. But with this Idol shout-out, does Doxology feel vindicated? EW.com got singer Luke McPherson on the phone after the show, interrupting the band's rehearsal for an upcoming Guitar Center opening (sorry, guys), to find out.

EW.COM: When you first reached out to Idol about this whole situation, were they responsive?
LUKE MCPHERSON: Very. Basically, we got in touch with the 19 Entertainment people and began a discussion on how we could resolve it and what measures could be taken to make sure that proper acknowledgment was given for the arrangement. We've been working through that for the past couple weeks and tonight was the resolution. But they were very supportive the whole time.

In your initial statement, you seemed kind of pissed. Was it because you heard that David did mention the band in his pre-taped interview but it ended up on the cutting room floor?
We were never able to confirm that, and if we came across as angry, that wasn't our intention. None of us were ever really upset. We were concerned because, after the press release, they did start crediting Chris Cornell, Whitesnake, and other artists on a week-by-week basis and we felt like we were left in the dark. But eventually, they came around and ultimately took care of it.

Dolly Parton, in town for 'American Idol,' works '9 to 5'

Dolly Parton is in Hollywood this week to show those American Idol kids how it's done (watch for her on the show Wednesday night). But the most intriguing appearance she's made during her time in L.A. these last few days was a brief concert at the House of Blues for a theatrical "group sales" event, where she was touting the wonders of an upcoming Broadway show, 9 to 5, for which she's written a full song score. And let's just get this out of the way now now: It's a given that any new Broadway musical is a long shot, given how most of them lose money — and lots of it. But 9 to 5 on the Great White Way with this particular team has got to be the shortest long shot of all time.

Of course you know it'll be based on the 1980 movie comedy in which Parton costarred with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. Maybe you don't know that it'll be directed by Joe Mantello, the hottest helmer in New York, thanks to his triumph with Wicked. You're probably not yet aware that it'll star Allison Janney in the Tomlin role; Megan Hilty (currently doing a great Glinda in the L.A. cast of Wicked) in the Parton part; Stephanie J. Block (currently Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway) in the Fonda role; and one of the theater's best-liked actors, Mark Kudisch, in the slot that was occupied by Dabney Coleman in the movie. The book is by Patricia Resnick, the frequent Robert Altman collaborator, who also wrote the 9 to 5 screenplay three decades ago.

Nelly recruits Akon, Usher, Ciara for new album...and holds out hope for the Boss

Nelly is getting ready to roll out his fifth album, tentatively titled Brass Knuckles, on June 24. We caught up with the St. Louis rapper at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards this past weekend, where he filled us in on some of the record's featured guests, among them Fergie, Usher, Akon, and Ciara, who joins the three-time Grammy winner for a track called "Stepped on My Js." "It is all about the Jordans," Nelly told EW.com. "I sang about Air Force Ones and you know what I did for grills, it's along the same lines but this is the best of all three. It is incredible." Still, there's one musician he's dying to record with who hasn't exactly come through...yet. "I'm trying to do something with the Boss, but Bruce Springsteen has been all over the world and busy," Nelly said. "I have a great idea that would be hot. It still might happen. I'm holding out hope." (Reporting by Carrie Bell)

'Idol' contestant David Cook under fire again, this time for his 'Eleanor Rigby' performance

Though Chris Cornell was acknowledged to be the source of David Cook's "Billie Jean" rearrangement on last week's American Idol, another band has come out demanding Cook (pictured) credit their cover of "Eleanor Rigby." Doxology, a rock-soul group out of Seattle (who happen to be pals with last season's runner-up Blake Lewis), claim that on March 11 Cook performed their version of the Beatles' classic — which has been available on the band's myspace page and iTunes since January 2007 — without crediting them.

In a statement issued to the press on Saturday, lead vocalist Luke McPherson contends, "When given the opportunity to speak up and reveal where the arrangement came from, David Cook did not. His silence on the issue implies that the arrangement is his own. It is not." The band is careful to note that they are fans of the show and they are not seeking royalties  (which they could have earned off of iTunes sales had their name been mentioned on air). Their impetus: "We just want David Cook and American Idol to do the right thing and acknowledge these facts. It's that simple." Whether Cook was actually aware of their version is still unclear as representatives for Fox could not be reached for comment over the weekend.

Read the band's full press release after the jump.

Chris Cornell defends 'Idol' contender David Cook

David Cook's rousing performance of "Billie Jean" on Tuesday night's American Idol may have brought him to the front of the season 7 pack, so why are Chris Cornell fans furious? Well, it was Cornell's version of the song, included on his 2007 solo album Carry On, that Cook covered, and though Ryan Seacrest identified it as such in his introduction, the judges went on to praise Cook for his originality in rearranging the Michael Jackson classic. But here's the million dollar question: What did Cornell himself think of it? EW.com tracked him down and asked him.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Were you told ahead of time that an Idol contestant was doing your version of "Billie Jean"?
CHRIS CORNELL: No. I had no idea. On my flight back from touring in South Africa, I started receiving messages from my fansite moderator and management [saying] that fans were furious about some American Idol guy who covered my version of "Billie Jean." It appears the judges had no idea that it was my arrangement and were giving David Cook praise about how brilliant he was in performing the song that way. My fans are very protective and felt David should have volunteered the info [at that point]. Even though he did cover it well, and it was brave of him to try and pull it off.

Were you flattered by the performance?
Very much. It was clear to me [that] he was a big fan as he followed my arrangement down to the T, including the most subtle vocal nuances. I think he did a great job at pulling it off.

Can you tell us a bit about how this cover came to be?
It was a complete reinvention of a song that no one thought would work until they saw me play it in Stockholm acoustically. It received such an enormous reaction that it prompted me to do a studio recording. It ended up on my second solo album, Carry On.

In general, do you find anything disingenuous about Idol contestants doing covers of covers?
This song is a special case, but in general, I don't think it should be an issue to cover a cover, as long as it's clear who the creator and/or interpretor of that piece is. I think David's performance was great and I want to thank all my fans for their dedication!

Award-winning songwriter Kara DioGuardi's new A&R gig

Award-winning songwriter Kara DioGuardi, who's penned hits for many chart-topping female pop stars — Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne, Ashlee Simpson and Kelly Clarkson, among them — has joined the Warner Bros. Records A&R team, though an official staff position has yet to be firmed up. She officially joined the label's A&R team a couple months ago, according to an insider, and is reporting to Warner chairman and CEO Tom Whalley. DioGuardi's main focus is on signing pop acts, and one of her first projects is 21-year-old newcomer Tynisha Keli, whose look is the perfect blend of Lindsay Lohan, Ashley Tisdale, and Britney Spears (all singers whom DioGuardi has worked with in the past), but with pipes that seem much more promising. (Check out her YouTube channel here.)

Named BMI's 2007 Pop Songwriter of the Year, DioGuardi tried to launch her own career as an artist a year earlier, teaming with the Eurythmics' Dave Stewart for a high-concept collaboration called Platinum Weird that never quite caught on. She's also tried her hand at television, serving as a judge on the short-lived American Idol knock-off show, The One. Rumor has it DioGuardi was also on the short-list to be an expert on MTV's Rock the Cradle, another vocal competition series featuring the children of famous — and mostly forgotten — singers like Kenny Loggins, Eddie Money, and Olivia Newton John. That show is scheduled to premiere on April 3. A rep for Warner Bros. corporate could not be reached for comment. 

Paris Bennett, other alums sign up for 'American Idol' summer camp

The latest American Idol alum to sign up for the franchise's summer camp extension? Season 5 finalist Paris Bennett, who will join Season 4 runner-up Bo Bice, Season 5's Ace Young and Season 3's Jon Peter Lewis as a mentor to 150 Idol hopefuls. Now in its second year, Idol Camp takes place in Running Springs, Calif., and is comprised of five two-week sessions, kicking off on June 15 and wrapping on August 23. It's open to kids between the ages of 10 and 15 and does not require an audition, but parents should take note of the camp's disclaimer:

Limited enrollment into Idol Camp DOES NOT GUARANTEE entrance into the "American Idol" television series competition, nor will it provide inside information or any other advantage in the "American Idol" audition process.

Well, if your kid's crafty, surely some information can be gleaned from our very chatty EW.com blogger, JPL, who's making his second appearance at the camp? And why is this not a reality show in its own right? The final deadline for applications is April 18th. Kids, start practicing!

Joni Mitchell and Herbie Hancock: Together again

After his huge Grammy win for River: The Joni Letters, Herbie Hancock has teamed up once again with the woman who inspired his Album of the Year. Jazz and folk reunited when Hancock and Mitchell performed last week for Yahoo!'s Nissan Live Sets. (Such pop artists as Christina Aguilera, Maroon 5, and Lenny Kravitz have also delivered intimate gigs on Yahoo!'s custom-built stage on Los Angeles' Twentieth-Century Fox lot.)

During the two-and-a-half-hour show, Mitchell showcased three of her songs — "River," "Tea Leaf Prophesy," and "Hana" — while Hancock, backed by a top-notch band, brought out the funk with classics like "Chameleon" and "Watermelon Man," and resurrected his own crossover hit, "Rock It" — much to the crowd's delight (see full set list after the jump). The performance will debut on Yahoo! Music on April 1.

Pussycat Dolls give Perez Hilton a spanking

At a March 22 bash on the eve of his 30th birthday, Perez Hilton not only received the first double-platinum plaque for Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, an album which the blogger and tastemaker championed long before its U.S. release, but later was treated to a surprise performance by the Pussycat Dolls. The blond-haired scribe (given name: Mario Lavandeira Jr.) called the event at the Beverly Wilshire hotel his Quinceañera (an appropriate title considering the location had a strange Super Sweet Sixteen feel to it). Famous guests included Amanda Bynes, The Hills' Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, and a Kardashian or two. But it was Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger's saucy, R-rated dedication that really got tongues wagging. "I'm especially excited to be one of the very privileged, lucky, chosen ones to have graced the pages of perezhilton.com... with driplets coming out of my mouth," she told an already rowdy crowd, before asking, "How many of you wanna see P-Nasty get a birthday spanking?" After a single lashing, the Dolls proclaimed the birthday boy their sixth member and presented him with a bedazzled official PCD sweatshirt that read, "Don't you wish your boyfriend were hot like Perez?" The self-declared "Queen of all Media" then joined the girls to sing their hit song, "Don't Cha," proving that, when it comes to music, he feels just as comfortable on stage as he does behind the scenes. What's next? A Perez Hilton rap record?

Dave Chappelle in San Fran: concert and a comedy set

Comedian Dave Chappelle was spotted at the Fillmore in San Francisco on Wednesday night, taking in the sold out Black Crowes concert. A longtime pal of Crowes frontman Chris Robinson, Chappelle stayed through the show, in which the band played their new album, Warpaint, in its entirety, then continued on to the Punchline comedy club to do a marathon stand-up set, the latest in a string of his own sold out Bay Area appearances, which typically start at midnight and go until six in the morning. Still, six hours remains one hour short of Dane Cook's current record, which he set in January, besting Chappelle's record-setting six-plus-hour routine from last December. “It isn’t something we went into competitively," Cook recently said. "If anybody could get up there and entertain people for more than seven hours, it would be Dave, but I think the seven hours will probably stand for some time.” Chappelle and Cook may get the chance to go head-to-head this June. New York comedy club Comic Strip Live has invited both of them to take part in a 50-hour comedy show aimed at setting a new Guinness World Record.

Ne-Yo spills more details on Patrick Stump duet

Two weeks ago, Hollywood Insider revealed that R&B crooner Ne-Yo and Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump had recorded a duet called “Finish Your Food" — which Stump said had "one of the craziest concepts for a song I've ever heard." Well, we definitely wanted to hear more about these strange bedfellows, so we caught up with Ne-Yo yesterday to find out more about the Island Def Jam labelmates' unusual tune, and his description did not disappoint.

"Imagine this," Ne-Yo told EW.com at the Def Jam office. "You live with your girlfriend. You wake up, she makes you breakfast in bed. Puts the tray down, gives you a kiss on the forehead, and she leaves for work. You eat, you eat, you eat. You notice that there’s a letter on the tray, and the letter says, 'I'm leaving you. Don't get up, I'm already gone. Finish your food.' You get up, you run downstairs, all your furniture's gone. In the kitchen there's more scrambled eggs. So you’re sitting on the floor in the kitchen, like, 'What the hell is going on?,' eating these scrambled eggs still. And then you start feeling funny. Did she poison the eggs? It leaves that question going on in your head at the end of the song."

Ne-Yo's hoping the sinister tale makes it onto his in-progress third CD, Year of the Gentleman, which he recently started recording. "I'd like the version with me and [Stump] to go on this album," he says. "But I'll be honest with you, it's been a little bit of a fight with the label. They’re like, ‘Is the world ready for Ne-Yo and Patrick Stump?’ His fanbase is this, and my fanbase is that. We're trying to figure out if the world is ready for those two [genres] to come together. I personally think that it's a great idea, but it's one of the few things that me and Def Jam tussle over."

A Def Jam rep did not reply to requests for comment. Look for Ne-Yo's record to drop some time this summer.

Justin Timberlake: on break, but busier than ever

He may be taking a breather from touring and performing, but Justin Timberlake continues to diversify his already ridiculously long résumé. In addition to the recently announced NBC show My Problem With Women (for which Timberlake, in a collaboration with Reveille, serves as an executive producer) and upcoming movie roles in The Love Guru (due out this June) and The Open Road (currently filming), the singer is also rumored to be hosting this summer’s ESPY Awards. But his music-production skills remain in high demand: Timberlake worked in London with Madonna, co-writing and co-producing five tracks on her new album, Hard Candy (out April 29) and appearing in Madge's new video, then traveled to New York to induct her into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. He was also spotted last week in the Austin recording studio of Spoon’s Jim Eno, where he and co-producer Charlie Sexton were wrapping up sessions with noted songwriter Matt Morris, one of the first artists signed to Timberlake’s own Tennman Records (check out video of the two in the studio here). “He’s kind of like Ray LaMontagne meets Elton John meets Stevie Wonder meets Rufus Wainwright,” Timberlake told us last year. “It’s time for the birth of the hybrid artist. I’m anxious to create an artist that the press has trouble labeling.” Next up: world domination.

SXSW news and rumor wrap-up

South By Southwest is drawing to a close, with only one night of debauchery left to survive here in Austin. We've seen a ton of bands (check out our PopWatch blog for daily recaps), heard a bunch of industry chatter, and done a lot of walking. Here's a sampling of some of the sights and sounds we've experienced during the festival.

Buzzing: Manchester's The Ting Tings, Memphis' Jay Reatard, Cincinnati's Bad Veins, Philly heroes Dr. Dog, newcomers Los Capesinos! and bands-of-the-moment MGMT and Vampire Weekend.

Disappointing:

• The aforementioned Vampire Weekend at the Spin party. "They came off cocky," said one audience member.

• British sensation Duffy, who played two day gigs on Friday, "Kind of eh," remarked an exec who had  believed the hype.

• MGMT at the Playboy party. Railed one angry fan: "They didn't play 'Time to Pretend'—WTF?"

No shows: The Lemonheads skipped out on their afternoon set at the Fader/Levi's fort. No explanation was offered.

Cover-worthy: Israeli singer Yael Naim, whose song "New Soul" is featured in the latest Apple campaign, broke out a dark and jazzy rendition of Britney Spears' "Toxic" at the ASCAP showcase Friday night.

Production notes: The Decemberists' Chris Funk is working with fellow Portland rockers The Builders and the Butchers on their new record.

Rumor of the night: Britney Spears to make a surprise appearance at Stubbs for N.E.R.D.'s Friday night headlining gig. She didn't show.

Rumor of the year: The perennial conference gossip—will there be a secret surprise show by the Beastie Boys? Answer: nope.

Raves: Perry Farrell rocking out to X from the crowd, after introducing the band at the Spin party. "Listen to that, that's Zeppelin!" he declared to anyone within earshot.

SXSW: Perez Hilton party's star-studded guest list

The guest list is growing by the minute for Perez Hilton's "One Night in Austin," the celebrity-blogger's first South By Southwest bash, which closes out the festival on Saturday night and includes a curious assortment of stars. Among those who've RSVP'd: indie rock lover and culinary queen Rachael Ray, who's hosting her own event earlier in the day, legendary singer Van Morrison, country bad girl Shelby Lynne, and hip-hop star Talib Kweli. They'll be joined by several hundred sure-to-be-fatigued festival-goers and entertained by Swedish pop darling Robyn, who was previously announced to perform. The night's special surprise guest, EW.com has learned, will be Pharrell Williams' band N.E.R.D., which has a new album coming out in June. Perez, meanwhile, has yet to finalize his deal with Warner Bros. Records, which has reportedly offered him an A&R position and his own imprint.

Ashlee Simpson: Alcohol and tats don't mix

Ashlee Simpson took to her myspace blog today to address rumors that she was drunk during a morning appearance on Washington DC radio station Hot 99.5. During the brief interview with Kane in the Morning, it seemed as if Simpson was slurring her words and giggling, some would say excessively. "It was very upsetting to hear that people saying that I was intoxicated," she writes, before explaining the circumstances of Monday night, which involved getting a new tattoo but no alcohol. Read on for Simpson's full defense...

'Idol' gives Jeff Buckley major sales bump

On last night's American Idol, dreadlocked-contestant Jason Castro nearly brought Paula Abdul to tears with his rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." Of course, it seemed to us that he was really imitating Jeff Buckley's version, whose popularity has consistently outpaced the late singer's other songs, chief among them, his mid-90s hit, "The Last Goodbye." And sure enough, sales of Buckley's "Hallelujah" went through the roof in the overnight hours, shooting up to No. 5 on the iTunes sales chart. Despite being a popular download for use in weddings and religious functions, the song was nowhere near the top 100 iTunes chart before last night's Idol, according to an Apple spokesperson, who adds that it's one of the biggest overnight pops in the history of iTunes, unlike anything they've seen since The Sopranos resurrected Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'."

Billy Bragg to join Ben Harper, Tom Morello, Serj Tankian for SXSW's 'Body of War' line-up

Billy Bragg has joined a growing list of heavy hitters — Ben Harper, Tom Morello, System of a Down's Serj Tankian, and Kimya Dawson, among them — for one of South by Southwest's most anticipated bills. The Austin, Tex., music fest's Thursday night lineup will honor the documentary Body of War, about Tomas Young, a 26-year-old Iraq War veteran who was maimed less than a week into his first tour of duty.

The story inspired many of the artists to donate tracks (mostly protest songs) for the Sire Records release, with all proceeds going to Iraq Veterans Against the War. The award-winning doc by Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro will have its Austin premiere on March 13, preceding the concert at Stubb's BBQ. Although Eddie Vedder, who wrote the anthemic "No More" after meeting Young, is not scheduled to appear, Morello tells EW.com, "I've been trying to lure some more performers." Stay tuned for more artist announcements as we get them.

Ne-Yo records duet with Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump

One's a smooth R&B balladeer, the other's an angsty emo wailer — and now Ne-Yo and Fall Out Boy singer Patrick Stump are making beautiful music together. Stump exclusively tells EW.com that he and his Island Def Jam labelmate recorded a Ne-Yo composition titled "Finish Your Food" during a recent studio hang session. "It's an R&B jam," says Stump of the duet. "A real good Ne-Yo signature, lyrical story-song." And what kind of story might that be? "I don't want to spoil it! It's the Cloverfield thing: You can't give too much away. But I will say that I gotta give him credit for it. It's one of the craziest concepts for a song I've ever heard, lyrically." Ne-Yo's publicist tells EW she isn't aware of any current release plans for "Finish Your Food," but Stump is keeping his fingers crossed. "Hopefully that sees the light of day,"  he adds. "I love the sound of our voices together."

John Mayer taps newcomers Colbie Caillat and Brett Dennen to open his summer tour

John Mayer kicks off a national tour this summer and is bringing along newcomers Colbie Caillat and Brett Dennen as opening acts. Both California-bred folk-pop artists were featured performers on Mayer's Mayercraft Carrier last month, the three-day Bahamian cruise designed to give fans the most intimate Mayer experience yet (look no further than his Borat-inspired swimsuit for proof), and were hand-picked by the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter himself. If 2007's Continuum tour is any indication, concert-goers can expect the occasional sit-in among sets as well. The trek is scheduled to start in July with a full list of dates to be announced soon.

Oscars: 'Once' duo signs deal with Warner/Chappell Music

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, the duo who picked up an Oscar last Sunday for "Falling Slowly" from the movie Once, have signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music. Songs from the film's soundtrack, plus compositions written for Hansard's band, The Frames, and his album with Irglova, The Swell Season, will now all be administered by the publishing arm of Warner Music Group. No doubt the duo will also see a significant label deal soon, but for now, Hansard and The Frames are still under contract with Epitaph Records' sister label ANTI (home to Tom Waits). One report today incorrectly stated that "neither the duo nor the Frames have recording contracts." Says a rep for ANTI: "I don't know that anything has changed in their status with the label. The Frames remain ANTI recording artists."   

Justin Timberlake to cameo in Gnarls Barkley's new video for "Run"

Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse, the psychedelic indie rock duo known as Gnarls Barkley, are gearing up for the  premiere of their new video for “Run,” the first single from the Grammy-winning group’s hotly anticipated upcoming CD, The Odd Couple (out April 8). Directed by Happy (a.k.a filmmakers Guy Shelmerdane and Richard Farmer), the clip features a cameo by Justin Timberlake, who joins Gnarls on the set of a fictitious public access show called City Vibin’. Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse were reluctant to talk about the video when EW.com caught up with them recently at a Beverly Hills hotel, but here’s what they revealed: “It’s like a public access show with people dancing,” says Danger Mouse. “It’s very early ’90s and late ’80s. We didn’t concentrate on the lyrics too much. ‘Run’ is kind of a fun, dancey song… so we just went with that with a little twist.” “Run” is the first single from the group’s follow up to their 2006 debut, St. Elsewhere.

Wale reveals details of 'Seinfeld' mixtape

First Harlem rapper Cam'Ron proclaimed his love for Curb Your Enthusiasm, now this: Late next month, Washington, D.C. up-and-comer Wale plans to release The Mixtape About Nothing, an entire set of hip-hop cuts inspired by Seinfeld. (Check out a preview of the mixtape's cover art at left.) "I think I've seen every episode, like, 30 times," Wale said when EW.com called him at the NYC studio of producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen) yesterday. Wale says he's particularly partial to the show's controversial 1997-98 swan song. "The last season is very underrated. A lot of Seinfeld fans be like, 'Oh, the last season is so over-the-top.' I'm like, it's about reinventing!"

Wale played us an early snippet of a song called "Hype" over the phone. The meditation on celebrity opens with a lengthy sample from one of Jerry Seinfeld's Season 7 stand-up monologues: "I love it when people are complimented on something they're wearing, and they accept the compliment as if it was about them..." Wale also exclusively revealed to EW.com that his team recently convinced Seinfeld alum Julia Louis-Dreyfus to record a brief skit (or "drop") for the mixtape. "She’s not [in character as] Elaine — she’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus," explains Wale, who hasn't had a chance to hear the skit yet. "It's something crazy, something comical." (Louis-Dreyfus' reps did not reply to requests for comment.) No word yet on whether Wale's tunes inspired the actress to break into that notorious "Elaine dance"...

UPDATE: Julia Louis-Dreyfus replies via email: "Wale is my favorite artist because he's the only one who ever included me in a mixtape -- hear that, P. Diddy?”

New N.E.R.D. coming in June

N.E.R.D., the funk-rock group comprised of the Neptunes' Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, along with friend and collaborator Shae Haley, are ready to drop a new album, their first since 2004's Fly or Die, in late June on Star Trak. Titled Seeing Sounds (in reference to a neurological phenomenon called Synesthesia, where senses cross so a tone correlates to, say, a color -- read the insanely complex dissection at wikipedia), the band drew inspiration from the idea of seeing the music. So what took so long? Williams, who recently wrapped a record with Madonna, told MTV last October that he was "just waiting for the right sounds," comparing making music to going fishing. "You fish for it every day, and either you get it or you don't," he said. "And sometimes I have to wait. What I usually do with the N.E.R.D. albums is we wait a lot." But fans won't have to wait much longer.

Moldy Peaches' Adam Green responds to Barbara Walters

One of the strangest exchanges on Oscar night didn’t occur at the Kodak Theatre, but on Barbara Walters' Academy Awards special. The View doyenne told Juno’s Ellen Page that she doesn’t “get” the Moldy Peaches — even though she booked the semiretired duo to perform their unlikely hit, "Anyone Else But You," on her daytime talk show. Page, who handpicked the song for the film, didn't seem to take offense, calmly schooling Walters in the subtleties of indie rock: "It's beautiful, honest, [and] hits me on a level I can't deny."

So how does Adam Green, one-half of the anti-folk act, feel about the slight? "I'm not bitter," he says. "When it comes to Moldy Peaches music, I don't think anyone's taking Barbara's opinion too seriously. From what I understand, she really enjoys that song." And the fact that Walters sang along with Page, he adds, is a testament to the tune's unbelievable reach. "You couldn't surprise me now," marvels Green, whose fifth solo album, Sixes and Sevens, is due March 18. "If Michael Jordan turned out to be the biggest Moldy Peaches fan, I’d be, like, 'Join the f---ing club.'”

Madonna's album title, release date confirmed

The title of Madonna's forthcoming album will be Hard Candy, EW.com has learned exclusively. The record, her last studio effort for Warner Bros., includes a track called "Candy Store." Madonna chose to stick with the sweet theme because "she loves candy," says her longtime rep Liz Rosenberg. "It's about the juxtaposition of tough and sweetness, or as Madonna so eloquently expressed 'I'm gonna kick your ass, but it's going to make you feel good.'" The album, which features Justin Timberlake on multiple tracks and production by Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, and Nate "Danja" Hills, will see a U.S. release on April 29. The first single, "Four Minutes," will be out at the end of March.

Vanessa Carlton and Stevie Nicks reteam for TV

Singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton (far left) is reteaming with Stevie Nicks for the PBS live music program Soundstage, EW.com has learned. The show will feature the singers' duet "The One," which appears on Carlton's latest album, Heroes & Thieves, and the two also take a stab at Bonnie Raitt's "Circle Dance." The airdate has yet to be determined.

Carlton has been raising eyebrows of late with a provocative new Marc Klasfeld-directed video for the song "Hands On Me," which was arranged by her ex-boyfriend, and Third Eye Blind frontman, Stephan Jenkins. The clip features Carlton lying in bed, gently touching herself in (mostly) appropriate places on camera, but hinting at some possibly less SFW touching going on outside the frame.

Joss Stone and Clipse to collaborate

Joss Stone and critically acclaimed rap duo Clipse are currently “trading tracks,” say reps for the artists. The Virginia-based rappers will make an appearance on Stone’s next studio effort, while the British soul singer has already recorded a song for the duo's forthcoming album with their group the Re-Up Gang (out this June). The mutual love-fest began when Stone and Clipse collaborated on a track for Randy Jackson's soon-to-be-released compilation album, Randy Jackson's Music Club, Volume 1. What's strange is on both the press release for the record and amazon.com, the song, titled "Just Walk On By," credits Joss Stone and Memphis hip-hop outfit Three 6 Mafia. Though reps for Three 6 Mafia have yet to get back to us, Jackson assures EW.com that it was, in fact, Clipse who worked with Stone on the track, not Three Six, but that the collab version will only be released as a single. For the version featured on the album, Stone goes at it solo. 

Winehouse, Hancock see big Grammy bumps

The glitz of the 50th annual Grammy Awards has faded, but the buzz from the stage continues to echo. Today, Nielsen SoundScan released its post-show sales tally, and several of the night's winners scored big on the retail front. Among the chart leaders: Amy Winehouse, with a whopping 368 percent bump in album sales, bringing her to-date total to 1,649,010. Also impressive were her digital sales, which spiked 196 percent to 283,303. "Rehab," as a singular download, saw a similar boost, up 234 percent to 1,175,513. Vince Gill wasn't far behind. His latest, These Days, shot up 618 percent with total sales just shy of 350,000. But outshining them both was Album of the Year winner, Herbie Hancock, whose tribute to Joni Mitchell saw a 966 percent rise in sales, totaling just over 53,000 copies, and bringing his tally to 114,390. Overall, album sales were up 16 percent from last week, which, in today's music climate, is cause for celebration, albeit tempered by 2007's double-digit overall decline. See how other Grammy-featured acts fared at retail after the jump. 

MC Hammer, Ja Rule shop reality shows

How do you resurrect a forgotten rapper’s career? Why, take it to reality TV, of course. Following the success of MTV’s Run’s House and Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood, we hear MC Hammer is shopping a series that will showcase the highs and lows of life after superstardom. The onetime Surreal Lifer is talking to several networks, while also preparing to launch dancejam.com, a user-generated dance video site, but has yet to sign a deal. And he may have to get in line: Ja Rule, Master P, and even Kevin Federline are also pitching reality programs. Says one development exec: “It’s insane how many calls we get from rappers wanting their own TV shows.”

New U2 record, aiming for fall release

After reports of recording sessions in exotic locations like Fez, Morocco and the South of France, today's news that U2 are back in Dublin and knee-deep in material for their next album was a welcome update. According to longtime collaborator Daniel Lanois, the band is trying to "deliver a masterpiece" as the follow-up to 2004's Grammy-winning album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. But by when? Lanois won't say, but we hear the band is "aiming for a fall release," a claim their label, Interscope, doesn't deny. Certainly, a new release by the world's reigning stadium rockers would be a big boost for holiday sales this year -- and perhaps next year as well: Lanois hinted to Billboard.com that the current recording sessions may wind up spreading out across two albums.

New Madonna album 'upbeat and urban,' inside source says

More details are emerging about Madonna's new album. Nate "Danja" Hills and Timbaland, who co-produced Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds, are co-producing some tracks on Madonna's yet-to-be titled album and Danja tells EW.com that the pop queen's next effort is "very up-tempo, upbeat and urban — it's a Virginia-based sound." Madge was joined in the studio by another influential Virginian, Pharrell Williams, but Danja emphasizes that the album's urban edge doesn't mean the 49-year-old star has lost her pop cred. "It's everything rolled into one," he says. "It'll be a classic album." As previously reported here, Timbaland and Timberlake will appear in the video for Madonna's first single, "4 Minutes to Save the World." The album is slated for an April debut. The single drops in March.

New country Jessica Simpson eyeing CMT reality show

Jessica Simpson's much-publicized foray into country music is coming together. The singer's manager/father, Joe, tells EW.com that the singer is close to completing her first country album and that she is eyeing a possible unscripted CMT show, which would mark the singer's second stab at reality TV. "With Newlyweds, she let everyone into her world," says Joe. "Then she had to shut the world out. Now she can open it up again so people can see, here's a girl struggling with self-esteem and finding her way. Country music is about storytelling, after all." 

As for the album, Simpson has enlisted some of Nashville's most respected names to lend a hand — and some credibility — to the project. Jessica duets with Dolly Parton on one track and is joined on another by Willie Nelson and Charley Pride. John Shanks, who's worked with Sheryl Crow and Kelly Clarkson, and Brett James, a cowriter on Carrie Underwood's single "Jesus Take the Wheel," are producing. Simpson's first single, which has yet to be selected, could be out as soon as April or May.

Ludacris says he wants to work with Eminem

We hear that pop-punks Good Charlotte will be among the guests appearing on Ludacris' sixth solo album, (tentatively titled Theater of the Mind, due out in August), and the hip-hop artist reveals that he has someone in mind for another collab as well. "I'd like to work with Eminem," he told EW.com at the InStyle Grammy Salute to Fashion on Friday. "I think we could make something hot, but who knows? It hasn't happened — yet."  Meanwhile, the rapper and movie star (Fred Claus, Crash) is expanding his portfolio yet again, partnering with Bay Area restaurateur Chris Yeo on Straits, an upscale Asian restaurant set to open in Atlanta this fall. Luda also just launched wemix.com, an online American Idol-style contest with a focus on beats and songwriting, which he hopes to bring to cable TV soon.

Butch Walker abandons major label system, launches provocatively named website

After more than a decade in the major label system, Butch Walker is boldly proclaiming his independence with a new provocatively named web site. Up until late 2007, the singer, producer, and songwriter, who's worked with some of pop's leading ladies, Avril Lavigne, Pink, and Ashlee Simpson among them, was signed to Epic Records as a solo artist. In the late '90s, Walker was on the Arista Records roster while fronting the band Marvelous 3. On Feb. 14, he plans to self-release Leavin' the Game on Luckie St., a double live album, allowing fans to download all 24 songs for free during the first week. The set, which includes covers of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" and James' hit "Laid," will only be available digitally, but an accompanying DVD is scheduled to hit retail stores a few weeks later.

"Viva la freedom from cubicle music!" Walker declares in an official announcement going out tomorrow. "The record business is f---ed, but not for bands. It's the most exciting, positive time for music, as rock and roll and indie pop have gone completely back underground. And to see artists be able to release albums whenever they want, for whatever they want, and not have to fear sending in their cover art, only to have the art department airbrush off the singer's mustache (in fear of not selling to a certain demographic or f---ing statistic) is wonderful. Essentially, everything they have or haven't done in the past, I will purposely do the opposite... And probably make my first paycheck." In addition to his own music, Walker plans to release other projects, like 1969, a collaboration with guitarist Michael Guy Chislett from The Academy Is... and drummer Darren Dodd from the Let's Go Out Tonites. No doubt supplemental income will continue to come from writing hits for other artists; most recently, Walker re-teamed with Pink to start work on her next album.

Scott Weiland scheduled for Stone Temple Pilots reunion gigs after rehab

In late January, Velvet Revolver frontman Scott Weiland revealed that Stone Temple Pilots, the multi-platinum grunge outfit that first put the guttural singer on the map, will reunite for a handful of gigs this summer. But with Weiland, who's battled drug addiction on and off since the late '90s, back in rehab, will the show go on? Yes, according to sources close to the band, who point to a soon-to-be announced date scheduled for mid-May in Columbus, Ohio, whe