MusicNewsTidBits.com

You know I love to report on fat head Suge Knight. Well last weekend he has some of his possessions auctioned off to pay storage debts. There was clothing, furniture and gym equipment. This stuff came from his former Malibu mansion that was sold in 2008. According to reports, a photo of Suge and Tupac went for only $100 and a flat-screen TV that went for $230. Only $4,500 was made on his crap which didn’t quite pay the storage fees. You know this fool has money hidden all over the place. Seriously, Death Row Records was worth millions of dollars.

Good ol’ Rhymefest will be putting out his second album titled ‘El Che’ on May 18th to follow up his 2006 first album ‘Blue Collar’. If you remember Rhymefest co-wrote Kanye West’s “Jesus Walks” song. Some production will come from Scram Jones, BKS, Terry Hunter and S1. Should we sweet so check it out.

Ya you remember them. That strange song “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” that came out in the early 90′s. Well they are recording a new album titled ‘Oooh La La’ and it will be released on May 11th. After the album they will head out on a tour to support the album. Here’s that song from way back.

So Fast Company magazine compiled a list of the top 10 most innovative music companies and I say….it’s a pretty good list. Check it out:

1. Spotify – Free, legal, music
2. Apple Corps – The Beatles label, sold 3.28 million albums in 2009, no digital downloads
3. Man Made Music – Joel Beckerman and his vision
4. Vevo – “Vevo is on its way to becoming the Hulu of music videos.”
5. Antares Audio Technologies – The Auto-Tune peeps
6. Third Man Records – The Jack White empire.
7. Beats by Dr. Dre – The partnership between Monster, Interscope Geffen A&M Records chairman Jimmy Iovine, and Dr. Dre made giant studio-quality headphones a fashion accessory.
8. Ticketfly – The concert ticket service uses software pioneered in the hedge-fund industry to let groups of friends buy tickets together.
9. Insomniac Productions – Electric Daisy Carnival annual electronica festival in L.A. that grew to 135,000 in 2009.
10. Playdar – This open-source app looks for tracks on the Web and the users hard drives and pulls them together in a single jukebox.

Word out there is that Robert Plant has been recording his next solo album titled ‘It’s Rude To Say No’ which will be released later this year. He’s been in Nashville recording with producer Buddy Miller. More info to come later.

Alright a couple things on Zombie.

Don’t forget he directed an episode of “CSI: Miami” which will air on March 1st at 8:00pm (west coast).

His recent album ‘Hellbilly Deluxe 2′ that came out on February 2nd (his first Hellbilly Deluxe was his first solo album and came out 12 years ago) debuted at #8 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart (selling 48,500 units in its first week) and is #1 on the ‘Hard Music’ chart.

Zombie will be headlining the Mayhem Festival which begins on July 10th.

Nikki Sixx recently spoke about his upcoming album. The Motley Crue bassist says:

“Sixx AM is balls out and balls to the wall working on our new album. DJ Ashba layed down guitars yesterday on a few tracks. Today is bass and a new tune we’re just finishing up. Some very Sixx AM left turns on this album. I don’t remember laughing this much in the studio in a long time. I imagine there is over two albums worth of material written, but just like last time it will probably be a single album…the cream always rises to the top…no filler allowed.”

Everyone in Hip Hop has been wanting to work with Sade; most recently Kanye West and Drake. Sade has said she doesn’t want to work with people outside of her “safety” zone. She goes on to say

“I don’t think they have contacted me. I’ve never collaborated because I’ve always avoided working outside my safety zone. I can be exactly who I am and can fail or success within the moment. I feel safe working like I do. I wouldn’t want to work in a situation where I am expected to deliver because I think I wouldn’t deliver.”

Somehow I don’t believe she wouldn’t deliver. I’m actually glad she won’t work with them. Hip Hop (Hip Pop) just exploits so much garbage and Sade shouldn’t be a part of that.

On March 23rd Pet Shop Boys are releasing a deluxe DVD/CD set showcasing their entire live show at London’s O2 Arena. The DVD will have the complete 2009 BRIT awards performance and videos of ‘Love etc.’, ‘Did you see me coming?’, and ‘All over the world’. The CD will have the following:

1 More than a dream ⁄ Heart
2 Did you see me coming?
3 Pandemonium ⁄ Can you forgive her?
4 Love etc.
5 Go west
6 Two divided by zero
7 Why don’t we live together?
8 New York City boy
9 Always on my mind
10 Closer to Heaven ⁄ Left to my own devices
11 Do I have to?
12 King’s Cross
13 Suburbia
14 Se a vida é ⁄ Discoteca ⁄ Domino dancing ⁄ Viva la vida
15 It’s a sin
16 Being boring
17 West End girls

Alex Kapranos hasn’t said much about the new album since he fears giving out too much information. Kapranos said “I’ve been round at Nick’s and we’ve been writing some things, and trying to do things in a different way again.”

2009′s ‘Tonight’ album debuted at number two in the UK and number nine in the US.

Remember Whitesnake and David Coverdale? Ya I do from mostly the 80′s but they are back and have signed on with a new record label. Coverdale won’t say who but does say:

“[I am] delighted to report we are working with an enthusiastic, highly respected record company, whom at this time I am reluctant to name until they wish to make their own announcement. The album will feature all-new, fresh material.”

Everyone has seen the “Bad” video by Michael Jackson from back in 1987 huh. Well the video was shot by Martin Scorsese in the Hoyt-Schermerhorn subway station in downtown Brooklyn and The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership with the MTA want to do an artistic tribute for Michael Jackson. Its still in the planning stages so there may still be some resistance. It would be pretty sweet though.

Don’t really know if thats a good thing or a bag thing but Courtney Love’s band Hole will release ‘America’s Sweetheart’ on April 27th. It took her about 5 years, 3 producers and her own money to finally get it together. Here’s her song ‘Samantha’ from the upcoming album as she performed on the BBC TV show Friday Night With Jonathan Ross last week.

July 8-11 Further, featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, will be headlining the ‘All Good Music Festival and Campout’ in Masontown, West Virginia. Along with ‘Further’, Yonder Mountain String Band, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Widspread Panic and others will be playing at the festival. Ticket went on sale today at All Good and will offer an “Even Better VIP” package which has everything from exclusive viewing and camping areas, air-conditioned bathrooms, private showers to taxi shuttles and exclusive merchandise.

Pre-sale tickets for Rock On The Range began a couple days ago for the May 22-23 festival and some of the artists have been announced. It’s going to be Rob Zombie, Godsmack and …..oh geez…Limp Bizkit along with Rise Against, Deftones, Papa Roach and the debut of Slash being solo. Part of the pre-sale, for the first time, you can buy your tickets on layaway which includes tickets, hotels and merchandise.