2003

Funk music pioneer George Clinton was arrested and charged with drug possession after allegedly telling an officer he had cocaine in his pocket.
Clinton, of Tallahassee, was arrested Saturday and bonded out of jail over the weekend, according to jail officials, who wouldn’t release any other information. Clinton’s lawyer, Shoshana Zisk of San Francisco, didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment.

Clinton, 63, who headed the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic

Widespread Panic will release three live albums in 2004, one out in spring,another in summer and another in fall. Recorded during a three-night standin November at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the livealbums consist of one set with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, one acoustic setand one of straight ahead Widespread Panic.
The decision to release the live albums stemmed in part from the venue beinga “magical spot” for the band and also from a desire to showcase the impactof collaborating with the eight-man Dirty Dozen Brass Band on even the mostfamiliar songs in the Panic repertoire.
Source Rollinstone.com.

Japanese game machine maker Taito Corp said on Friday it plans to restart sales of “Space Invaders” in the United States, almost 25 years after the game first appeared in video arcades.
The classic arcade game centers on a fleet of invading aliens looking to take over earth, but they must first deal with a lone gunner — the player — holed up behind a fragile set of shields.
It has been one of the most popular video games of all time since it was developed in 1978.
“There has been a rebirth of classic video games in America,” said Taito spokesman Kengo Naka. “We thought it would coincide nicely with the 25th anniversary of its debut in the U.S.”
Taito aims to sell 10,000 of the stand-alone game machines at 300,000 yen (U.S. $2,772) a unit.
While the game will not change in this latest offering, inflation has taken its toll. One play will now cost 50 cents, compared with 25 cents a generation ago.
Source CNN.com.

A Jimi Hendrix tribute disc being put together by the guitar legend

Geroge Carlin is continuing with what he does best: touring and making America laugh. The irreverent humorist has inked in new dates on his never-ending cycle of theatre tours.
At the end of the schedule, for the time being, is a multi-week run at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. Carlin said he does 12 weeks per year at the venue, although we’re only counting 14 shows right now, which means he could possibly expect to return for another round of laughs. Last year, Carlin won a Grammy for his Napalm & Silly Putty book on tape/CD. It was his fourth such award. The book version of the project went on to spend 20 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. According to a post by Carlin on his self-maintained Web site, he’s working on plans for the “first one-man Broadway show,

Elvis Costello has scheduled a brief winter tour that will kick off Feb. 19 in Clearwater, Fla., and end March 11 in San Francisco. The 13-date trek comes in support of his latest album, “North.”
As was the case for a handful of appearances around the time of the release of the album of ballads, Costello will be accompanied by his longtime collaborator, Attractions/Imposters keyboardist Steve Nieve for the tour.
In addition, three dates Feb. 24 in Nashville, Feb.26 in New York and Feb. 27 in Boston

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers lead the Recording Industry Association of America’s latest pack of album-sales award-winners by claiming their first diamond award.
The RIAA has given its diamond award, which signifies U.S. shipment of 10 million copies, to Petty & the Heartbreakers’ 1993 best-of set, “Greatest Hits.”
Also putting up double digits during this certification round are Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, and classic rockers Boston. Simon and Garfunkel’s current reunion tour apparently helped push the duo’s 1972 “Greatest Hits” collection past the 14-million mark, while Boston’s self-titled 1976 debut has shipped 17 million copies.
Other veterans hitting sales milestones include the late Johnny Cash, who scores his first platinum studio album with his final recording, “American IV: The Man Comes Around”; Rod Stewart, whose “As Time Goes By … The Great American Songbook, Vol. 2,” has gone platinum, and whose “Vol. 1” edition has achieved double-platinum status; Outkast, whose “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” is now certified quadruple platinum; and Michael McDonald, whose “Motown” covers collection is has gone gold, signifying U.S. shipment of 500,000 copies.
Also among the albums recognized are Alicia Keys’ “Songs in A Minor” with 6 million copies; Vince Gill’s “Souvenirs” with 3 million copies; Audioslave’s self-titled debut and Clay Aiken’s “Measure of a Man” with 2 million copies each; and Dido’s “Life for Rent,” Ludacris’ “Chicken & Beer” and DMX’s “The Grand Champ,” each with 1 million copies.
The Eagles’ “Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975” remains the top-selling album of all time, with certification of 28 million copies; Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” follows with 26 million copies.
Source Pollstar.com.

A federal judge has approved a settlement of a lawsuit filed on behalf of millions of record club members who alleged they had been overcharged in a price-fixing conspiracy.
Under the settlement signed Wednesday by U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby, the CD buyers will receive vouchers to give them 75 percent discounts for new compact discs, which they will receive with no shipping or handling charges.
Some members will be eligible for as many as three discounts, said an attorney for the plaintiffs, Michael Jaffe.
Hornby approved a $143 million settlement in a related lawsuit last July that accused major record companies and large music retailers of conspiring to set minimum music prices. Under that settlement, 3.5 million people are to receive checks for $12.60 and libraries and schools across the country will get $75.7 million worth of music CDs.
The lawsuit was signed by the attorneys general of 43 states and territories and consolidated in Portland in October 2000.
Defendants included Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music Distribution, Warner-Elektra-Atlantic Corp., Universal Music Group and Bertelsmann Music Group, as well as retailers Tower Records, Musicland Stores and Transworld Entertainment.
In agreeing to the settlement, the companies denied any wrongdoing.
Source yahoo.com.