March 16, 2004

Current and former members of Guns N’ Roses have filed a lawsuit against Geffen Records in an attempt to block what they call the “unauthorized release” of a pending best-of collection. The “Greatest Hits” set, due March 23, is tipped to feature such favorites as “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Patience” and “Paradise City.”

In an interesting twist, former GNR principals Slash and Duff McKagan have joined lone current original member Axl Rose in filing the lawsuit, which seeks a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the issuing of “Greatest Hits.”

The band claims it was not consulted on the track list, artwork or the remastering of the chosen songs. In a statement released by the group’s management at the Sanctuary Group, Rose expresses concern that “not only will [the] audience be misled into believing that the planned compilation is an authorized release, but that it will hinder the release of the band’s long-awaited new studio album, Chinese Democracy.

Source Billboard.com.

Prince, the late George Harrison, Traffic, ZZ Top, Bob Seger, Jackson Browne, the Dells and Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner were welcomed into the ranks of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night (March 15) during a gala ceremony at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

The evening wrapped with the traditional all-star jam, this time on Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Rock & Roller” and Mason’s “Feelin’ Alright.” While the Dells crowded around the mic, Kid Rock harmonized with Browne as Richards traded licks with ZZ Top’s Billy F. Gibbons.

Highlights from the event will be broadcast this Sunday by VH1.

Source Billboard.com.

Singer/songwriter/pianist Ben Folds will hit the road next month on a tour of U.S. colleges. At deadline, 14 dates were confirmed for the run, which will kick off April 2 at John Carroll University in Cleveland. More dates are expected.

Folds is currently finishing a new studio album due in late summer or early fall via Epic. The set will be the official follow-up to his 2001 solo debut, “Rockin’ the Suburbs.”

Last year, the artist released the EPs “Speed Graphic” and “Sunny 16,” sold through iTunes, his official Web site and at shows. He also recorded “The Bens” EP with Ben Lee and Ben Kweller, recently released by the independent Attacked By Plastic label.

Here are Folds’ upcoming tour dates:

April 2: Cleveland, Ohio (John Carroll University/Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center)
April 3: Ann Arbor, Mich. (University of Michigan/Hill Auditorium)
April 4: Valparaiso, Ind. (Valparaiso University/Arc)
April 5: Urbana, Ill. (University of Illinois/Foellinger Auditorium)
April 6: East Lansing, Mich. (Michigan State University/MSU Union)
April 8: Tulsa, Okla. (University of Tulsa/Donald W. Reynolds Center)
April 21: Sioux Falls, S.D. (Augustana College/Great Hall)
April 22: Des Moines, Iowa (Drake University/Veterans Memorial Auditorium)
April 23: Decorah, Iowa (Luther College/Center for Faith & Life)
April 29: New Orleans (Southport Hall)
April 30: Davidson, N.C. (Davidson College/Belk Arena)
May 2: Iowa City, Iowa (University of Iowa/Hubbard Park)
May 7: Danville, Ky. (Centre College of Kentucky/Norton Center)
May 8: Salisbury, Md. (Salisbury University/Arthur Perdue Stadium)

Source billboard.com.

Public Enemy frontman Chuck D will co-host a daily show on Air America Radio, a new liberal talk radio network set to launch March 31. The outspoken rapper will join Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” co-creator Lizz Winstead and radio talk veteran Laura Flanders on “Unfiltered,” which will air 9 a.m.-noon ET daily Monday through Friday.

Initially, the Progress Media-owned franchise will be heard on WLIB-AM (1190) New York, WNTD-AM (950) Chicago, KBLA-AM (1580) Los Angeles, and via an as-of-yet unnamed station in San Francisco. The network’s programming will also be heard streaming live on the Web Airamericaradio.com. In addition, Air America Radio is in negotiations with satellite television and radio providers to carry its programming nationally.

A number of high-profile comedians will be heard on the network’s airwaves. Al Franken will host the three-hour “The O’Franken Factor” daily at noon with co-host Katherine Lanpher, which promises “fearless barbs, sketches and interviews.” Janeane Garofalo and political humorist Sam Seder will co-host “The Majority Report” a nightly four-hour block beginning at 8 p.m. and Marc Maron will participate in the morning show “Uprising” (6-9 a.m.) with co-hosts Sue Ellicott and Mark Riley.

Air America’s afternoons will boast “The Randi Rhodes Show” (3-7 p.m.) and will be followed by the one-hour “So What Else Is News?” anchored by Marty Kaplan. Weekends will feature “Champions of Justice,” hosted by environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mike Papatanio, along with yet to be announced original programming and “best of” segments culled from the daily shows.

In other news, Chuck D is also due to take part in the National Hip-Hop Political Convention along with Hip-Hop Summit Action Network co-founder Russell Simmons June 16-19 at Rutgers University in Newark, N.J. The three-day conference will include dialogue between hip-hop and civil-rights leaders, panel discussions on economic empowerment, criminal justice, education and healthcare; and artist performances.

As previously reported, the Public Enemy frontman is also backing a venture to create a new cable music channel devoted to hip-hop.

Source billboard.com.

The tour rumor mill is overflowing with buzz for two high-profile acts. A Van Halen reunion with Sammy Hagar is viewed as a virtual certainty, and a tour announcement for Madonna has been anticipated for months.

The Van Halen rumors got rolling last fall when the band signed with Irving Azoff, longtime manager of Hagar, the Eagles, Journey and others. Around the same time, Hagar announced that he was once again on speaking terms with Alex and Eddie Van Halen. He and the brothers hadn’t spoken since parting ways in 1996 after an argument.

The William Morris Agency is reportedly booking North American arenas for a Van Halen excursion this summer. The group’s last outing was in 1998, with former Extreme singer Gary Cherone handling vocal duties. Their last tour with Hagar wrapped in late 1995; the eight-month outing sold well over a million tickets, grossing more than $32 million.

Meanwhile perennial pop superstar Madonna is also said to be planning a tour, possibly beginning in May. Many expected an announcement in February, but the singer has been tight-lipped thus far.
Bagpipe player Calum “Spud” Fraser stated this week that he has been invited to perform on a summer world tour with the Material Girl, and that rehearsals are beginning in New York next month. Other reports have her auditioning dancers in Los Angeles, and rumors are flying of concerts scheduled in Ireland and Israel.

Madonna last toured in 2001, when she grossed more than $74 million with a summer of sold-out shows in North America and Europe.

Source pollstar.com.