2006

The name itself,

They may not have flashed any body parts — except for Mick Jagger’s well-toned stomach — but the Rolling Stones made ABC glad editors were on duty for last night’s (Feb. 5) Super Bowl XL halftime show. Two sexually explicit lyrics were excised from the legendary rock group’s performance.

The only song to avoid the editor was “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” a 41-year-old song about sexual frustration.

In “Start Me Up,” the show’s editors silenced one word, a reference to a woman’s sexual sway over a dead man. The lyrics for “Rough Justice” included a synonym for rooster that the network also deemed worth cutting out.

ABC was the first network to impose a five-second tape delay on the Super Bowl, although it said the changes to the Stones’ show were made by the National Football League (NFL) and its producers. The sensitivity no doubt reflects a lingering reaction to Janet Jackson’s infamous wardrobe malfunction two years ago.

Performing on a stage designed as a replica of their famed wagging tongue logo, the Stones chose three tough rockers, including “Rough Justice” from last year’s well-received Virgin album “A Bigger Bang,” and one of their most enduring hits. “Here’s one we could have done at Super Bowl I,” Jagger wryly said in introducing “Satisfaction.”

Some in Detroit felt the city’s rich musical history was snubbed when the Stones were selected, even if the Super Bowl had Motown-themed halftime shows twice in the past 25 years. This year’s Motown tribute came before the game. Stevie Wonder was the centerpiece, singing a medley of hits with the help of John Legend, Joss Stone and India.Arie and a host of dancers.

The National Anthem paired New Orleans artists Aaron Neville and Dr. John (in a tribute to the hurricane-ravaged region) with a hometown favorite Aretha Franklin.

A few music artists also showed up during the much ballyhooed commercials during the game, with Diddy appearing opposite actor Jay Mohr and a can of Diet Pepsi in one and Jessica Simpson reprising her version of “These Boots Are Made for Walking” for Pizza Hut.

In the game itself, the favored Pittsburgh Steelers emerged victorious with a 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Source billboard.com.

Days before it was set to begin, Cat Power’s spring U.S. tour has been canceled due to unspecified health reasons. The 11-date trek, which was to feature Cat Power’s Chan Marshall backed by the Memphis Rhythm Band, was set to begin Saturday (Feb. 11) in Memphis and continue through a high-profile March 15 gig in Austin, Texas, as part of the South by Southwest festival.

Marshall’s new Matador album, “The Greatest,” earned her the best sales week and Billboard 200 chart position of her career, debuting last week at No. 34 thanks to sales of 23,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. A Cat Power album has never been higher than No. 105 on the chart.

Matador has not released any additional information about the need for the cancellation “out of respect for Chan’s privacy,” but says the tour will be rescheduled as soon as possible. Refund information is still being nailed down.

“The Greatest” was recorded in Memphis with a host of notable session musicians, including guitarist Mabon “Teenie” Hodges, bassists Leroy Hodges and David Smith, guitarist Doug Easley, keyboardist Rick Steff, saxophonist Jim Spake and trumpeter Scott Thompson.

Source billboard.com.

Death Cab for Cutie and Franz Ferdinand are celebrating the arrival of spring with a major co-headlining North American concert tour. Slated to kick off on March 22nd in Portland, Oregon, this incredible pairing of these two bands will be THE TOUR of the Spring. The tour will be presented by Fuse in partnership with MySpace.

Tour Dates

3-22 Portland, OR – Memorial Coliseum
3-23 Sacramento, CA – Memorial Hall at Sacramento Convention Center
3-24 Reno, NV – Reno Hilton Pavillion
3-27 Tucson, AZ – Centennial Hall at University of Arizona
3-29 Austin, TX – The Backyard
3-30 Houston, TX – Verizon Wireless Theater
3-31 Grand Prairie, TX – Nokia Theatre
4-07 Durham, NC – Cameron Stadium at Duke University
4-08 Camden, NJ – Tweeter Center Indoors
4-09 Ithaca, NY – Barton Hall at Cornell University
4-11 Washington, DC – Constitution Hall
4-12 Boston, MA – Agannis Arena
4-13 New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom
4-14 New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom
4-15 Montreal, Quebec – Cepsum at University of Montreal
4-17 Toronto, Ontario – The Docks
4-18 Detroit, MI – State Theatre
4-19 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom
4-20 St Paul, MN – Northrop Auditorum at University of Minnesota
4-23 Winnipeg, Manitoba – Burton Cummings Theatre
4-25 Edmonton, Alberta – Shaw Conference Centre
4-26 Calgary, Alberta – Stampede Corral

Mike Skinner, aka The Streets, will be delivering his third studio album this spring on April 25th on Vice Records. “The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living” is a completely autobiographical record that covers various things that have happened to Mike over the past few years since he’s become a well known figure in the UK – there’s love, loss, scandal, violence, sex, drugs and a whole load of bad behavior and regret. It’s a true story. It’s not a ‘story’ record like his last LP, but the thread of Mike’s reality runs through every song.

Following a foray into wine, the estate of Jerry Garcia has licensed the late Grateful Dead guitarist’s name to a limited edition line of tea. Five blends of J. Garcia Artisan Teas will be available beginning March 1 from premium tea company the Republic of Tea.

Like the wines marketed by Clos du Bois, each J. Garcia Artisan Teas package will feature original artwork by the artist from a collection of more than 500 pieces created before his death in 1995. A portion of the proceeds from the teas will be donated to Draw Bridge, a non-profit organization that provides art programs for children in homeless shelters.

The first set of teas is made up of Morning Brew (black tea), Jerry Cherry (black tea, essence of Bing cherries and vanilla), Shady Grown (blend of Brazilian Yerba Mate and South African Rooibos with cinnamon and vanilla), Magic Herb Blend (caffeine-free, orange and peppermint) and Spirit of Sage (green tea with sage).

Source billboard.com.