Music News Page 1016

Despite many artists saying 'yes' to Princess Diana's anniversary concert, Kaiser Chiefs boldly said 'no'. The new wave band refused to perform at the memorial concert because they believe it is 'hypocritical'.

"It's fine if you're doing something like Live 8, which is raising awareness or events that raise awareness over green issues. That's all right. But a lot of them are doing it to sell more records," frontman Ricky Wilson said. "I'm not disrespecting her (Diana), but can you imagine someone like Kasabian playing at the concert? Elton John can do it - he knew her. I didn't know her. It would be hypocritical."

American alternative rock band Goo Goo Dolls will visit UK in a number if shows. During the summer they will play at 7 different venues that include three festivals.

Kicking off at Oxegen Festival, Ireland on July 7, the band will stop at Scotland on July 8, Sheffield on July 10, Manchester on July 11 and London on August 16 before performing two-night shows at V festival on August 18-19.

Dame Shirley Bassey's new single "The Living Tree" has a rather long story behind the making. The single did not simply pop out of the materials accumulated for her new album.

It all started when she coincidentally met two London based writers and musicians Catherine Feeney and Nikki Lamborn in 2005. Bassey was exercising in Monte Carlo Hotel's gym when the two handed her their fourth album as duo Never the Bride titled "Surprise". Feeny's and Lamborn's main idea was to get Bassey interested in one track "The Living Tree". Bassey put it into consideration, but the CD stayed in her gym bag for some time.

After the big bang of debut album "Here for the Party" (2004), Gretchen Wilson went through sophomore album syndrome for 2005's "All Jacked Up". With the third titled "One of the Boys", she hopes to bring the 'Redneck Woman' sensation back.

The country singer took 2 years preparation to release the third album which is due May 15 via Columbia. With the help of Mark Wright and John Rich, she produces this record mostly by herself. "I've always wanted full ownership," she said. "I've been like that from the beginning." She then added that all of the songs are self-written except for two.

Redman may be Def Jam's hottest artist in the past years, but his work was nowhere in sight after 2001's "Malpractice". Releasing "Red Gone Wild: Thee Album" on March 27, 2007, the rapper has his explanation why it took 6 years to make this piece.

"Since I dropped my last album, the game done flipped and evolved. …I wasn't willing to sacrifice all my years of banging out hard and providing that underground s*** just to get into the new groove," he said in an interview. Still staying under Def Jam's flag, he also encountered an internal problem. "My label was going through a shift, and there was no one behind the steering wheel that I was really comfortable with to let my project go," he added.

Seeing the good prospects Take That has achieved in the early of their reunion, Robbie Williams is reportedly interested to make the band comes full circle. Williams see that it is inevitable that he will complete the line-up in near future.

On April 7 the singer's mother Jan Williams said that she believed her son would re-join the group. Jan told local newspaper Stoke Sentinel, "On the question of him doing something with them, I feel that will happen," she declared. "It would be something he wanted to do."

Punk rock band Social Distortion is back to active mode by announcing tour dates and also seventh album plan. The legendary band is up for a North American Spring Tour on April 12 in Ventura, Calif.

The first date is reported to be a sold out and so do the dates in Chico, Calif., Vancouver, B.C., Calgary, A.B. and Edmonton, A.B. Within the 22 dates jaunt, the band will visit Memphis, Winnipeg and Kansas before wrapping up in Tucson, AZ on May 10.

Bruce Springsteen received a standing ovation in the event dubbed "Celebrating the Music of Bruce Springsteen". He made a surprise appearance in the end of the show by singing "Rosalita" that immediately invited roars from the audience. They leaped from their seats and continued to cheer on him for the last 30 minutes.

Held on April 5 in Carnegie Hall, the event presented Bruce performing 3 songs, two of which are played acoustically. The rock and roll legend said in the middle of the show "The good news is...I'm not dead yet!" and then he made a tribute to blues singer Odetta who sang his classic "57 Channels (And Nothin' On)" earlier.

Panic! At the Disco has begun the recording of sophomore album that is targeted to be complete by mid 2007. The follow up of "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out" (2005) is being baked in Mount Charleston studio in Nevada and has produced 4 songs so far.

In a 2006 interview, frontman Brendon Urie said that this album will go to a new direction and is going to be the stuff that they have never tried before. Guitarist Ryan Ross then updated it by saying that there is a theme running in the whole record. "It's kind of a love story. It's a timeless age of romantic, poetic fantasies," he said.

Forty years after the release of The Beatles' album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", a number of artists revive the classics in their version. Oasis, The Killers and Kaiser Chiefs are among some covering the 1967 album.

It is reported that the new version will still use the same equipment that were used back then. Leslie Douglas of Radio 2 said, "This will be not only a unique radio event, but a very special musical moment. The range and quality of artists involved ensure that this will be a fitting tribute to one of the great albums of all time."

Finland's very own rock band H.I.M. is to release sixth studio album titled "Venus Doom". The album that is scheduled for July 10 is revealed by the frontman Ville Valo to have fewer complexes, and less confusing materials compared to the previous.

The 2005's "Dark Light" though receiving gold certification, was considered by many as an uneasy listening. That is why Valo said that they simplify the tune of "Venus Doom", but still making it heavier than the rest in terms of the whole idea. Valo added that this record results from the equation between My Bloody Valentine's Loveless and Metallica's Master of Puppets.

The first few weeks of Fall Out Boy's Honda Civic Tour have been cancelled, leading many fans to disappointment. Pointing the reason to 'personal issues', the band will not kick off on April 18 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In a press release, bassist Pete Wentz stated, "Unfortunately, because of some personal issues we had to delay the tour a few weeks. We want to put on the best possible show we can and know that this extra couple of weeks will give us the time to put ourselves in the right place to put on the best show we can." Upon what personal issues are talked about here, a representation from the band's label simply said, "No one's dead and no one's in rehab."

Global warming has been Sheryl Crow's center of attention lately. The blues singer will tour around universities promoting the fight against global warming which is dubbed "Virtual March".

The trek will begin April 9 at Southern Methodist University Dallas, Texas and continue to stop in 11 other cities before wrapping up in Washington, DC. The 90 minutes session includes presentation from activist Laurie David, An Inconvenient Truth clip, interactions with students plus a short performance by Sheryl.

Prior Jeff Tweedy's solo gig in Chicago, IL on April 6, he will tour with his band Wilco in Australia, Europe and North America. The two different sets of tour to support "Sky Blue Sky" have kept the band's schedule packed up to July 20.

First kicking off for Australian tour, Wilco will embark from Brisbane on April 16 and proceed with two nights shows at Melbourne's Palais Theatre and Sydney's Enmore Theatre before wrapping up in Perth on April 22. All along these dates, Glenn Richards of Australian rock band Augie March will come in support.

Dinosaur Jr. expressed the wish for Matt Dillon to direct the next video, and the Oscar nominated actor returned it with favorable reply.

Dillon will direct the band's video for single "Been Here All The Time" which is taken from latest album "Beyond". Some scenes will portray the band playing in Sonic Youth's basement.