Weekly Music News Brief, January 28

Weekly Music News Brief for 1/21/2008-1/28/2008

January 28, 2008

DRUMMER FRANCIS CLAY DEAD AGED 84 – PLAYED WITH MUDDY WATERS, JOHN LEE HOOKER, CHARLIE PARKER, HOWLIN’ WOLF, AMONG OTHERS

GARTH BROOKS TO PLAY FIVE BENEFIT CONCERTS IN TWO DAYS FOR CALIFORNIA’S WILDFIRE VICTIMS AND FIREFIGHTERS – LOOKS TO RAISE $10 MILLION

AMY WINEHOUSE ADMITTED TO REHAB

HEATH LEDGER OBSESSED WITH FOLK SINGER NICK DRAKE, WHO OVERDOSED AGED 26

FORMER PHISH GUITARIST TREY ANASTASIO ARRESTED – FACES THREE YEARS IN JAIL AFTER VIOLATING TERMS OF PLEA AGREEMENT

CHINA PLEDGES CRACKDOWN ON MUSIC PIRACY AFTER REPORT SAYS 99 PERCENT OF MUSIC SALES IN COUNTRY ARE ILLEGAL

ELTON JOHN SUES BUSINESS PARTNER

UB40 SINGER ALI CAMPBELL QUITS BAND AFTER 30 YEARS

HANOI ROCKS PARTS WAYS WITH DRUMMER KARI ‘LACU’ LAHTINEN

SINGLE PAGE OF MOZART MANUSCRIPT FETCHES $219,051 AT AUCTION

HISTORIC NORTH KOREAN CONCERT TO BE BROADCAST IN U.S., EUROPE AND SOUTH KOREA

‘SUGE’ KNIGHT NAMED IN GANG INJUNCTION

MORRISSEY LOSES HIS VOICE, POSTPONES LONDON SHOWS

RADIOHEAD PLANNING ‘SPECIAL EVENT’ WITH THE BBC

MORE TOUR RUMORS FOR LED ZEPPELIN

U2’S BONO: “AL GORE IS LIKE AN IRISH PRIEST TO ME”

BEYONCE KNOWLES SET TO PLAY ETTA JAMES IN MOTION PICTURE ABOUT CHESS RECORDS

ROBERT PLANT, STEVIE WONDER, THE RACONTEURS SET TO PLAY 2008 NEW ORLEANS’ JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL

SLASH SAYS SCOTT WEILAND AND STONE TEMPLE PILOTS WILL REUNITE FOR 2008 SUMMER TOUR

VELVET REVOLVER STILL SET TO RECORD THIRD ALBUM

AXL ROSE’S MANAGER SAYS NEW GUNS ‘N ROSES ALBUM DONE

BLIND MELON PREPS FIRST STUDIO ALBUM SINCE 1995 WITH NEW SINGER TRAVIS WARREN – FOR MY FRIENDS OUT APRIL 22

DOORS KEYBOARDIST RE-RECORDS DOORS CLASSIC, ‘RIDERS ON THE STORM’

DEF JAM DENIES RAPPER NAS IS BEING DROPPED FROM LABEL – STILL SET TO RELEASE HIS UPCOMING ALBUM, NIGGER, IN FEB.

WILLIE NELSON TO CELEBRATE 75TH BIRTHDAY WITH BOXED SET – DUE APRIL 1

BILLY BRAGG ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM DETAILS AND U.K. TOUR DATES

RUSH ANNOUNCES N. AMERICAN TOUR DATES

SOUL COUGHING’S MIKE DOUGHTY CONFIRMS SOLO U.S. TOUR DATES

R.E.M. SHOOTS NEW VIDEO IN NYC SEX SHOP – FIRST SINGLE FROM UPCOMING ALBUM ACCELERATE; DUE APRIL 1

GNARLS BARKLEY’S SOPHOMORE ALBUM ALMOST FINISHED

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE WRITERS WORKING ON RUBY TUESDAY, AN ANIMATED FILM FEATURING THE MUSIC OF THE ROLLING STONES

WU-TANG STAR, RAEKWON, SLAMS JAY-Z AND KANYE WEST IN PRESS

AC/DC FINALLY LAUNCH OFFICIAL WEBSITE

ROLLING STONE MAG REVEALS RADIOHEAD’S SECRET INFLUENCES – EVERYTHING FROM FLEETWOOD MAC TO THOMAS PYNCHON

LENNY KRAVITZ SPEAKS CANDIDLY ABOUT NEW ALBUM AND SEX IN SPIN MAGAZINE FEATURE