Reunited British rock band the Police opened the Grammy ceremony. The group members have also announced they'll appear at a press conference and and give a "special announcement" on February 12 at the Whisky A Go Go nightclub in West Hollywood, California. The Police are expected to announce its plan for a 30th anniversary world tour.
Singer David Lee Roth will reunite with Van Halen for its 40-city North American summer tour. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen issued a statement on his group's web site that says, "I am very excited to get back to the core of what made Van Halen." Roth last performed with Van Halen in 1984. Original bassist, Michael Anthony, left the band in 2006 and has been replaced by Eddie Van Halen's 15-year-old son, Wolfgang. The group also includes Eddie's brother Alex on drums.
London's Daily Mirror reported that Paul McCartney will offer his soon-to-be-ex-wife, Heather Mills, a $25 million pound ($48.7-million-U.S. dollars) divorce settlement. Reports also say that Mills and McCartney are trying to avoid a court case. The couple, which has a three-year-old daughter, Beatrice, separated in May 2006 after four years of marriage.
The Eagles have been working on a new studio album since 2003 and its release date is now imminent. Group member Don Henley says we can expect the album to be in stores within the next two to three months. He told Billboard magazine, "We want to get it out before summer. We've had a few interruptions. We've had a few distractions…there are more distractions now with families and charities and lawsuits."
On February 17, Christina Aguilera and Toni Braxton will perform at the NBA All-Star Saturday Night show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event is part of the National Basketball Association's All-Star weekend, which includes various competitions between America's top basketball stars.
On February 13, Atlantic Records will release In My Songs, the album Gerald Levert had completed prior to his sudden death in November 2006. Gerald and his father, O’Jays member Eddie Levert, had just returned from a 10-day trip to South Africa, where they met with Nelson Mandela. The coroner’s office in Cuyahoga County in Ohio released its autopsy report on February 8, which noted the official cause of death was acute intoxication, and the death was ruled accidental. The 40-year-old singer had been taking various medications to control chronic pain from a shoulder problem and 2005 surgery to repair a severed Achilles tendon. Gerald shares a Grammy nomination with Chaka Khan, Yolanda Adams and Carl Thomas in the category of Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Everyday (Family Reunion).” The song was featured in Tyler Perry’s film, Madea’s Family Reunion.
NEW ALBUM RELEASES
New albums scheduled for release on February 13 include: "Mind Control" by Stephen Marley, "West" by Lucinda Williams, "Fearless" by Nina Hagen, the original motion picture soundtrack to "Doctor Who," "Spectres" by Blue Oyster Cult and "In My Songs" by the late Gerald Levert (see Music News).
MUSICAL EVENTS/FESTIVALS/BENEFITS
Ozzy Osbourne's 12th Ozzfest is scheduled to launch on July 7 in Los Angeles. The legendary heavy metal rocker and his wife, Sharon, recently announced that the shows will be free this year. "This will change everybody's impression of the way touring in the summer in America should be," Sharon said. Most of the 25-date itinerary, as well as instructions on how to receive free tickets, can be found at www.ozzy.com.
AWARDS PRESENTATIONS/WINNERS
Beyonce leads the nominees for the 21st Annual Soul Train Music Awards. The singer received three nominations, including Best R&B/Soul Single, Female for "Irreplaceable," Best R&B/Soul Album, Female for B'Day and The Michael Jackson Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video for "Irreplaceable." This year, eight artists are double nominees: Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Chris Brown, Gnarls Barkley, Ne-Yo, Yung Joc, Jagged Edge and The Isley Brothers. The 2007 Soul Train Music Awards will be handed out on March 10 in Pasadena, California.
TOUR DATES AND INFORMATION
On February 14, British rock band Coldplay will begin a sold out Latin American tour in Santiago, Chile. Shows will continue in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Sao Paulo, Brazil before the group wraps up the 11-date outing in Mexico City, Mexico on March 3 and 4. Coldplay has been working on a new album with producer Brian Eno that's expected to be released later this year. The band's 2005 album, X&Y, debuted at Number One on the Billboard 200.
Singer Josh Grobin will kick off a North American concert tour on February 17. He'll be supporting his latest album Awake. The 29-city trek begins in Verona, New York and will wrap up in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 7.