Rock News Two: The week in pop music

'UNITED WE STAND'

Destiny's Child, Mariah Carey and Usher are the latest artists to sign up for the "United We Stand: What More Can We Give?" concert, to be held Oct. 21 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.

They join previously announced stars such as Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Aerosmith, Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, Ricky Martin, Rod Stewart, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, Train, Goo Goo Dolls, Kiss, Al Green, Aaron Carter and James Brown.

The folks at Clear Channel Entertainment say the eight-hour show will start at 1 p.m. (ET). All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross Relief Fund, the Pentagon Relief Fund and the Salvation Army Relief Fund.

(Web site: cc.com)

'THE CONCERT FOR NEW YORK'

The Backstreet Boys have canceled a previously scheduled show in San Diego, Calif., so they can take part in "The Concert For New York."

They join an all-star line-up of Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton, Billy Joel, The Who, Bon Jovi, James Taylor, John Mellencamp, Macy Gray, Goo Goo Dolls, Melissa Etheridge, Marc Anthony, Five For Fighting and India.Arie for the one-night-only event, Oct. 20 at New York's Madison Square Garden. The four-hour concert will benefit the Robin Hood Relief Fund supporting victims of the Sept. 11th attack.

Paul Shaffer and his band from "The Late Show with David Letterman" will be the house band.

"The Concert For New York City" will be aired live on VH1 (at 8 p.m. ET). Five thousand members of the New York Fire, Police and Rescue crews and their families will be in attendance as guests of honor.

(Web site: robinhood.org)

PAUL McCARTNEY

Paul McCartney says all proceeds from the sale of his new single will be donated to relief for the families of firefighters killed or still missing in the wake of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

The song, "From a Lover to a Friend," will be released Oct. 29, nine days after McCartney appears at an all-star concert at Madison Square Garden to raise funds for victims and heroes of the terrorist attack and the rescue and recovery effort that followed it.

In a statement issued Wednesday, McCartney described his initial reaction as he witnessed the destruction of the towers from an airplane on the ground at a New York airport.

"Out of the window of the plane I could see the towers smoking and in flames and, like everybody, I could not believe what was happening," he said. "As the airport was then closed, I stayed in New York for a week after the attack and I was able to also witness the tremendous heroism that has come out of the city, including the bravery of the firefighters.

"I have great admiration for the courage those guys showed," said McCartney, whose father was a volunteer fireman in Liverpool, England, during World War II.

McCartney's first new studio album in four years, "Driving Rain," hits stores Nov. 13.

PAUL MCCARTNEY TRIBUTE ALBUM

Now in stores: "Listen to What The Man Said: Popular Artists Pay Tribute To The Music of Paul McCartney."

The CD (on the Oglio Records label) features takes on classic McCartney tracks from such artists as Steven Page and Kevin Hearn of Barenaked Ladies, Matthew Sweet, SR-71, World Party, Semisonic, the Finn Brothers and They Might Be Giants.

A second offering, "Coming Up: Independent Artists Pay Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney," is due out Oct. 23.

What's described as a "large portion" of proceeds from sales of both albums will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in memory of McCartney's wife, Linda, who died from breast cancer in 1998.

(Web sites: tributellc.com, oglio.com, breastcancerinfo.com)

WHITNEY HOUSTON

Whitney Houston's recording of "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the No. 1 Soundscan single in the country, and has been certified platinum for U.S. sales in excess of 1 million copies.

Houston's record company, Arista, announced the new sales figures. Houston, the Whitney Houston Foundation For Children Inc. and Arista Records have agreed to donate royalties and net proceeds from all sales of the single to the New York Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund and the New York Fraternal Order of Police.

"When I first performed 'The Star-Spangled Banner' in 1991, we were in the midst of the Gulf War and the country was united," said Houston in a statement released by Arista. "This anthem has always been the musical symbol for the United States of America. I am proud to be able to participate in this way."

Houston first performed her version of "The Star Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV in 1991. She made it the closing track of "Whitney -- The Greatest Hits" last year.

That collection has gone double-platinum in the United States and has sold nearly 10 million copies around the world.

CITY OF HOPE

Sheryl Crow, Gwen Stefani and Sisqo were among the artists who performed at Thursday night's City of Hope Spirit of Life Award dinner honoring Vivendi Universal Executive Vice Chairman Edgar Bronfman Jr.

Also on the bill -- India.Arie, Mary J. Blige, Roger Daltrey, Melissa Etheridge, Jonny Lang, Shelby Lynne, Brian McKnight, Smokey Robinson, Richie Sambora and The Temptations. They performed a revue of classic Motown tunes.

The event on the Universal Studios backlot in Santa Monica, Calif., raised more than $5.1 million for the City of Hope Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute.

J. LO

NBC has announced that it will air "Jennifer Lopez in Concert" on Nov. 20.

Billed as Lopez's first-ever, full-scale live concert appearance, the show was filmed in September in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at Roberto Clemente Stadium. It features songs from both of her albums, "J. Lo" and "On The 6," which sold more than 7 million copies worldwide.

Lopez made show business history earlier this year when "J.Lo" and her feature film, "The Wedding Planner," entered the Billboard charts and the box office at No. 1.

The first single off "J.Lo," "Love Don't Cost A Thing," spent five weeks atop Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. The current single, "I'm Real," with Ja Rule has spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Urban Mainstream Charts.

(The above two items thanks to UPI Hollywood Reporter Pat Nason)

U2

U2 launched the sold-out third leg of its Elevation Tour Thursday at Notre Dame's Joyce Center in South Bend, Ind.

The concert --- which lasted more than two hours -- spanned the band's entire career, including early singles "New Years Day" and "Pride" as well as tracks from their current album "All That You Can't Leave Behind."

The show was also filmed for the first concert Web cast from the Elevation Tour, screened live on u2.com. For those who missed it, registered members of u2.com will be able to view the entire concert on demand for the next seven days -- along with exclusive footage and crew interviews.

The Elevation Tour kicked off in March in Miami and closes in Los Angeles Nov. 19.

The remaining dates are:

DATE VENUE CITY

10/13 Copps Coliseum HAMILTON, Canada

10/15-16 United Center CHICAGO

10/19 The Arena BALTIMORE, Md.

10-24-25, 27 Madison Square Garden NEW YORK

10/28 Continental Airlines Arena NEW JERSEY

10/30-31 Dunkin' Donuts Center PROVIDENCE, R.I.

11/2 First Union Spectrum PHILADELPHIA

11/5 Frank Erwin Center AUSTIN, Texas

11/7 Pepsi Center DENVER

11/9 Delta Center SALT LAKE CITY

11/12-13 Staples Center LOS ANGELES

11/15-16 Oakland Arena OAKLAND, Calif.

11/18 Thomas & Mack Arena LAS VEGAS

11/19 Staples Center LOS ANGELES

(Web site: u2.com)

SLAYER

Slayer will kick off a four-week headlining North American tour Oct. 29 in New Orleans. The road trip is in support of the band's eighth studio album, "God Hates Us All" (American Recordings), which was released in September.

Confirmed tour dates:

DATE VENUE CITY

10/29 House of Blues New Orleans, LA

10/31 Edge 2000 Jacksonville, FL

11/1 The Ritz Raleigh, NC

11/2 House of Blues Myrtle Beach, SC

11/3 Tabernacle Atlanta, GA

11/4 Norva Theatre Norfolk, VA

11/7 9:30 Club Washington, D.C.

11/8 Metropol Pittsburgh, PA

11/9 The Warehouse Toronto, CANADA

11/10 Metropolis Montreal, CANADA

11/11 State Theatre Portland, ME

11/13 Webster Theatre Hartford, CT

11/14 Avalon Ballroom Boston, MA

11/15 Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA

11/16 Roseland Ballroom New York, NY

11/17 Agora Ballroom Cleveland, OH

11/19 Bogart's Cincinnati, OH

11/20 Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH

11/21 Aragon Ballroom Chicago, IL

11/23 Harpo's Detroit, MI

11/24 Eagles Auditorium Milwaukee, WI

Slayer's North American dates come on the heels of the band's "Tattoo the Planet" European tour, which wraps up Sunday. "In Holland," remembers Slayer¹s bassist/vocalist Tom Araya, "the crowd went nuts when we came on stage. At one point, the audience, like 10,000 kids, were singing along so loudly, I just stopped and let them finish the song. It was just amazing."

AFROMAN

Afroman is starting to get high on the charts around the globe. His single "Because I Got High" -- from his (Universal Records) debut CD "The Good Times" --- tops the charts in New Zealand, in the top-5 in Australia, Sweden and Holland, and No.6 in Denmark.

Afroman is currently on tour in the United States through October. In early November, he'll travel to Netherlands to film the video for "Crazy Rap," the second single from "The Good Times." "Crazy Rap" will be released to radio Oct. 29.

(Web site: universalrecords.com)

CREED

Creed's new single "My Sacrifice" has been released to radio stations worldwide. To mark the occasion, the band and its label, Wind-Up Records, are offering a "virtual pager" that'll notify fans of exclusive Creed audio and video content whenever it becomes available --- as well as news of the band's TV appearances and upcoming tour.

The Creed "virtual pager" is downloadable at retail, radio and music Web sites.

"Weathered," Creed's upcoming album, is due out Nov. 20.

SMASHING PUMPKINS

On Nov. 20, Virgin Records will release the long-awaited Smashing Pumpkins Greatest Hits album, titled "Rotten Apples." To coincide with the event, the label will also issue a limited-edition two-CD package that'll include the CD "Judas O," the follow-up to "Pisces Iscariot," the 1994 b-sides release by the Pumpkins.

The new compilation will feature b-sides and rarities culled from the band's sessions, which produced the albums "Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness," "Adore" and "Machina."

INCUBUS

Bestbuy.com has chosen Incubus and its upcoming CD "Morning View" (on the Epic/Immortal label) for their premiere foray into advance album previewing with online pre-order.

Available now exclusively through Bestbuy.com, fans who purchase "Morning View" are sent an e-mail with an account number which lets them immediately access the album online, on demand and in its entirety, prior to the album's arrival in stores Oct. 23.

"Morning View" is the band's third full-length CD, and was named for the Malibu, Calif., house where for six months, the five band-mates became roommates to write and record this new album.

Incubus is on tour now through December in support of the new album.

LOS LOBOS

Los Lobos has begun work on the band's 11th studio album. The recording (on Mammoth Records) is being produced by legendary producer John Leckie.

Los Lobos multi-instrumentalist Steve Berlin had this to say about working with Leckie: "I think we were ready for something different. John is an O.G. if you will; he's been doing this for a long time. With him, we've gone back to the classic artist-producer working relationship. So far, we're having a lot of fun."

2002 will mark the 25th Anniversary of Los Lobos. The band's first album, "Los Lobos Del Este De Los Angeles" ("Just Another Band From East L.A."), was released in 1977. Last year, the band's recording career was celebrated with the release of a four-CD box set, "El Cancionero Mas Y Mas," which featured tracks and unreleased material from all of their studio recordings.

The album is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2002.

BILLY JOEL

Billy Joel has a No.1 album --- on the classical music chart.

"Billy Joel Opus 1-10 Fantasies & Delusions (Music For Solo Piano)" (on the Sony Classical/Columbia Records label) made its debut atop the Billboard Top Classical Albums, with first week's sales of more than 14,000 units. That's the highest first week's sales of any album of instrumental classical music in the SoundScan era.

"Fantasies & Delusions" -- comprised of music compositions by Joel and performed by piano virtuoso Richard Joo -- also debuted at No.83 on the overall Top 200 Album Sales chart.

Also released Oct. 2 -- "The Essential Billy Joel," a collection of 36 songs from Joel's first three decades of hits. It debuted at 29 on the Top 200 Album Sales chart.

(Web sites: billyjoel.com, columbiarecords.com)

EMINEM

The divorce between Eminem and his wife has been finalized.

The rapper -- whose real name is Marshall Mathers III -- and Kim Mathers were wed in 1999 and separated in August 2000. The divorce was finalized last week in Macomb County, Mich., Family Court, according to court records.

The Grammy winner agreed to pay $1,000 a week in child support and share custody of his 5-year-old daughter, Hailie Jade.

The settlement is less than half the $142,280 recommended by the Friend of the Court. However, Eminem's lawyer, Harvey Hauer, said the resolution was amicable.

CHI-LITES

The lead singer of the Chi-Lites has been sentenced to one year and a day in prison for his role in a bribery scheme that sold Dixmoor (Ill.) Park District police badges to businessmen.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Marshall Thompson, 59 -- a former Maywood Park District police sergeant -- was convicted of being the "bagman," transferring thousands of dollars from people who wanted police badges to Dixmoor Park District police authorities. He has until Feb. 26 to report to federal prison to begin serving his sentence.

Thompson -- a founding member of the Chi-Lites in 1961 -- also was fined $5,000. The R&B group had a string of hit soul singles in the 1970s, including "Oh, Girl," "Have You Seen Her" and "The Coldest Days of My Life."