Rock News Two: The week in pop music

AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS

Soul divas dominated the 29th Annual American Music Awards, handed out Wednesday night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Aaliyah -- who was killed in a plane crash following a video shoot in the Bahamas last August -- won for best soul album for her self-titled CD, and for favorite female soul/R&B artist. Singer Ginuwine urged the audience to rise in tribute to Aaliyah as he accepted the award in memory of the late singer.

Alicia Keys -- who had five nominations, more than any other artist -- was named favorite new artist in both pop and soul/R&B categories. Her debut album, "Songs in A Minor," was a top seller in 2001 as well as a critical success.

Destiny's Child won for favorite pop album, "Survivor," and was named favorite soul/R&B band, duo or group for a second straight year.

'N Sync beat out U2 and Dave Matthews band to take its second straight AMA for favorite pop band, duo or group. Lenny Kravitz won the award for favorite male pop artist, and Janet Jackson was named top female pop artist.

Luther Vandross won for favorite male soul/R&B artist for a sixth time. Sade was named favorite adult contemporary artist, Nelly won for favorite rap/hip-hop artist and Limp Bizkit won for the second straight year as favorite alternative music artist.

Michael Jackson -- who was at the center of a power struggle between producers of the AMA telecast and the upcoming Grammy Awards telecast -- accepted an Artist of the Century award, but did not perform during the ceremonies, which aired on ABC-TV.

Earlier, AMA officials had announced the show would air a never-before-seen videotape of Jackson performing his 13-year-old hit, "Man in the Mirror," in concert. But at the last minute, producers nixed the idea. A publicist for the show said the tape was withdrawn at the request of Jackson's representatives.

The winners:

-- Pop/Rock:

Favorite Male Artist: Lenny Kravitz

Favorite Female Artist: Janet Jackson

Favorite Band, Duo or Group: 'N Sync

Favorite Album: "Survivor" (Destiny's Child)

Favorite New Artist: Alicia Keys

-- Soul Rhythm & Blues:

Favorite Male Artist: Luther Vandross

Favorite Female Artist: Aaliyah

Favorite Band, Duo or Group: Destiny's Child

Favorite Album: "Aaliyah" (Aaliyah)

Favorite New Artist: Alicia Keys

-- Country:

Favorite Male Artist: Tim McGraw

Favorite Female Artist: Faith Hill

Favorite Band, Duo or Group: Brooks & Dunn

Favorite Album: "Set This Circus Down" (Tim McGraw) (3rd AMA)

Favorite New Artist: Trick Pony

-- Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist: Sade Favorite

-- Latin Music Artist: Enrique Iglesias

-- Favorite Rap/Hip Hop Artist: Nelly

-- Favorite Alternative Music Artist: Limp Bizkit

-- Contemporary Inspirational Favorite Artist: Yolanda Adams

-- Favorite Soundtrack: "Save The Last Dance"

-- Internet Artist: U2

-- Award of Merit: Garth Brooks

-- Artist of the Century: Michael Jackson

Winners of the 29th American Music Awards were determined by the public in a national poll conducted by the National Family Opinion, Inc. firm under the supervision of Broadcast Research and Consulting, Inc.

MARIAH CAREY

EMI is denying reports that it paid $50 million to buy out Mariah Carey's mega-bucks deal with Virgin Records.

Last week, the New York Post reported that EMI had forked over a wad of cash to rid itself of Carey's five-album, $80 million contract, which the 31-year-old singer signed only last April. The newspaper claimed Carey toasted the good-bad news while dining with boyfriend Luis Miguel at the St. Regis hotel in Aspen, Colo.

But Carey and EMI are both squashing the rumors -- with E! Online quoting the label in a statement saying that "EMI wishes to make clear that it has made no such payment or agreement."

And a statement from Carey's publicist echoed the label's comment: "There were inaccurate reports in the media that the recording agreement between Mariah Carey and Virgin Records has been terminated," it reads. "EMI has correctly stated that the contract remains in full force."

In April, the singer left her ex-husband Tommy Mottola's Columbia Records to sign a $20 million-per-album deal with Virgin, joining a roster of artists that includes Lenny Kravitz, Mick Jagger and Janet Jackson. But during the summer, Carey suffered an "emotional and physical breakdown," preventing her from promoting her film debut "Glitter" and its soundtrack. In the end, both the movie and the album tanked.

MARC ANTHONY

A federal court in New York has tossed out a copyright lawsuit filed against singer Marc Anthony.

The suit, filed last year by Daniel Agren, claimed that Anthony's award-winning hit song "I Need to Know" had not been written by Anthony and composer/producer Cory Rooney but infringed on the copyright of an unpublished song of the same title by Agren.

But the Latin pop star's lawyer, Orin Snyder, said the judge dismissed the suit after determining that Agren's claims were legally insufficient. "This lawsuit was frivolous from the outset and Marc should be commended for fighting it all the way. The dismissal of the case vindicates Marc and Cory's authorship of this wonderful song," he added.

"I Need to Know" won a Latin Grammy for Song of the Year (2000) and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance (2000).

CHRISTINA AGUILERA

Christina Aguilera's people are threatening legal action against a Web site that's been airing a sexually explicit video and photographs it claims to be of the pop star. CDNow's All-Star Music News quotes a statement on the pop singer's official Web site (christina-a.com), saying, "The video clips advertised on the Web sites are of a woman with blonde hair shown only from the back -- the person in the video is not Christina."

Aguilera's representatives threaten to "vigorously pursue all necessary action against the individuals responsible, including, if necessary, initiating criminal proceedings."

'THE CONCERT FOR NEW YORK'

The DVD of the double-CD "The Concert for New York" will include additional performances, including the Who's "Behind Blue Eyes" and Elton John and Billy Joel's version of "Your Song." The five-hour DVD, coming out at the end of this month, will also include the eight short films that were created and shown at the October charity concert.

NEW ALBUM NEWS

-- "Cake And Pie," the A&M Records debut album of singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb, hits stores Feb. 26. The CD features 12 original songs composed or co-written by Loeb and a variety of songwriters and producers. The first single will be "Someone You Should Know." The CD also includes the track "We Could Still Belong Together," which was featured in the film and on the soundtrack for the movie "Legally Blonde" (2001).

-- Songs by 'N Sync, O-Town and LFO that were previously unavailable in the United States will appear on the soundtrack to the straight-to-video film "Longshot," due in stores March 5. MTV News quotes the album's publicist saying those groups, along with Britney Spears, also have cameo roles in the basketball-themed movie set in high school. The CD also includes tunes by Natural, Take 5, C-Note and Innosense. The movie reaches video stores March 26.

-- Canada's Jam! Web site (jam.canoe.ca) says singer Sarah McLachlan, organizer of the three Lilith Fair tours by female musicians, has recorded nine songs for a new studio album. The new disc would be McLachlan's first album of new material since "Surfacing" in 1997.

-- Steve Earle's cover of Bruce Springsteen's "State Trooper," recorded in 1986 in Chicago, will be included as a bonus track on a reissued version of Earle's debut album, "Guitar Town," coming out later this month. "Guitar Town" was a No. 1 country album after it was released in 1986 and included two Top 10 country hits.

THE WHO

The Who will play three shows in small venues in England later this month as precursors to previously announced charity performances at London's Royal Albert Hall in February.

A summer North American tour is also in the works, reports Billboard.com. Guitarist Pete Townshend reveals on his official Web site that plans call for a three-leg tour -- likely beginning in Los Angeles in June and wrapping in Canada in August.

Prior to the Who's Feb. 7-8 London shows -- which will benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust -- the group will play Jan. 27-28 at the Guildhall in Portsmouth, England. Details about a third show have not yet been finalized.

Townshend recently told the San Diego Union-Tribune that he'd "made a very real commitment now to go into the studio with the Who at the end of October of 2002, with a producer and a record deal, and to put out whatever we come up with, even if it's rubbish." The group has not recorded together since 1982's "It's Hard," which featured the No. 28 Hot 100 hit "Athena."

SYSTEM OF A DOWN

System of a Down is taking to the road. The band will headline a North American tour beginning on Valentine's Day in Las Vegas. In tandem with these tour dates, the group's second single, the CD's title track "Toxicity," was shipped to alternative and rock radio formats Tuesday.

In mid-December, System of a Down shot the promo video for "Toxicity" with band bassist Shavo Odadjian making his directorial debut.

With Clutch opening the shows, the following is the complete itinerary for System of a Down's Winter 2002 dates:

DATE VENUE CITY

2/14 The Joint Las Vegas, NV

2/15 Mesa Amphitheatre Mesa, AZ

2/17 Music Hall Austin, TX

2/18 Bronco Bowl Dallas, TX

2/19 Uptown Theatre Kansas City, MO

2/21 Aragon Ballroom Chicago, IL

2/22 Deltaplex Grand Rapids, MI

2/23 State Theatre Detroit, MI

2/25 Egyptian Room Indianapolis, IN

2/26 Promowest Pavilion Columbus, OH

2/27 Koolhouse Toronto, CANADA

3/1 Verdun Arena Montreal, CANADA

GORILLAZ

The animated band Gorillaz is planning a North American concert tour, to begin Feb. 23 in Toronto:

DATE

2/23 Toronto Docks

2/25 Boston Avalon Ballroom

2/26 Washington D.C. 9:30 Club

2/28 New York Hammerstein Ballroom

3/1 Philadelphia Electric Factory

3/3 Chicago Riviera Theater

3/5 Seattle Paramount Theater

3/7 San Francisco Warfield Theater

3/8 Los Angeles Palladium

Gorillaz received a Grammy nomination last week for Best Rap Performance By a Duo Or Group for the single "Clint Eastwood." The band's self-titled album, released last summer, has been certified platinum.

(Web site: virginrecords.com)

ADEMA

Adema is on the road again for a series of sold-out headlining North American shows. At the end of the month, the band will then join Linkin Park and Cypress Hill on tour. The Projekt Revolution tour begins Jan. 29 at the World Arena in Colorado Springs and ends in Las Vegas Feb. 24:

DATE CITY VENUE

Headlining:

1/12 Vancouver, B.C. Richard's On Richard's

1/13 Seattle, WA Graceland

1/14 Boise, ID The Big Easy

1/16 Denver, CO The Bluebird Theatre

1/18 Minneapolis, MN Ascot Room @ Quest

1/19 Milwaukee, WI The Rave

1/20 Grand Rapids, MI The Intersection

1/23 Toronto, Ontario Reverb

1/25 St. Louis, MO The Galaxy

1/26 Lawrence, KS The Granada Theater

With Linkin Park & Cypress Hill:

1/29 Colorado Springs World Arena

1/30 Wichita, KS Kansas Coliseum

2/1 Chicago, IL U.I.C. Pavilion

2/2 Madison, WI Alliant Energy Center

2/4 Detroit, MI Cobo Hall

2/5 Dayton, OH Ervin J. Nutter Center

2/7 Wilkes-Barre, PA First Union Arena

2/8 Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum

2/9 State College, PA Bryce Jordan Center

2/11 Lowell, MA Tsongas Arena

2/12 Fairfax, VA Patriot Center

2/13 Philadelphia, PA First Union Spectrum

2/16 Memphis, TN Mid-South Coliseum

2/17 Ft. Worth, TX Ft. Worth Convention Ctr

2/18 Oklahoma City Fairgrounds Arena

2/20 Phoenix, AZ America West Center

2/22 Long Beach, CA Long Beach Arena

2/23 San Diego, CA Cox Arena @ SDSU

2/24 Las Vegas, NV Thomas & Mack Center

Adema performed New Year's Day on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" after a two-night stand at the Roxy in Los Angeles. The band's self-titled first album debuted in the top 30 on the Billboard 200 album chart last August.

(Web site: arista.com)

BLACK CROWES

The Black Crowes say they're taking a hiatus, and frontman Chris Robinson is checking out a solo career.

In a brief statement released Tuesday, and quoted by CD Now All-Star Music News, the band added that "(drummer) Steve Gorman has left the band for personal reasons. Stay tuned for news about (guitarist) Rich Robinson."

The Crowes have had a tumultuous career since forming in the mid-1980s, with the brothers Robinson fighting at every turn. The group's biggest success was their 1990 debut, "Shake Your Money Maker," which has sold more than 5 million copies. 2001's "Lions," the Crowes' ninth and last album, has yet to go "gold."

GWEN AND GAVIN

No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani and Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale are planning to marry after six years together. RollingStone.com quotes a statement released by No Doubt's label, Interscope Records, saying Rossdale proposed on New Year's Day and "Stefani happily accepted and the two will set a wedding date later in 2002."

The engagement caps a busy year for both, during which their respective bands recorded and released new albums. But, according to Stefani, their duties haven't kept them apart. "We had so much fun together this year, because we spent so much time together and really got to know each other," she said. "Not that we didn't know each other already. I just can't believe it's been six years."

The couple met when No Doubt and Bush shared the bill at a Los Angeles radio station's annual holiday concert in 1995.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland wants his fans to know that he and his wife, Mary, have moved beyond the situation that led to his most recent brush with the law. In a 90-second message posted on the band's official Web site (stonetemplepilots.com), the singer assures listeners that everything is fine with his family.

Weiland pleaded guilty to spousal abuse in Las Vegas court Dec. 19, concluding the case stemming from his November arrest on domestic violence charges, as long as he remains out of trouble for six months and attends counseling sessions. He was arrested at the Hard Rock Hotel after an argument with his wife involving prescription drugs.

FABIAN

Fabian -- one of the many teen idols who came along in the wake of Elvis Presley's arrival on the rock 'n' roll scene in the 1950s -- received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Tuesday.

Born Fabian Anthony Forte in Philadelphia in 1943, Fabian made his movie debut in 1959 as a good old boy in "Hound-Dog Man," directed by Don Siegel -- who later directed Clint Eastwood in such hits as "Dirty Harry" and "Coogan's Bluff." He co-starred with James Stewart in the 1962 comedy, "Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation," and with Hugh O'Brien in the 1966 film version of "Ten Little Indians."

In the recent TV movie, "Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The Early Years (1955-1970)," he appeared uncredited as himself. Prior to that, his most recent project was the 1999 TV movie, "Mr. Rock 'n' Roll: The Alan Freed Story," in which he and fellow teen idol Frankie Avalon made special appearances.

(Thanks to UPI Hollywood Reporter Pat Nason)

FEEDER'S JON LEE

Jon Lee, drummer for the British rock band Feeder, has been found dead at his Miami home in an apparent suicide.

A statement issued by the band says Lee, who was 33, "took his own life" on Monday. He leaves behind his wife, Tatiana Englehart, a Brazilian model he married in 2000, and a young son, Cameron.

"We will miss him more than melody, we are utterly devastated," the band said in its statement.

Feeder formed in Wales in 1992 and released their debut album, "Polythene," in 1997. They had a Top 5 single in Britain last year with "Buck Rogers."

Lee required medical attention last summer when he was hit in the eye as fans threw bottles and cans on stage as the band played at a festival in Italy while on tour with the Stereophonics.

BIG COUNTRY'S STUART ADAMSON

A memorial service for former Big County singer Stuart Adamson is planned in his hometown of Dunfermline, Scotland, on Jan. 27.

Adamson's longtime manager, Ian Grant, says there are also plans for a tribute concert in Scotland in May or July. "We came to the idea of doing two separate memorials -- one for his friends and fans who did not attend his funeral to allow them to pay their last respects and then a celebration of his music in May or July," he says.

Adamson committed suicide in a Hawaii hotel room last month.

(The above two items thanks to UPI's Mike Cooper in Atlanta)