Rock News: Music's high and low notes

R.E.M.'S PETER BUCK

R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck told a London courtroom Wednesday that he didn't remember his alleged drunken behavior during a trans-Atlantic flight last April.

The rocker, 45, is on trial on charges of being drunk on an aircraft, assault and damaging British Airways property.

Billboard.com reports the rocker, 45, testified that one of his last memories of the Seattle-to-London flight was downing a sleeping pill with a glass of wine. He said the next thing he knew, he woke up in a police cell at Heathrow Airport.

Prosecutors said Buck -- who was en route to Britain to promote R.E.M.'s CD "Reveal" -- drank about 15 glasses of wine in the first three hours of the flight. They say he became increasingly unruly, staggering around and tussling with crewmembers.

The guitarist insisted he only had three glasses of wine. He said he was overcome with shame when told of his alleged actions. "To me it was just incomprehensible ... I have never been in trouble before ... I will go miles away to avoid confrontation. I really don't like it," he told the jury.

The trial continues Thursday.

THE SAM AND DAVID SHOW?

Former Van Halen frontmen David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar reportedly are discussing a possible summer tour together.

E! Online quotes Hagar's official Web site, RedRocker.com: "Believe it or not, Sammy and David Lee Roth are talking about touring this summer. Sammy was blown away at how well they got along together. ... If this happens, this would have to be the party of a lifetime!!! Stay tuned! We'll keep ya posted!!"

A spokesman for Roth confirmed only that the two exes "have met for the first time." But Hits magazine is reporting that superstar manager Irving Azoff has signed on for "The Sam and Dave Show," a tour that would feature both singers performing with their respective bands.

Industry types say if it happens, the tour should be big.

"We've been hearing the talk for a while, and it's probably more interesting than Van Halen was with Gary Cherone," Gary Bongiovanni, editor of the concert trade magazine Pollstar, told E! Online. "There's a good deal of curiosity."

Roth fronted Van Halen from its beginnings in the late 1970s until 1985, when he left to focus on a solo career. Hagar then took over until the mid-1990s, when he was replaced by former Extreme singer Gary Cherone.

ALICIA KEYS

Alicia Keys has announced dates for the rest of her summer tour, which kicks off July 4 at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. Allstar News reports the road trip will be her second headlining trek. Several late-July stops on the tour will serve as makeup dates for cancelled shows from Keys' March tour.

Tour dates:

July 4, New Orleans, Louisiana Superdome

July 17, Wantagh, N.Y., Jones Beach Amphitheatre

July 19, Camden, N.J., Tweeter Center

July 20, Atlantic City, N.J., Trump Taj Mahal

July 22, Atlanta, Chastain Park Amphitheatre

July 26, Tempe, Ariz., Gammage Auditorium

July 27, Los Vegas, Aladdin Hotel and Casino

July 30-31, Los Angeles, Greek Theatre

Aug. 1, Paso Robles, Calif., California Mid-State Fair

Aug. 4, San Diego, Summer Pops at Navy Pier

Aug. 5, Santa Barbara, Calif., Santa Barbara Bowl

Aug. 7, Marysville, Calif., Autowest Amphitheatre

Aug. 8, Concord, Calif., Chronicle Pavilion

Aug. 10, Seattle, Key Arena

Aug. 11, Vancouver, General Motors Place

Aug. 12, Portland, Ore., Rose Garden Arena

Aug. 16, Louisville, Ky., Kentucky State Fair

Aug. 17, Des Moines, Iowa, Iowa State Fair

Aug. 18, Kansas City, Mo., Starlight Theatre

Aug. 20, Memphis, Tenn., Orpheum Theatre

Aug. 21, Maryland Heights, Mo., UMB Bank Pavilion

Aug. 23, St. Paul, Minn., Minnesota State Fair

Aug. 25, Syracuse, N.Y., New York State Fair

Aug. 27, Allentown, Pa., Allentown Fair

Aug. 29, Columbia, Md., Merriweather Post

ALANIS MORISSETTE

A rare performance by Alanis Morissette of songs from her new album "Under Rug Swept" is now available at Warner Bros. Online's Live Concert Series site (liveconcertseries.com).

The 20-minute, live acoustic performance by the singer/songwriter features three selections -- including "Hands Clean" and "Utopia" -- from her new CD, as well as her hit anthem "Thank U." Morissette's performance was captured at the Chrysler Lodge in Park City, Utah, at the same time as the Sundance Film Festival in January.

"Under Rug Swept" debuted earlier this month at No. 1 on The Billboard Top-200 album chart, selling 215,000 copies in its first week.

'SPIDER-MAN' SOUNDTRACK

Songs by Sum 41, Alien Ant Farm, Default and Slipknot's Corey Taylor are being considered for the upcoming "Spider-Man" movie soundtrack, MTV News reports.

Sum 41 plans to contribute a Rick Rubin-produced version of "It's What We're All About," according to an Island Def Jam spokesperson. The song is expected to be the soundtrack's first single.

Alien Ant Farm recorded the track "Bug Bytes" in January, according to their publicist; and a song by Slipknot lead screamer Corey Taylor's solo project has been submitted, according to a source close to that band.

A publicist close to the project said Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell, Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger and Saliva frontman Josey Scott are preparing the tentatively titled "Hero," while Default will lend their "Blind" to the collection.

Aerosmith recently recorded a few possible tunes for the soundtrack in Maui, Hawaii, according to their publicist. And Planet Us -- a group featuring former Van Halen singer Sammy Hagar and current bassist Michael Anthony along with Journey guitarist Neal Schon and drummer Deen Castronovo -- have offered two possibilities, the band's manager said.

The soundtrack album is due out April 30, a week later than previously expected, according to a Columbia Records spokesperson. The film -- which stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst -- opens May 3.

BLUR

Don't look for a new album from Blur anytime soon. Blur's Dave Rowntree says the band's follow-up to 1999's "13" won't be released until next year.

In an exclusive interview with NME.com Wednesday, Rowntree confirmed that Blur was returning to the studio in May but added: "All speculation in the NME about the title of the singles, or what we have recorded, is giving us all a good laugh. We are closer to the start of the process than the end."

Last week, Blur's Damon Albarn let drop that the band had recorded 14 songs and that "Don't Bomb When You Are The Bomb" was the likely new single.

DOVE AWARDS

St. Louis Rams Quarterback and NFL MVP Kurt Warner and singer Yolanda Adams will co-host the 33rd Annual Dove Awards, which will be presented April 25 in ceremonies at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

The show will air on PAX-TV (beginning at 9 p.m. ET), marking the first time the ceremonies will be shown live on a national network.

In addition, FamilyNet will televise live a two- hour pre-show where more than 25 Dove Awards will be handed out. The broadcast will also feature backstage interviews and will direct viewers to PAX-TV at its conclusion.

The Dove Awards recognizes achievement in all genres of contemporary Christian and Gospel music. A complete list of nominees can be found online at doveawards.com.