By Richard Smirke 16 minutes ago

LIVERPOOL (Billboard) - "Liverpool I left you, but I never let you down," a jubilant Ringo Starr sang as he performed at the launch party for his hometown's year as European Capital of Culture.

The spectacular January 11 concert in the city's center, which also featured Eurythmics' Dave Stewart and local alt-rock stars the Wombats, grabbed widespread media attention — but some local music executives are concerned about what will be left behind in the city once the stars have moved on.

Being Capital of Culture "has really benefited Liverpool in that it's got a lot more people to invest in the town center," said Alan Wills, managing director of Liverpool-based label Deltasonic, home to local alternative acts the Zutons and the Coral. "But I don't know if culture has benefited at all."

Further celebrations are planned throughout 2008, with organizer Liverpool Culture Co. (LCC) estimating that the Capital of Culture title will attract an extra 2 million tourists and boost northwest England's economy by 100 million pounds ($197 million).

Musical highlights include Paul McCartney at the 35,000-capacity Anfield Stadium on June 1 and conductor Simon Rattle returning to his birthplace for a series of concerts in October and November. The city will also play host to the BBC Electric Proms in October and the MTV Europe Awards November 6. Local sources indicate that Capital of Culture status was a key factor in attracting both events.

But a series of high-profile spats and resignations at the LCC, including that of former artistic director Robyn Archer, have marred proceedings. Many close to Liverpool's music scene doubt the events' long-term impact on the city's creative industries.

LASTING EFFECT?

Wombats singer Matthew Murphy said the city's status as Capital of Culture is a "great thing," but he asks, "Are these tourists just going to come over and visit the Beatles Museums, or are they actually going to feel a part of the culture and go to live music venues?"

LCC music program manager Gordon Ross said a number of new enterprises are having a strong impact, citing the Sound Board — a funding initiative for Liverpool promoters — and Liverpool Sound City, a four-day international music festival and conference, whose inaugural installment is scheduled for May 27-30.

"The whole reason for working with local artists, venues and promoters is because they've been doing this for a long time," Ross said. "It's not a case of suddenly picking someone and saying, 'Start a fantastic music project,' then turning off the tap and they don't know what to do. We're working with those people who are hopefully increasing their abilities so that there's an improved support network for all the music that happens in the city."

Although not directly funded by the LCC, the opening of the 10,600-capacity Liverpool Echo Arena in January is cited by Ross as further evidence of the improved infrastructure resulting from Capital of Culture status.

Mike Deane, co-director of Liverpool Music Week, an annual live music showcase that takes place every November and has received financial support from the LCC since 2004, said he feels "100 percent positive about the LCC."

"I don't think that we would have grown as much as we did in the first four or five years without (their) help," he added, citing an increase in attendance figures from 26,000 in 2006 to around 50,000 last year.

"Everyone is worried about what infrastructure there is to keep everything in place once the party rolls out," Deane said. "But there's going to be lots of things that will stay. Whether it's an event like us or a new venue like the (Echo) Arena, there will be plenty of legacy from Capital of Culture."

Reuters/Billboard

By Susan Visakowitz 21 minutes ago

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Stephen Malkmus' last release, 2005's "Face the Truth," was a mostly one-man affair, the result of what he describes as "me playing around in my basement." But his upcoming "Real Emotional Trash" is a reminder that Malkmus can still play well with others.

Like the ex-Pavement leader's self-titled first solo effort, "Face the Truth" carried only Malkmus' name on its jacket. But "Trash," due March 4 on longtime label Matador, follows more closely in the footsteps of 2003's "Pig Lib" by giving credit to the Jicks, Malkmus' band since 2000, and putting the emphasis back on group dynamics.

Malkmus says that he "wanted to get back to a band sound, to band relationships. I wanted to focus on people making decisions together."

That collaborative spirit is evident everywhere on "Trash." Even more so than "Pig Lib," the new album finds Malkmus & the Jicks turning up the improvisational heat, colliding on hard-rocking, intricate jams that highlight not only Malkmus' understated guitar heroics, but also the finely honed skills of his three bandmates, especially new drummer Janet Weiss.

Matador general manager Patrick Amory says there's "no question" that Weiss' arrival "has given the band a harder-edged, more forward-thrusting sound. There's less whimsy, less twisted pop on this record."

Malkmus adds that Weiss, former drummer for iconic alt-rock band Sleater-Kinney, is "committed to her life in music, and I can use a little bit of prodding because, well, I can be kind of complacent. She comes in and pushes things up a notch."

Accenting the improvisational component of the Jicks' music was one way Weiss pushed. "Any band I'm in I definitely try to challenge the other players to experiment," she says. "Luckily with the Jicks they'd already done some of that experimenting in the past."

Malkmus' projects have always enjoyed the support of members of the jam band community — Trey Anastasio once name-checked Pavement as his favorite band and would cover the band's songs live with Phish. In subsequent years the Jicks have flirted with longer and longer workouts, culminating in the new album's multipart, 10-minute-plus title track.

"Trash" is only the fifth Matador release to get the "Buy Early Get Now" treatment, where fans who pre-order get additional content — in this case an instant stream, two exclusive B-sides, a live concert and other goodies.

In contrast to the campaign surrounding "Face the Truth," which was slowed by an "uncertain drummer situation" and the arrival of Malkmus' first child, the live show will also be key this time around.

"At this stage in the music industry," Malkmus says, "you've got to get out there and play. You can't just wait for the royalties to pour in, because they're not there anymore."

With a touch of the dry humor he's known for, Malkmus says he's excited to do a proper tour. "We're a dynamic live act with a lot of room to grow. Taking the music out there is what I really like — verging on love — to do."

He adds, "It's hard to overstate the importance of the new group dynamic. The Jicks is not a backing band anymore. Everyone's identity is part of it."

Reuters/Billboard

By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON, For The Associated Press 31 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES - An attorney who claims to represent Britney Spears has filed papers to move her conservatorship case from the Los Angeles County Superior Court to federal court, but legal experts question whether his legal strategy is viable and whether he can represent the troubled pop star at all.

In a document filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, attorney Jon Eardley writes that Spears has not “received the benefit of a single hearing before the court,” and “is being confined by the conservator to the private prison of her own home,” in violation of her civil rights.

After more than a year of bizarre behavior and two stints in a psychiatric hospital this year, Spears was placed under a conservatorship by a Superior Court commissioner at the beginning of February. Conservatorships are established when a court determines someone cannot take care of themselves or their affairs.

In his federal court filing, Eardley asks “whether an adult child may be subjected by her parents to their complete and total control” and claims her conservators — her father, James Spears, and attorney Andrew Wallet — control what prescription medications she takes.

Calls for comment to Eardley’s phone numbers in Washington, D.C., Jericho, N.Y., and Whittier, Calif. were not returned on Thursday or Friday.

Commissioner Reva Goetz has found that under the terms of the conservatorship, Britney Spears lacks the capacity to hire her own lawyer without the approval of her conservators.

Another attorney, Adam Streisand, unsuccessfully sought to represent the singer during a probate hearing Feb. 4 when he argued that she told him by phone that she wanted her father removed as conservator.

Legal experts were doubtful that Eardley’s bid to remove the case to federal court would succeed.

“Anyone who’s under a conservatorship can argue that they’ve lost their civil rights,” said Peter Tiersma, a law professor who teaches trusts and wills at Loyola Law School. “That’s what a conservatorship does, it takes away some of your rights.”

If the federal court were to take jurisdiction of the Spears case, said Tiersma, “that would mean that anyone under a conservatorship could do this, and that’s a loophole you could drive a truck through.”

Family law attorney Alexandra Leichter said the existing orders in the case, including Goetz’s decision that the pop star cannot retain counsel, will stand until a district court rules on whether it will take the case, which she said is highly unlikely.

“This is strictly a state matter. The fed court will not take jurisdiction of this case. That is so far-fetched and off the wall,” said Leichter. “They’ll laugh them out of court.”

Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini would not comment on the federal court filing.

“All current orders in this matter remain in full force and effect,” he said.

The filing was delivered to the Superior Court by Michael Sands, a publicist who says he represents Britney Spears’ sometime manager and friend, Sam Lutfi. Until recently, Sands worked for an attorney who represents the singer’s ex-husband Kevin Federline in a custody dispute over their two young sons.

33 minutes ago

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - Best known north of the border for their mix of new and classic trucking songs, the Canadian band Road Hammers has released a straight-ahead love song as its first U.S. single.

"I Don't Know When to Quit," from the band's "Blood, Sweat and Steel," due May 27 from Nashville-based Montage Music Group, is No. 56 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

The band — leader Jason McCoy, guitarist/vocalist Clayton Bellamy, bassist/vocalist Chris Byrne and drummer Corbett Frasz — was conceived in 2005 as a side project by McCoy, who also is a solo artist. The group came together under the banner of CMT Canada's reality TV show "Making the Band."

"It was an unplanned pregnancy, and it was an experiment on-camera," McCoy says in the band's bio. "But we're all real happy with the baby."

After scoring hits and awards in Canada, the band decided to try its hand in Nashville.

The act's 2005 self-titled Canadian release included covers of Del Reeves' "Girl on the Billboard" and Eddie Kendricks' "Keep on Truckin'," while the new set will include Jerry Reed's "East Bound and Down" and Little Feat's "Willin'."

Reuters/Billboard

By HOLLY RAMER, Associated Press Writer 3 minutes ago

CONCORD, N.H. - The chief songwriter and founder of the band Boston has more than a feeling that he’s being ripped off by Mike Huckabee. In a letter to the Republican presidential hopeful, Tom Scholz complains that Huckabee is using his 1970s smash hit song “More Than a Feeling” without his permission.

A former member of the band, Barry Goudreau, has appeared with Huckabee at campaign events, and they have played the song with Huckabee’s band, Capitol Offense.

Scholz, who said Goudreau left the band more than 25 years ago after a three-year stint, objects to the implication that the band and one of its members has endorsed Huckabee’s candidacy.

“Boston has never endorsed a political candidate, and with all due respect, would not start by endorsing a candidate who is the polar opposite of most everything Boston stands for,” wrote Scholz, adding that he is supporting Democratic Sen. Barack Obama. “By using my song, and my band’s name Boston, you have taken something of mine and used it to promote ideas to which I am opposed. In other words, I think I’ve been ripped off, dude!”

Fred Bramante, who was chairman of Huckabee’s New Hampshire campaign, called the allegations ridiculous. He said he attended dozens of Huckabee rallies in New Hampshire and other states and never heard Huckabee play “More Than a Feeling,” other than when Goudreau campaigned with him in Iowa in October.

“Governor Huckabee plays ‘Sweet Home Alabama.’ Does that mean Lynyrd Skynyrd is endorsing him? He plays ‘Louie Louie.’ Does that mean The Kingsmen are endorsing him? To me, it’s ridiculous,” he said. “Never once has he said, ‘The band Boston endorses me.’

Scholz, in a telephone interview Friday, said he understands “More Than a Feeling” has been a centerpiece at some rallies, and said Goudreau is identified with the band in an endorsement video.

“Whenever a campaign publicly exploits a well-known song, there is some inference of support” by the band or artist, he added.

He recommends that Huckabee “stick to music recorded by far-right Republicans.”

Tensions between Scholz and some of the early band members date from the early 1980s, when CBS Inc. sued the band over delays in recording new albums. The company’s Epic Records label recorded the band’s first two releases: “Boston,” in 1976, and “Don’t Look Back,” in 1978.

Scholz — who wrote, engineered, and laid down nearly all the instrumental tracks on the first album — countersued for the rights to the band’s name and music. Three members of the original band, including Goudreau, testified for the record company, which lost.

In his letter, Scholz referred to Huckabee as the “straight talk candidate,” but that label more often is applied to Sen. John McCain, who has had his own troubles when it comes to his musical playlist. Last week, McCain’s campaign agreed to stop playing John Mellencamp’s songs “Our Country” and “Pink Houses” at his rallies after the liberal rocker complained.

Mellencamp had supported Democrat John Edwards, who recently dropped out of the race.

Other candidates have had better luck selecting songs. Celine Dion said she was “thrilled” that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton used her song, “You and I” as her official campaign anthem. Obama frequently blares U2’s “City of Blinding Lights” at his events.

By Geoff Mayfield 47 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - For anyone who has been playing Chicken Little because for the past three weeks the No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 sold less than 100,000 copies, Jack Johnson says, "Cut it out."

Not only does his new "Sleep Through the Static" represent a career-best frame of 375,000 copies, it also sets a new benchmark for the number of digital albums sold in a week: 139,000 downloads.

Johnson's prior-best sales week was 229,000, when "In Between Dreams" bowed at No. 2 in 2005. The following year he earned his first chart-topping album when his soundtrack to "Curious George" started with 163,000 copies.

Like "Curious George," "Sleep" shows Johnson's clout in the digital market. When that soundtrack topped the chart, downloads accounted for 26 percent of the title's first-week sales, the largest digital share recorded to date by a No. 1 album. He now rewrites the record book with digital sales accounting for 37 percent of the new album's opening sum.

The previous high for album downloads was 133,000 for Kanye West's "Graduation," but with that album starting at 957,000 copies, downloads made up only 14 percent of its first-week tally.

This is the third time in the first six weeks of calendar year 2008 that the total at No. 1 is larger than it was during the same week of 2007. But, with the opening frames of last year including the 405,000-unit start for Norah Jones' "Not Too Late" and the 260,000 debut for Fall Out Boy's "Infinity on High," the average at No. 1 for the first six weeks, 164,816, was higher then than the 2008 figure of 125,636.

According to Nielsen SoundScan's February 13 Building chart, which reflects sales through Tuesday in more than 79 percent of the U.S. market, Johnson's "Sleep" stands a good chance to lead the big chart for a second week.

Next week's chart will also reflect spikes motivated by the Grammy Awards and Valentine's Day shopping, with Herbie Hancock and Amy Winehouse certain to be among the beneficiaries of the former. Also expect a fast start by Michael Jackson's "Thriller 25," a reissue of the all-time best-selling studio album, with newly recorded duets of five of the original nine songs.

This week's lists reflect the benefits of performances at the Super Bowl, including Alicia Keys' Greatest Gainer trophy on the Billboard 200 (No. 3, up 31 percent) and Jordin Sparks, who sees two titles gain on Hot Digital Songs, with "No Air" zipping from No. 31 to No. 22 on a 23 percent increase.

Halftime performer Tom Petty throws two compilations high on the Top Pop Catalog Albums, with "Greatest Hits" stepping from No. 2 to No. 1, almost tripling its prior-week sales, and 2000 release "Anthology: Through the Years" bowing at No. 6. The chart-topping 33,000 for the former is the biggest week the catalog chart has seen outside the holiday selling season since 2004, when a reissue of the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Ready to Die" pulled 60,000 copies.

Reuters/Billboard

By Ken Tucker 32 minutes ago

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - Family is important to bluegrass star Rhonda Vincent and her younger brother Darrin, who is one half of new bluegrass duo Dailey & Vincent.

The pair grew up performing in their family's Sally Mountain Band. "He was singing at 1 year old; most kids aren't talking at 1," Rhonda says of Darrin.

It's therefore fitting that Rhonda's "Good Thing Going" holds the No. 1 spot on Billboard's Top Bluegrass Albums tally and Dailey & Vincent's self-titled set debuted at No. 2 earlier in February.

It marks the first time in the history of Billboard's bluegrass and country charts that albums from siblings have held the two top spots. Rhonda's album has spent five weeks atop the chart, and Darrin and partner Jamie Dailey are spending their second week at No. 2.

That both albums are on Rounder, co-produced by Darrin and recorded in Rhonda's Nashville studio is icing on the cake.

Being in the spotlight is a new sensation for Darrin, who has spent a lifetime in supporting roles, including 10 years with Ricky Skaggs' Kentucky Thunder band. "It's new for me, but I'm learning and I'm enjoying it," he says.

The transition was easier for Dailey, who was lead singer with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver for nine years.

The two men had been mulling the idea of joining forces for a while when they collaborated on "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem" for a Christmas sampler. Darrin says, "When I first heard our voices blend, I said, 'There's something special about that. We've got to pursue this."'

The decline of such duos as the Osborne Brothers and Jim & Jesse further reinforced their resolve. "We bring something to the industry that's not there anymore," Vincent says. "There's just no duos anymore."

Of her own success, which includes top-selling albums, seven straight International Bluegrass Music Assn. female vocalist awards and incessant touring, Rhonda credits a work effort instilled by her father. "It was on-the-job training," she says of the Sally Mountain Band. "There was a no-tolerance policy. When it was time to work, it was time to work."

Her new set, which includes a guest turn by Keith Urban, is her most personal yet. "I have never (before) written five songs to include on an album," she says. "I have to be inspired to write a song, and there's been no shortage of inspiration lately." The title cut is a nod to her 24-year marriage to Herb Sandker.

Reuters/Billboard

By Cortney Harding 20 minutes ago

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance was founded in 1989, when Clark and Elaine Weissman and the California Traditional Music Society invited 125 people to a retreat in Malibu, Calif., to discuss the formation of a coalition of folk organizers.

The organization is gearing up for its 20th edition of what has become the annual "town hall" of the folk community: the International Folk Alliance Conference, scheduled for February 20-24 in Memphis.

"The impetus for founding the Folk Alliance was to make sure that the traditional music community was getting their due," executive director Louis Jay Meyers said.

Today, the 3,000 members of the alliance come from diverse walks of life; the member base comprises artists, publishers, promoters and even fans.

"We provide opportunities for all of our members year-round," Meyers continues. "Some of our benefits include discounts on things like health insurance and event insurance, as well as CD manufacturing and marketing. But we also provide a lot of opportunities for people to meet each other and come together. We have six regional conferences in the fall, which are a great way for folk enthusiasts to locate like-minded people in their community."

Performance opportunities are another perk for alliance members. "We have showcases at Tin Pan Alley South and South by Southwest (music conferences), and we program other events around the world," Meyers said.

The overarching mission of the Folk Alliance, aside from serving members in practical ways, is to share musical traditions. While that might suggest that the member base would skew older, Meyers said this is not the case. "We have 14-year-old members, and we have 90-year-old members," he said.

"More and more, I'm seeing an incredibly strong youth presence in the traditional music scene," he continues. "It's almost like we're back to a '60s state of mind. For the first time in 40 years, the time is right for songs to have an impact. Because of the state of affairs in the world and the upcoming election, young people feel like they have a reason to write songs and try to change the world."

Examples of this trend, according to Meyers, include indie acts like Iron and Wine, as well as bigger-selling artists like Feist and the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss collaboration. "We have a young guy involved with the alliance, a 16-year-old named Anthony DiCosta," Meyers said. "Seeing him is like seeing a young Dylan. All told, we're going to have 10 acts under the age of 20 at this year's conference."

Additionally, many aging rock stars are finding a second life in the folk world. "Tommy Ramone is now doing a bluegrass band," Meyers said of the former Ramones drummer. "We'd really like to assist these folks in rejuvenating their careers, and all their fans can hopefully see that they've been helped by the Folk Alliance."

Reuters/Billboard

By Leah Kauffman 45 minutes ago

NEW YORK (Billboard) - The Foxboro Hot Tubs emerged on the alt-rock scene in late 2007, bringing with them the boisterous sound of '60s garage rock plus the nagging suspicion that they were actually the members of Green Day fooling around on the side.

Foxboro Hot Tubs' Web site offered an EP, "Stop Drop and Roll," for free download early in December. The MP3s were removed the following week, only to reappear and then vanish again. Currently, none of the three songs posted on the band's MySpace page are offered for sale.

This isn't the first time Green Day's members have been accused of moonlighting. In 2003, they were alleged to have recorded a new wave album under the name the Network, which Billie Joe Armstrong released on his Adeline Records imprint.

Green Day's reps at Reprise had no comment, but there are many clues that strengthen the allegations, such as Armstrong's distinctive vocals and a link on Green Day's site that directs browsers to Foxboro Hot Tubs' MySpace page.

Whoever they are, they're enjoying success on Billboard's Modern Rock chart with "Mother Mary." The cut entered the chart at No. 30 in early February and this week climbs from No. 18 to No. 16.

Modern rock KNRK Portland, Ore., program director Mark Hamilton said that Reprise introduced him to the single late last year but made no mention of the band's membership. "I liked the song before I knew it was Green Day," he said. "It stands alone on its own merits."

According to modern rock WHTG Monmouth-Ocean, N.J., program director Terrie Carr, Foxboro Hot Tubs' "are they or aren't they Green Day" appeal gives them an edge, encouraging listeners to decide for themselves.

Reuters/Billboard

Natalie Finn Fri Feb 15, 12:04 PM ET

Los Angeles (E! Online) - Alicia Keys wants to follow no one but Jordin Sparks.  

The reigning American Idol champion has signed on to open for Keys on the platinum-selling chanteuse's upcoming As I Am tour, in support of the Grammy-winning album of the same name. 

Their two-month North American road trip kicks off Apr. 19 in Hampton, Virginia, and will touch down in 25 major U.S. cities, Toronto and Montreal before winding up June 18 at New York's Madison Square Garden. 

Although Sparks' self-titled first album fizzled on impact, selling a disappointing 119,000 copies its first week out to give her the weakest chart debut for an Idol winner (10th place), the 18-year-old songbird from Glendale, Arizona, continues to charm with her live appearances. 

Sparks, the daughter of former pro football player Phillippi Sparks, performed the national anthem before a hometown crowd—and more than 97 million at-home viewers—at Glendale's University of Phoenix Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday, and she's scheduled to take the stage this weekend in New Orleans as part of NBA All-Star Weekend. 

Her big-game credentials in place, Sparks will also head off on tour fresh from being named Outstanding New Artist Thursday at the 39th NAACP Image Awards. 

Keys, a four-time winner at the Image Awards and a pregame performer at the Super Bowl, scored two Grammys on Sunday, Best R&B Vocal Performance and Song for "No One," to go along with the other nine she's scooped up over the years.