BRITNEY FOX has signed to Spitfire Records in New York for a deal that will include re-issues of their original 3 albums, plus a new live album that will include 2 new tracks. The band also have the option of an all new studio album, but it is yet to be determined if that will happen. The tracks from the live album will be from 4 shows recorded last week at 4 different clubs. The band are currently demoing material to determine which 2 new songs they will record as the bonus studio tracks.
AEROSMITH has recorded another Diane Warren song for another Jerry Bruckheimer movie, but we may never get to hear it. Aerosmith, who enjoyed great success with Warren's "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" from the soundtrack to "Armageddon," recently recorded a sweeping ballad titled "Painted On My Heart" written by Warren for Bruckheimer's upcoming movie, "Gone In Sixty Seconds." But Aerosmith's version of the track does not seem likely to see the light of day. A spokesperson for the film told MTV News that the music supervisors are scouting around for somebody else to record the track. Nobody is saying why Aerosmith's version is being cut from the film, although industry sources speculate that either the two camps (band and soundtrack) could not agree on financial terms, or that they could not agree on which label would distribute the soundtrack album.
Norwegian 80's pop superstars A-HA return with an all new studio album titled Minor Earth Major Sky next week. The Japanese date is set for may 10 and a full European release will follow that.
After finding a critical and commercial bonanza during his time with Carlos Santana, Rob Thomas is back with his MATCHBOX 20 counterparts and plans to soon hit the road in support of the group's upcoming album. Thomas and Matchbox 20 will try to follow up 1996's "Yourself Or Someone Like You" (which scored an RIAA Diamond Award for sales over 10 million) with "Mad Season By Matchbox Twenty" on May 23. Aside from opting to write out "twenty" instead of return to the numeral that graced the cover of its debut album, the band is also touting frontman Rob Thomas as the group's "central songwriter." During the four years since the last Matchbox effort, Thomas used his downtime to pen Carlos Santana's number one hit and multiple Grammy winner "Smooth."
As previously reported, MOTLEY CRUE is currently recording their eighth studio album, New Tattoo, with producer Mike Clink. Nikki Sixx comments, "Over the last three years we've had the privilege of building our audience one fan at a time. We are an uninhibited rock band and writing the new songs has been a kick in the ass - New Tattoo is something I am excited for fans to make a permanent part of their music collection." According to Clink, "With New Tattoo, Motley Crue is returning to the raw edgy sounds of Too Fast For Love and the pounding bass lines, fast guitar hooks and great songwriting that fans remember of Dr. Feelgood. Personally, it's exciting to work with a band that continues to forge such an important place in rock 'n' roll." "New Tattoo has been a grand songwriting experience. All of us - Randy, Mick, Nikki and myself have brought song ideas and concepts and made them Motley Crue. This album's energy and attitude will remind people of what they fell in the love with - the energy that was captured when we all lived together above Sunset Blvd and recorded Too Fast For Love," says lead singer Vince Neil.
BULLSHIT ALERT: According to the New York Post, DAVID LEE ROTH is back in VAN HALEN. The paper states that the original bandmates have put the past behind them and are together again after 15 years. Apparently Roth, in full party mode, was hanging out at Moomba Thursday night and told partiers: "We've been holed up in Indianapolis, trying to keep a lid on this. We're getting ready for a monster tour." The band is apparently going back to basics, appearance and all. "He looked like he did in the '80s," one spy said. "His skin was like a baby's bottom and he had this platinum blonde hair down to his shoulders".
HardRadio is reporting that Dave Mustaine recently introduced AL PITRELLI as the new permanent guitarist for MEGADETH on their Japanese tour. This information is contrary to what we've been told, which is that MARTY FREIDMAN never left the band, and is mulling over whether he wants to stay in the band.
LITA FORD will get the Live Greatest Hits treatment by Deadline/Cleopatra, which will release the compilation in May.
