TOMMY LEE was granted release from jail today by Judge LAWRENCE MIRA, after serving four days behind bars for violating his probation by drinking. His lawyer claimed that ex-wife PAMELA ANDERSON was the person who told it to the judge, tattling that Lee had champagne with her on New Year's Day during their brief reconciliation. Lee is now on extended probation through May 2003 and is subject to random drug and alcohol tests. He leaves today for a brief European trip with METHODS OF MAYHEM.
LEE's ex-bandmates in MÖTLEY CRÜE can bee seen (and heard) in an animated satire that slams METALLICA's handling of the Napster situation at www.campchaos.com/cartoons/motley/index.html. In the cartoon, "Metalli-Greed--Mötley Crüe Responds to Metallica," VINCE NEIL calls Metallica "a group of cranky, moody assholes" in the cartoon, and NIKKI SIXX says, "I mean they're suing their fans to promote their tour? We'd never sink that low." That's where more humor comes in: the Crüemen plug New Tattoo and the Maximum Rock summer tour.
ROBERT PLANT has been playing with a folk-rock cover band called THE PRIORY OF BRION, which also includes guitarist KEVIN HAMMOND, who played with Plant in BAND OF JOY (before LED ZEPPELIN). The band is playing shows in Europe in June with a date at the Cambridge Folk Festival in England in July. There are no recording plans as of now.
Here's a story from MTV News clarifying the Eddie Van Halen cancer reports: A spokesperson at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston, Texas, confirmed to MTV News that Eddie Van Halen is a patient at the clinic, but said that the guitarist does not have cancer. Spokesperson Jane Brust told MTV News that Van Halen is currently participating in a clinical trial to prevent cancer. Brust declined to reveal what area of the body is the focus of the treatment. While Brust declined to disclose specifics, she did state that in order to desire such treatment or be eligible for it, a patient would have to have had a specific concern or an elevated risk of the disease. Brust also denied media reports that say the guitarist had undergone surgery at the clinic. Sources close to Van Halen told MTV News that the guitarist had a cancerous growth removed from his tongue prior to his visit to Houston late last week, and that the condition was not thought to be life-threatening. Other sources speculate that Van Halen may have had a pre-cancerous growth. A spokesperson for Warner Bros., the band's label, told MTV News that the company has no information on Van Halen's health. Medical journals state that tongue cancer occurs most commonly in those who smoke. The usual treatment is removal of the growth followed by radiation therapy. Eddie Van Halen, 45, is known to be a heavy smoker. Meanwhile, although the guitarist, who had a hip replacement late last year, is said to be relatively healthy, the same can't be said for the long-rumored reunion with original singer David Lee Roth. Sources close to Van Halen told MTV News that rumors of a pending CD or tour featuring the original lineup are false.
In keeping with the VAN HALEN news, here's another tidbit about their former vocalist: Apparently former EXTREME/VAN HALEN Gary Cherone leaving VH wasn't as "voluntary" as the original reports portrayed. Several sources have confirmed that the buyout of Cherone's two-album contract wasn't satisfactory and that legal action is apparently pending. No word as to the status of the dissolution of Van Halen's relationship with Ray Danniels and SRO. Hopefully Van Halen can get through this one without any mudslinging. Here's hoping that this has nothing to do with the band's inability to announce the identity of their new lead singer.
According to guitarist Paul Crook, with SEBASTIAN BACH doing the Broadway thing for the next 4 months, recording for the first Sebastian Bach solo record won't happen until early next year. In the meantime, Crook will be recording a song for the TWISTED SISTER tribute this week.
WHITE LION's Greg D'Angelo and James Lomenzo will be working with frontman Jimmy Lawrence on a project in the style described as HARDLINE, WHITE LION and WINGER.
