Here's something MTV posted: KID ROCK's former manager, Stephen Hutton, has filed a $4 million breach of contract suit against the Detroit rocker, claiming that he was unjustly fired after helping resuscitate Rock's previously dormant career. Hutton's lawyers filed the federal lawsuit on Monday, July 10, in the United States District Court in Manhattan. In the complaint, Hutton, who managed Kid Rock from 1994 until just a few weeks ago, alleges breach of contract and unjust enrichment, and is asking for compensatory damages as well as a portion of Kid Rock's future earnings. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Hutton's lawyers noted that prior to his involvement in Kid Rock's career, the singer, whose real name is Bob Ritchie, was "an unknown, struggling artist" whose early albums had received only a "lukewarm response." "It saddens me that after seven year of hard work and my unswerving devotion to Bob [Ritchie] and his career, I am forced to pursue legal action to get what I deserve," Hutton was quoted in a release announcing the suit. Hutton claims that he was a principal player in helping Ritchie ink a lucrative contract with Atlantic Records, a deal that led to Rock's multi-platinum major-label debut, 1998's "Devil Without A Cause." The manager also helped re-secure the rights to Kid Rock's earlier albums, songs and material from which are featured on Kid Rock's just-issued The History Of Rock LP, which is currently in the Top 10 of the "Billboard" Pop Album charts. The suit alleges that Hutton was entitled to 15 percent of Kid Rock's gross income under the terms of his management contract, and that Rock dismissed Hutton after he failed to settle for a monetary amount less than what he was owed.
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and THE BEASTIE BOYS have announced that they will donate one dollar per ticket sold on the Rhyme & Reeason tour to a variety of charities including regional and local food banks and homeless shelters. Prior to the tour beginning August 2 in Toronto, RATM plans to play three nights at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium. The shows, on July 25, 27 and 28, will be taped for a live album due out in the fall.
COAL CHAMBER has left the Tattoo the Earth tour, opting instead to work on album #3.
SOULFLY will deviate from OzzFest to play radio station WSOU's OzzFest Pre-Show party at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey on July 23. SHUVEL will also be on the bill, plus others to be announced (see www.wsou.net for details). Tickets go on sale via Ticketmaster today for $15. In other OzzFest news, CRAZY TOWN is off the bill, after missing two shows, rumor has it because singer SHIFTY landed in jail for undisclosed reasons.
POISON's Behind the Music will be on (again!) today on VH1, at 9 PM ET/PT. C.C. DeVILLE will be on the third season premiere episode of Rock & Roll Jeopardy!, playing opposite BRIAN McKNIGHT and ANDY SUMMERS. It airs on July 22 at 11 AM ET/PT and 9:30 PM ET/PT and July 23 at 10 AM ET/PT and 4:30 PM ET/PT. Get this while you can, people... from what was reported yesterday about VH1, Poison may not have too many outlets to plug their records very soon.
HENRY ROLLINS will have an hour-long spoken word performance special called Live and Ripped From London on cable's Comedy Central, airing August 11. Rollins is currently tourign Europe through August 24, but plans to do a short spoken-word tour around the time of the TV special.
