Ashlee Simpson Takes Care of Her Babies

Nov. 25) -- Ashlee Simpson had two babies to worry about last Thursday - the son she was delivering, and her husband Pete Wentz. The Fall Out Boy bassist told Ryan Seacrest that his wife is a saint for showing concern for his case of nerves while she was in labor with Bronx Mowgli.

"Right before she went into labor, I was like, 'Oh my God, I think I'm having a heart attack!' My heart started beating really fast." Wentz said, "You see your wife in all this pain, and you really don't know what's happening. [But Ashlee] took care of me and made sure I was OK and then we went into labor."

"She's a amazing girl. She was like, 'I will make sure you're OK.' I didn't even stop to think, 'Well, you just had an epidural and you're about to have a baby!'"

Simpson and Wentz married amid a swirl of pregnancy rumors in May. They had announced their engagement just a month earlier, fanning the flames of the baby rumor mill as bloggers and tabloids presumed the quick nuptials were a sure-fire sign of a pregnancy. Their first child, Bronx Mowgli, was born on November 20.
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Brit Says K-Fed Teaches Kids Bad Words

Nov. 25) - In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Britney Spears talks about going on dates, her children and what her life is like now, USA Today reports. See Highlights Below.

Her Bedtime: "I feel like an old person now. I do! I go to bed at, like, 9:30 every night, and I don't go out or anything."

On a Recent Date, Where She Was Chaperoned: "He looked like an older version of Harry Potter, but skinnier. … So I had to get dessert first. And the other date I had, the guy was really, really tall and a lot older. … We're trying to ask him questions, like, 'OK, you're into martial arts, so what kind of martial arts are you into?' And he was like, 'Oh, all kinds.' … But you know how silly we are, so we were just cracking up."

Her Children: "Every time they come to visit me, I think about how they're such special people."

A Dig at Their Father: Sean Preston and Jayden James "are starting to learn words like 'stupid,' and Preston says the f-word now sometimes. He doesn't get it from us. He must get it from his daddy. I say it, but not around my kids."
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U2, Coldplay, Killers Help Launch (RED)WIRE

Some of the biggest names in music are contributing exclusive songs to RED(WIRE), a new digital music magazine launching on World AIDS Day (Dec. 1).

U2, Coldplay, the Killers, the Dixie Chicks, John Legend, R.E.M. and Bob Dylan are on board for the initiative, which is an outgrowth of the Bono-reared activist organization (RED). All proceeds from subscriptions will benefit HIV-infected people in Africa; MSN.com will host a kick-off party on Dec. 1.

For $5, users will receive a new issue of RED(WIRE) every Wednesday, featuring an exclusive song from a major artist, a song from an artist (RED) aims to showcase, a multimedia piece that could encompass video or photography and a look at how proceeds are directly benefiting Africans in need. The materials will be downloaded to a custom player and automatically loaded into iTunes.

Users can send two free issues to friends, and will be rewarded if they join RED(WIRE). "Artists are already saying, 'I want to give you a track for those people who brought friends in,'" (RED)WIRE founder Don MacKinnon tells Billboard.com. "That's the biggest idea: using social networking to actually change the world in a unique way."

U2's track was recorded just last Wednesday, while the Killers, Elton John and the Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant teamed up for the Christmas song "Joseph, Better You Than Me," which MacKinnon describes as "like a power ballad." This is the third year in a row the Killers have penned a holiday song and donated proceeds to (RED).

Meanwhile, John Legend's take on Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" finds him eschewing piano for a stripped-down arrangement with guitar, bass and backing vocalists, according to MacKinnon. Also coming is the first new Dixie Chicks song since the group's Grammy sweep in 2007, "Lucky One," and Elvis Costello and the Police jamming on "Watching the Detectives" and "Walking From the Moon," taped during Costello's new Sundance Channel show "Spectacle." Additional (RED)WIRE offerings will be announced in the coming weeks. MacKinnon is particularly enthused about the creative directions open to (RED)WIRE, especially with such high-profile artist participation. "I had a meeting with Jay-Z, and he wants to talk about artists to be featured in that spotlight slot," he says. "Big artists may curate an issue. The whole goal was to create a creative platform. When somebody says, 'I do all this photography and I want to put it in as an extra,' That's when I go, this is going to be really cool."

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Nickelback Plots 2009 Tour

Nickelback will begin a North American tour Feb. 25 in Nashville in support of its just-released Roadrunner album "Dark Horse." Tickets go on sale Dec. 5 via LiveNation.com, but Nickelback fan club members get first crack on Friday (Nov. 28).

Seether and Saving Abel will support on the jaunt, which runs through April 23 in Columbia, S.C.

"Dark Horse" is expected to debut tomorrow in the upper reaches of The Billboard 200. First single "Gotta Be Somebody" has sold 570,000 downloads in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Asked recently by Billboard why NIckelback opted to wait to tour until next year, frontman Chad Kroeger said, "We've been bitten too many times by going out too early. I'm always adamant about making sure there's at least a true rock song from the band that's gone to radio, just to give a more diverse selection of music for people to listen to.

"We've been consulting with some people; I'm interested to see someone else's take on what this band could look like live, and we've had some real interesting stuff come back," he continued. "I think we're gonna try some stuff that, believe it or not, no one has ever done live before."

Here are Nickelback's tour dates: Feb. 25: Nashville (Sommet Center)
Feb. 27: Lexington, Ky. (Rupp Arena)
Feb. 28: Detroit (Joe Louis Arena)
Mar. 2: Toronto (Air Canada Centre)
Mar. 3: Hamilton, Ont. (Copps Coliseum)
Mar. 5: Worcester, Mass. (DCU Center)
Mar. 6: East Rutherford, N.J. (IZOD Center)
Mar. 8: Uncasville, Conn. (Mohegan Sun Arena)
Mar. 9: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center)
Mar. 11: Columbus, Ohio (Nationwide Arena)
Mar. 12: Rosemont, Ill. (Allstate Arena)
Mar. 14: Milwaukee (Bradley Center)
Mar. 15: Moline, Ill. (I Wireless Center)
Mar. 17: Omaha, Neb. (Qwest Center)
Mar. 18: Des Moines, Iowa (Wells Fargo Arena)
Apr. 1: Edmonton, Alberta (Rexall Centre)
Apr. 2: Calgary (Pengrowth Saddledome)
Apr. 4: Saskatoon,(Credit Union Centre)
Apr. 5: Winnipeg (MTS Centre)
Apr. 7: Minneapolis (Target Center)
Apr. 8: Kansas City. Mo. (Sprint Center)
Apr. 10: Tulsa, Okla. (BOK Center)
Apr. 13: Bossier City, La. (CenturyTel Center)
Apr. 14: San Antonio (AT&T Center)
Apr. 16: Houston (Toyota Center)
Apr. 17: New Orleans (New Orleans Arena)
Apr. 19: Little Rock, Ark. (Alltel Arena)
Apr. 22: Jacksonville, Fla. (Veterans Memorial Arena)
Apr. 23: Columbia, S.C. (Colonial Life Arena)

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No Doubt, Fall Out Boy Set For Bamboozle

After its weekend announcement that it was heading back on tour, No Doubt has revealed its first show of 2009.

The group will headline the second day of the Live Nation-promoted Bamboozle festival on May 3 at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, N.J. Fall Out Boy will headline the opening day.

Two-day and VIP passes are available from the festival's Web site, with single-day tickets going on sale Friday (Nov. 28). As previously reported, No Doubt has been in the studio on and off this year to work on the follow-up to 2001's "Rock Steady." Frontwoman Gwen Stefani gave birth to her second son in August.

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No Doubt Regrouping For Tour, Album

No Doubt will return to the road in 2009 while it finishes its first studio album in seven years. The group made the announcement via an instant message transcript posted on its official Web site, but did not provide specific details.

"I have cabin fever. Maybe we should play some shows or something," guitarist Tom Dumont wrote. Vocalist Gwen Stefani answered, "I think we should go out now. I don't think we should wait. Pack up the babies and get a bunch of nannies. So fun! Would be so inspiring to get out there and play all those songs again."

The group then discusses how continuing to write new music on the road would be inspiring, and vows to alert management to its plans.

No Doubt has been in the studio on and off throughout 2008. But Stefani's participation has been limited of late, having given birth to her second son in late August.

The group hasn't played live since mid-2004, and its last studio album was 2001's "Rock Steady." Since then, Stefani has released two critically acclaimed solo albums, while the other group members have pursued solo and session work as well as producing. Most recently, they appear on Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland's solo album, "'Happy' in Galoshes."

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Shred the Web Finalists Announced

Videos featuring the 10 finalists in Tabs.GuitarWorld.com's Shred the Web contest are now available for viewing.

Go to tabs.guitarworld.com/shredtheweb to watch the finalists perform versions of Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher,” Judas Priest’s “Electric Eye,” Pantera’s “Cowboys from Hell,” Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and more -- and be sure to vote for who you think should win!

The winner will receive $10,000 in cash and prizes, including a B.C. Rich NJ Deluxe Warbeast guitar, a Randall Kirk Hammett signature amp and cabinet, Dunlop guitar strings and more.

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Guns N' Roses Streaming Entire Chinese Democracy Album Online

Against all odds, Chinese Democracy has finally arrived.

One of the most highly anticipated (and expensive) albums in rock history, the long-awaited Chinese Democracy marks the first album of new material from Guns N’ Roses since 1991’s simultaneous release of Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II.

Chinese Democracy (Black Frog/Geffen Records) will be availableat Best Buy stores globally on November 23 on CD and vinyl (accompanied by a free digital download of the tracks), and as a separate digital album.

Produced by Axl Rose and Caram Costanzo, Chinese Democracy includes 14 tracks. While the title track and first single from the album, “Chinese Democracy," has been floating around for a couple of weeks, Guns N' Roses have just posted a streaming copy of Chinese Democracy in its entirity on their MySpace page.

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New Hendrix Electric Ladyland Making-Of Disc Set Due Dec. 9

Experience Hendrix LLC has announced the release of At Last… The Beginning: The Making of Electric Ladyland DVD and companion Electric Ladyland Collector’s Edition CD + DVD. The packages will be released on December 9 through Universal Music Enterprises coming 40 years after the initial release of Electric Ladyland, the third and final album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It was the last Hendix studio album to have been produced during the guitar icon’s lifetime and reflects his meticulous involvement in every facet of its creation.

Electric Ladyland is the source of such legendary Hendrix tracks as “All Along the Watchtower,” “Crosstown Traffic,” “Burning of the Midnight Lamp” and is commonly acknowledged by Hendrix cognoscenti as the most fully realized, cohesive project of his entire career. It was the only Hendrix album to have hit #1 on the Billboard charts. It is, indisputably, the crowning achievement of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and underscored Hendrix's abilities as singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer.

At Last… The Beginning: The Making of Electric Ladyland documents the creation of the album that was released in the fall of 1968 as a 2 LP set. Some of Jimi’s closest associates are seen on screen discussing their recollections of Hendrix and the project including JHE bassist Noel Redding, drummer Mitch Mitchell, manager Chas Chandler who discovered Hendrix after he left the Animals; drummer Buddy Miles who appeared on the album and later went on to work with Hendrix in the Band of Gypsys, Jefferson Airplane’s Jack Casady, Steve Winwood and Dave Mason from Traffic and others who participated in the Electric Ladyland sessions that took place at Olympic studios in London and the Record Plant in New York. One of the highlights of the program includes a session with original Electric Ladyland engineer Eddie Kramer who discusses the techniques Hendrix, Mitchell and Redding employed in recording Electric Ladyland and playing some of the original multitrack tapes to illustrate the process.

Originally produced in 1997 as the premiere episode the acclaimed Classic Albums television series, The Making of Electric Ladyland is newly edited with expanded features and almost 40 minutes of additional content not seen in the original feature.

While the DVD is offered as a stand-alone title, a Deluxe CD + DVD Collector’s Edition that includes The Making of… DVD along with the classic Electric Ladyland CD offers consumers both the expository look at the Electric Ladyland as well as the actual album which ranks as one of the most significant projects in the Hendrix canon. All Music Guide, Blender and Rolling Stone have all awarded Electric Ladyland five (out of five) stars as it has been firmly ensconced in the pantheon of rock’s greatest achievements for 40 years.

DVD Tracklisting:

Prologue
Burning of the Midnight Lamp
…And The Gods Made Love
All Along The Watchtower
Rainy Day, Dream Away
Still Raining, Still Dreaming
Voodoo Chile
Crosstown Traffic
Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)
Little Miss Strange
Gypsy Eyes
South Saturn Delta
House Burning Down
1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)
Long Hot Summer Night
Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)
Epilogue

CD Tracklisting:

…And The Gods Made Love
Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)
Crosstown Traffic
Voodoo Chile
Little Miss Strange
Long Hot Summer Night
Come On (Let The Good Times Roll)
Gypsy Eyes
Burning of the Midnight Lamp
Rainy Day, Dream Away
1983… (A Merman I Should Turn To Be)
Moon, Turn The Tides…Gently Gently Away
Still Raining, Still Dreaming
House Burning Down
All Along The Watchtower
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

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Taylor Swift Soars To No. 1 Debut

With the best sales week for a country album in a year, 18-year-old Taylor Swift debuts at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums with her sophomore set, "Fearless." The Big Machine release sold 592,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, the largest sum for a country album since Eagles' "Long Road Out of Eden" started with 711,000 last November.

"Fearless" shifted 129,000 copies digitally, the fourth biggest week for a digital album since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking them in 2004.

Meanwhile, six songs from "Fearless" will debut on tomorrow’s Billboard Hot 100, led by "White Horse" at No. 13. "Horse" is her sixth top 20 debut of 2008, a calendar year record for any artist in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. In addition, her six debuts and seven total tracks on tomorrow chart each tie her with Hannah Montana for the most by a female artist in a single week. Of the 13 tracks on "Fearless," 11 have now spent time on the Hot 100.

The next three slots on The Billboard 200 are debuts, with "American Idol" runner-up David Archuleta starting at No. 2 with his self-titled 19 Recordings/Jive album on sales of 183,000. The 29th edition of the multi-label "Now That's What I Call Music!" series begins at No. 3 with 172,000, while T-Pain's "Thr33 Ringz" (Kovinct/Nappy Boy/Jive) opens at No. 4 with 167,000.

Last week's No. 1 album, the Chop Shop/Atlantic soundtrack from "Twilight," drops to No. 5 on a 35% decrease to 107,000. AC/DC's "Black Ice" slips 2-6 on a 34% decline to 105,000, while Walt Disney's "High School Musical 3" soundtrack is down 3-7 on a 14% dip to 94,000.

Enya's first holiday album, "And Winter Came" (Reprise) debuts at No. 8 with 92,000. The project is expected to be a strong seller through the end of the year, potentially in the vein of Josh Groban's runaway hit album from last year, "Noel."

Christina Aguilera's hits package, "Keeps Gettin' Better," is new at No. 9 with 73,000. The album was exclusively available at Target. Rounding out the top tier is T.I.'s "Paper Trail" (Grand Hustle/Atlantic), which falls 7-10 on a 10% decline to 62,000.

Seal's R&B covers album, "Soul" (Warner Bros.), debuts at No. 13 this week with 45,000. That's an improvement over his dance-driven 2007 album "System," which crept in at No. 35 with 30,000. Further down the chart, a best-of "Now That's What I Call Music" album lands No. 32 with 22,000) and producer David Foster's all-star live set "Hit Man" (Warner Bros.) debuts at No. 46 with 15,000.

Album sales this week are up 26.8% from last week with 8.9 million units, but down 24% from the same week last year (11.72 million).

Additional reporting by Keith Caulfield.

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