Hot Music Beat

I have some good news and I have some bad news. The good news is that No Doubt has finally gotten a new song out. The bad news is that we all expected so much more. The reunited band recently released a cover of Adam Ant’s ‘Stand and Deliver’. It’s the song that they’re going to perform on the ‘Gossip Girl’ spinoff. It’s also the song which was included in the digital catalog that was emailed to everyone who bought premium tickets to the band’s tour. They sound great but the song isn’t as good as another cover they have, ‘It’s My Life’, which they did for their Greatest Hits collection.

Bruce Springsteen has apologized to his fans for being a hypocrite after he struck an exclusive deal to release his greatest hits collection with Wal-Mart. Die hard fans have cried foul because the iconic rocker has been a longtime supporter of worker’s rights and Wal-Mart isn’t exactly known for the great way they treat their workforce. In a new interview with the New York Times, Bruce said “It was a mistake. Our batting average is usually very good, but we missed that one. Fans will call you on that stuff, as it should be.” Yes, well – we also know how the sight of money can impair anyone.

The Plain White T’s along with 30 other bands across the country will Rock for Darfur in an effort to aid the United Nation’s effort in what’s said to be “the world’s greatest humanitarian crisis.” A portion of ticket sales from the Plain White T’s November 10th show in Bridgeport, CT will go directly to the Rock For Darfur cause. To see what you can do to help, find a concert near you to go to on November 10th. Go to myspace.com/rockfordarfur for more information.

James Brown might not still be with us, but his band certainly is.  And his band is planning a concert at the Apollo Theater in New York on May 3rd, the Godfather of Soul’s birthday.  “Once they get an earful, they’ll see. He’s dead but his music lives on.”  The band will be playing all of James’ greatest hits, proving that the music continues although the singer does not.

The band is saying, however, that they are not trying to replace James by any one member.  You can’t do that, he’s irreplaceable.  You can have various artists perform his work, which is what they intend to do.  Venisha Brown, James’ daughter, will be just one of those artists, and evidently she dances “better than he did.”  I won’t be able to make it to New York, but hopefully they will have this filmed so that those of us who watch “Evening at the Apollo” won’t miss out.