Rolling Stone’s Top Stories

7/7/09, 7:15 pm EST

Jackson: How He Wanted to Be Remembered
Brooke Shields Talks Relationship With Jackson
Michael Jackson Memorial Unites Stars in L.A.
NIN Announce Tiny U.S. Club Tour
“Heal the World” Jackson Singer Revealed
Fans Arrive for Public Jackson Memorial
Jeff Beck Amazes at Montreal Jazz Fest
Who Is Jackson Memorial’s Jafargholi?
Aerosmith Postpone Shows, Whitford’s Return
Paramore Debut New Single “Ignorance”
L.A. Mayor Asks for Money for MJ Memorial
Michael Jackson Domains: Big Bucks on eBay
Limp Bizkit Schedule Free Vegas Show
Maroon 5 Work Up New LP, Sinatra Cover
Jackson Casket Will Be at Memorial: Reports
Minnesota Mom Asks for Fine Reduction
News Ticker: Davie Bowie, En Vogue
Usher, Mariah, Mayer Set for Jackson Memorial
Green Day Launch Powerhouse Tour in Seattle
Lambert, Allen Hit the Stage on Idols Tour
Panic at the Disco Lose Two Members
Rothbury ‘09 in Photos: Dylan, Dead, More
New York Rep Calls Jackson “Molester”
50 Cent Dedicates Mixtape to Jackson
Lambert, Iraheta Gig Pumped for Idol Show
Blur Bring London’s Hyde Park to Life
Gossip Girl Meester’s New Video Leaks
Hope Sandoval Returns With Warm Inventions
Labels Target Hardcore Fans With Box Sets
Watch Jackson at His Final Rehearsals
Drake Debuts Kanye-Directed Video

Scroll down for full news stories, commentary and much more in Rock Daily.

Judith Hill: “Heal The World” Singer From Jackson Memorial Revealed

7/7/09, 7:11 pm EST


When the all-star Michael Jackson memorial ceremony in Los Angeles came to an end today, millions of fans watching the event became curious about the woman who sang lead on Jackson’s “Heal the World.” The mystery singer was Judith Hill, a Pasadena, California-based vocalist who was recruited to be one of the backup singers for Jackson’s This Is It! concerts at London’s O2 Arena. Hill wowed the crowd and the millions watching around the world with her rendition of the Dangerous song, but her identity had most viewers baffled — the “We Are the World” and “Heal the World” performers weren’t identified in the handouts at the Staples Center or on any other documents distributed to the press.

(Check out photos from Michael Jackson’s all-star memorial.)

According to the bio on Hill’s official Website, “Judith was born in Los Angeles and raised in a family of musicians. Her mother is an immigrant from Japan who met her father in a funk band in the 1970s.” Hill is described as discovering her love of music at an early age while growing up in a deeply religious household, which led her to attend the Christian university Biola University in Southern California. Hill’s bio says the singer next headed to France after graduation to perform with French singer Michel Polnareff. (more…)

New Reviews: The Jayhawks’ Anthology, LMFAO

7/7/09, 6:51 pm EST


Michael Jackson’s catalog is dominating the charts, but a handful of new releases are hitting stores this week, including the Jayhawks’ Music from the North Country: The Jayhawks Anthology, which collects the greatest hits and rarities of the underrated Minnesota country rockers. “One headline about the Jayhawks at their prime read ‘What if you made a classic, and no one cared?’ ” Rolling Stone’s Will Hermes writes in his four-star review of the collection. “The Midwest country rockers have made a few in their 23 years, to less notice than they deserved; those discs are cherry-picked for this note-perfect set.” The set is available in a multitude of formats: a 2CD set with 20 hits and 20 previously unreleased tracks and the deluxe edition that features a bonus DVD of the band’s videos and some live performances. (more…)

Michael Jackson: Hear How He Wanted to Be Remembered

7/7/09, 6:37 pm EST

Photo: Hogan/Getty

Eight years before his death, Michael Jackson mused on how he’d want to be remembered in a 2001 fan Q&A moderated by Rolling Stone: “I used to always buy the Guinness Book of World Records,” he laughed. “I said, ‘Mmm, I like to dance and sing. Hopefully one day I can be in this book.’ When Thriller became the biggest-selling album of all time and was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records … it was the happiest time of my life.”

(Check out photos from Michael Jackson’s all-star memorial.)

You may have heard parts of the interview — conducted days before Jackson released his last studio album, Invincible — excerpted on last night’s Dateline. After the jump, listen to expanded excerpts of Jackson discussing the inspirations for his songwriting, what he would have changed about his life and the achievements he’s most proud of — or listen to the entire hour-long segment for additional unfiltered insight from the King of Pop, including his instructions for doing the moonwalk, his childhood idols and impressions of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Jackson even addresses the importance of staying healthy: “In the music business some of these great artists have become stumped because they self-abuse themselves at a young age, with all these crazy things they drink and pills and things,” he said, “and that’s just not good — just not a good thing. I hate to say that to hurt anybody, but we should take care of our bodies a little more.” (more…)

Paramore Debut “Ignorance” From Next Album “Brand New Eyes”

7/7/09, 6:03 pm EST

Photo:Walter/Getty

Nashville pop-punkers Paramore are giving fans a taste of what to expect on their Rob Cavallo-produced third album with “Ignorance,” (click here to listen), the first single from their upcoming Brand New Eyes, due September 29th.

The furiously paced track blends the sass of the band’s Riot! single, “Misery Business” with hints of the darkness heard in “Decode” (off the Twilight soundtrack). Frontwoman Hayley Williams spits out the song’s hook, “You treat me just like another stranger/well it’s nice to meet you sir/I guess I’ll go/I best be on my way out” and proclaims, “Ignorance is your new best friend!” (more…)

Brooke Shields Recalls Special Relationship with Michael Jackson

7/7/09, 5:28 pm EST

Photo: Galella/WireImage

A teary Brooke Shields approached the podium at Michael Jackson’s public memorial in Los Angeles today and spoke about the unique friendship the two shared as 1980s megastars thrust into the spotlight at a young age. In the special Michael Jackson commemorative issue of Rolling Stone hitting stands this week, the model-actress reveals the King of Pop asked her to marry him — more than once.

“I would say, ‘You have me for the rest of your life, you don’t need to marry me, I’m going to go on and do my own life and have my own marriage and my own kids, and you’ll always have me,’ ” Shields tells Rolling Stone. “I think it made him relax. He didn’t want to lose things that meant something to him.”

(Check out photos from Michael Jackson’s all-star memorial.)

Shields says the innocent nature of the pair’s bond persisted as they grew older, and that as he aged, Jackson became “more asexual” to her. (more…)

Nine Inch Nails Reveal Final U.S. Tour, Small Shows In Three Cities

7/7/09, 4:26 pm EST

Photograph by Joshua Prezant for RollingStone.com
It turns out Nine Inch Nails’ Bonnaroo ‘09 set won’t be Trent Reznor’s final U.S. show ever — today the NIN leader announced on the band’s Website new plans to perform a handful of small venue shows in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Nine Inch Nails’ joint tour with Jane’s Addiction and their massive set at Bonnaroo were supposed to be the final curtain calls for Reznor and Co. in the States before the band would “disappear for a while,” but as Reznor writes, “Upon reflection, the NIN/JA tour felt like we had to rush through sets due to a limited allotted set length and many shows were in daylight — it just didn’t feel right to end NIN that way.”

So far, Reznor said Nine Inch Nails will perform at New York’s Bowery Ballroom, Webster Hall and Terminal Five; Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom; and Los Angeles’ Wiltern, the Henry Fonda, Palladium and the Echoplex. “These should be cool, unusual and unique shows and I hope you come out — this is it,” Reznor writes of the final shows, strangely echoing Michael Jackson’s canceled “This Is It!” concerts in London, which were meant to be the King of Pop’s final performances in the U.K. (more…)

Who Is Michael Jackson Memorial Performer Shaheen Jafargholi?

7/7/09, 3:58 pm EST

Photo:Funk/MJ Memorial/Getty

He tackled a tough one, delivering a haunting performance of Smokey Robinson’s “Who’s Lovin’ You,” a song made famous by the Jackson 5, before a world stage of more than one billion viewers during this afternoon’s Michael Jackson memorial service at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. But who was that dapper-looking 12-year-old who thanked Jackson “for blessing me and every single individual on this Earth with his amazing music?”

It was Shaheen Jafargholi, a Welsh-Iranian singer from Swansea, Wales, who caught Jackson’s eye during the season three finals of the U.K. television hit Britain’s Got Talent. (Check out photos from the Jackson memorial here.) The young singer took the stage alongside big names like Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, Usher and Mariah Carey. His performance today was a repeat of one he gave during the TV show, and according to reports, Jackson caught a clip of Jafargholi’s cover on YouTube. Jackson later asked the young performer to join him during his 50-gig stint at London’s O2 Arena, a spate of comeback shows that was slated to launch July 13th. (more…)

Michael Jackson Memorial Unites Smokey Robinson, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder and More

7/7/09, 1:36 pm EST

Photo: Djansezian/Getty

Michael Jackson’s coffin was carried onto center stage at Los Angeles’ Staples Center by the singer’s brothers as the public memorial for the King of Pop started a little after 10 a.m. PST today, following a private ceremony at the Hollywood Hills’ Forest Hills Cemetery. A motorcade of approximately 20 vehicles escorted the family and loved ones to the Staples Center along shutdown highways as fans lined the streets to catch a glimpse of Jackson’s hearse driving by.

(Photos from Michael Jackson’s all-star memorial.)

Smokey Robinson began the memorial by reading statements from friends who could not attend the ceremony, including Diana Ross and Nelson Mandela. After Robinson exited the stage, the arena lights dimmed as the packed arena gave Jackson a moment of silence. (more…)

Minnesota Mom Asks for Reduction of $1.92 Million Downloading Fine

7/7/09, 12:53 pm EST

Lawyers for Jammie Thomas-Rasset, the Minnesota mother of four who was hit with a $1.92 million fine for illegally downloading 24 songs on P2P network Kazaa, is asking a federal judge to either significantly lower the decision to $18,000 or grant a third trial, The Hollywood Reporter writes. “Such a judgment is grossly excessive and, therefore, subject to remittitur as a matter of federal common law,” Jammie Thomas-Rasset’s attorney reportedly told the court.

According to the Inquirer, Thomas-Rasset’s legal team also argued that evidence gathered by MediaSentry, a company that locates copyright-violating IP addresses, was presented at the trial, which Thomas-Rasset’s lawyers claim broke private investigator rules and thus should not have been admitted. The Wall Street Journal reported in January 2009 that the RIAA had parted ways with MediaSentry for undisclosed reasons, yet the company’s evidence in the Thomas-Rasset trial was still utilized. (more…)

Maroon 5 Hit The Studio for New LP, Take On Sinatra for iTunes

7/7/09, 12:16 pm EST

Photo: Dowling/Getty

Today, at this very moment probably, Maroon 5 are in a studio somewhere in Switzerland recording tracks for the follow-up to 2007’s It Won’t Be Soon Before Long with legendary producer Mutt Lange. And while frontman Adam Levine is rather mum about what fans can expect, he did joke about the LP during a recent chat with Rolling Stone: “It’s kind of like a better version of Mozart.”

Levine says the band has been working on new tunes for months, and there’s no indication they’ll be finished with the sessions anytime soon. “We don’t have our return flights booked,” says Levine, before adding that he can’t say much about the record because “it hasn’t necessarily taken shape yet,” and that fans should not expect collaborations with other artists. But it does sound like Maroon 5, he promises. “It’s what it is,” he muses. “It’s us, just newer, better, fitter, happier, stronger. It’s going to be good.”

Before he started working with Maroon 5 on new tunes, Levine and the band hit the studio for iTunes to record a cover of Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight.” The song is part of a project orchestrated by iTunes, and includes a number of other artists tackling their favorite numbers from the Chairman of the Board. (more…)

Los Angeles Mayor Asks For Donations To Fund Michael Jackson Memorial

7/7/09, 11:47 am EST

Photo: Merritt/Getty

Michael Jackson’s family is currently joining a large motorcade — complete with a SWAT team escort — from the Forest Lawn Cemetery to the star’s memorial service at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. There’s no question the star-studded Jackson memorial service is a costly endeavor for the cash-strapped city of Los Angeles. Dozens of L.A.’s busiest roadways are closed off, massive screens have been erected to provide fans with a view of the ceremony outside the Staples Center and hundreds of additional police officers have been deployed for the event. As a result, mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has asked fans to give tax-deductible donations to the city of Los Angeles to help cover the roughly $3.8 million necessary to make the memorial service and all the security involved a reality, My Fox L.A. reports.

(The Michael Jackson memorial: photos from the scene.)

The donations would help “the public safety resources needed to ensure his memorial remains safe, orderly and respectful,” the Mayor’s Office said. Fans are asked to give money to a Paypal account established to help raise funds (The link, posted on Villaraigosa’s Twitter, is currently down.) AEG Live, the concert promotion company behind Jackson’s This Is It! shows at London’s O2 Arena — who are helping plan the memorial service — have also been asked to pick up some of the bill. AEG Live also owns the Staples Center, which served as host to Jackson’s This Is It! rehearsals. (more…)

Million-Dollar Michael Jackson Domain Names for Sale On eBay

7/7/09, 11:18 am EST

Photo: Hogan/Getty
Michael Jackson fans searching online for memorabilia in the wake of the pop icon’s death have no doubt turned to eBay, where hundreds of thousands of Jackson-related items are up for auction. Buttons, posters, autographs, LPs, ticket stubs, magazines, tapestries, and more are up for grabs, but the highest-priced King of Pop items on eBay aren’t keepsakes — they’re domain names, sold in bundles of 12, 20, 50, and even 72, or, if you’re like “nini4me2003″ and you’re hawking a name as strong as OfficialMichaelJacksonMemorial.com, as single sites.

A seller with the handle “corvette2006,” who has a perfect feedback rating and was called by one customer a “first-rate eBayer,” is trying to unload KingofPopsDeath.com, along with MichaelJacksonDied.com, MichaelJacksonArtist.com, RestInPeaceKingofPop.com, and a host of morbidly-titled domains. Meanwhile, “bobinrobinbur” is selling seven domains, including MoonwalkingMichael’s .com, .info, .net, .org, and .us. The seller bought the domain, initially, “as a tribute to him because he is now really walking on the moon.” For $21 million, “you can now own a piece of history in his honor.” (more…)

Limp Bizkit Reschedule Las Vegas Concert as July 18th Free Show

7/7/09, 11:03 am EST

Photo: Schamberger/AFP/Getty

Limp Bizkit have rescheduled their first U.S. concert in eight years as a reunited band, booking a free show on July 18th at Las Vegas’ Pearl Concert Theatre, Blabbermouth reports. As Rock Daily previously noted, the reunited rap-rockers were originally supposed to play on June 10th at Vegas’ Mandalay Bay resort as part of the mixed martial arts competition UFC 100 festivities, but a disagreement over venue and a fight of DVD rights led to UFC canceling the gig. Tickets for the July 18th performance will be given out on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Limp Bizkit recently wrapped up the European portion of their Unicorns & Rainbows reunion tour with a concert in Paris this weekend. The free Vegas show will likely be Fred Durst and company’s lone U.S. show until after the band complete work on their new album, which will feature guitarist Wes Borland back in the fold and the first time the original lineup has recorded a full album together since 2000’s Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water.

“The style is not going to disappoint any true, hardcore Limp Bizkit fans,” Durst recently told Rolling Stone regarding the new album’s sound. (more…)

News Ticker: David Bowie, Arctic Monkeys, En Vogue, DioGuardi

7/7/09, 10:10 am EST

Photo: Hogan/Getty

  • On July 20th David Bowie fans will get the chance to remix “Space Oddity” thanks to the Space Oddity Digital EP, a collection that includes four version of the 1969 track and eight stem tracks (acoustic guitar, vocal, bass and drums, etc.), the rocker’s official site reports.

  • The Arctic Monkeys’ first single from third LP Humbug, “Crying Lightning,” is available on iTunes right now. The band will hit the States to debut new tunes in August.
  • En Vogue’s three original members — Cindy Herron-Bragg, Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson and Maxine Jones — reunited at Sunday’s Essence Awards in New Orleans. The Hollywood Reporter says the group is planning a new LP and possibly a reality-TV show.
  • American Idol judge and songwriter Kara DioGuardi married boyfriend Mike McCuddy in Maine over the weekend, Us Weekly reports.

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