Uncle Kracker Arrested in North Carolina

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AP Photo/County City Bureau of Investigation

Uncle Kracker, a former disc jockey for Kid Rock, was arrested early Friday on a second-degree sex offense charge, authorities said.

Raleigh police spokesman Jim Sughrue said a 26-year-old woman alleged that a man had committed a sexual act against her at the Ess Lounge, a downtown nightclub.

Kracker, 33, was arrested at a hotel in suburban Cary. He was being held at the Wake County Jail on a $5 million bond, Sughrue said.

Sughrue said police had obtained a warrant charging Kracker with second-degree forcible sex offense.

Kracker, whose real name is Matthew Shafer, was to appear in court Friday afternoon, said Wake County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Phyllis Stevens.

A message left with his listed agency in Nashville, Tenn., wasn't immediately returned, and a phone number for his listed management company in Harrison Township, Mich., was disconnected.

Kracker's hits include "When the Sun Goes Down," a duet with Kenny Chesney. The 33-year-old rock-country musician has also won acclaim for "Follow Me" and a cover version of Dobie Gray's "Drift Away."

Published on: August 17 2007 at 02:48 PM

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Pussycat Doll Splits With Boyfriend

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Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger has ditched her younger lover, Talan Torriero, because she doesn't have time for romance.

The sexy singer, 29, and "Laguna Beach" star Torriero, 20, have been an item since the reality TV star split from former fiancee Kimberly Stewart last year.

But Scherzinger has ended the romance because she's too focused on her pop career -- as she prepares for the release of her first solo album, Her Name Is Nicole in October.

She confirms the split in German magazine Yam, stating, "We're not together anymore. I'm totally focused on my career at the moment and I have to make sacrifices. I had to realize there's no time for love at the moment."

Published on: August 17 2007 at 02:47 PM

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Allen Cancels U.S. Tours

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Lily Allen's battle to renew her U.S. visa has forced her to cancel a series of concerts next month.

The singer was allowed to enter the country earlier this month, but officials refused to renew her visa, reportedly because of her assault on a photographer earlier this year.

Now back in London she has been forced to cancel a string of gigs on the West Coast next month because "the (visa) reinstatement process has proven lengthier than anticipated," according to a statement from concert presenter Live Nation.

Allen says, "I am so disappointed that I won't be able to come to the States at this time. I was really looking forward to playing these shows and being part of the Video Music Awards. I want my fans to know that I'll be back as soon as I possibly can!"

Published on: August 17 2007 at 02:43 PM

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Ryan Adams' Cold Turkey Hell

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Rocker Ryan Adams will never return to drugs after battling cold turkey agony to get clean.

The singer opens up about his road to sobriety in a magazine interview, revealing the physical toll it took on his body.

He tells Rolling Stone, "Think about falling off a bicycle and smashing your nuts on that bar, or the most horrible sports accident you can think of."

But Adams is adamant the process was preferable to continuing his former lifestyle: "That doesn't cover what it would be like for me to imagine drinking or doing drugs again.

"I'd wake up, work, go for a drink or two and be exhausted. I would have drugs to keep my physical being going in order to never have to stop working in the night."

Published on: August 16 2007 at 03:06 PM

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Winehouse Cancels August Engagements

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British singer Amy WInehouse has cancelled all her live performances for the rest of August, to allow her time to recover after collapsing last week.

The "Rehab" star has decided to call off her European tour dates to focus on her "health issues."

Winehouse collapsed following three days of hard partying last week and was admitted to a London hospital.

Her spokeswoman Tracey Miller tells website People.com, "Amy Winehouse is putting all her touring commitments for this month on hold until further notice in order to address her health issues...

"Her family has requested that the media respect Amy's privacy at this time. There will be no further comment."

Miller has also denied reports Winehouse and her husband Blake Fielder-Civil recently checked into a rehab clinic.

On Wednesday, Fielder-Civil's mother Georgette Civil told British newspaper the Daily Mirror the singer had admitted that both she and her spouse were using heroin and cocaine.

Published on: August 16 2007 at 02:54 PM

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Chicken Pox Puts Some Wilco Shows on Hold

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Wilco have been forced to postpone two concerts because guitarist Nels Cline is suffering from chicken pox.

The 51-year-old's illness means Wilco cannot play gigs in Duluth, Minn., and Winnipeg, Canada, on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

A statement on the band's Web site reads: "We're sorry to report that our good friend and Wilco guitarist extraordinaire Nels Cline has recently contracted a rather nasty case of the chicken pox.

"He is slowly on the mend but is not quite there yet. ... We apologize for the inconvenience, but we're really glad Nels seems to be over the hump and hope to see you out there soon."

Published on: August 14 2007 at 02:16 PM

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Van Halen Announce New Tour, Album

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Van Halen will tour North America with singer David Lee Roth for the first time since 1985, it was confirmed at a Los Angeles press conference on Monday.

Roth has reunited with original band members Eddie Van Halen and Alex Van Halen for the trek, which begins in Charlotte, N.C., on September 27. The line-up is completed by Eddie's 16-year-old son, Wolfgang, on bass.

Roth said, "This is the press conference you never thought you'd see -- especially while we were still young, skinny and good-looking.

"It's a new band with a new sound and new energy from Wolfgang, but we'll play songs you know as well as the roof of your mouth."

And the revamped Van Halen are already planning a new album.

Roth added, "We're already plotting and planning. The idea is that it will continue on and on."

Published on: August 14 2007 at 02:15 PM

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AT&T; Apologize for Pearl Jam Censorship

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Communications giant AT&T; has apologized to Pearl Jam and their fans after the group's performance at Illinois festival Lollapalooza was censored on Sunday.

The rockers were singing a cover of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall" and changed a few lines to criticize the U.S. President, saying, "George Bush, leave this world alone," and "George Bush find yourself another home."

However, for fans watching the live webcast of the Chicago concert, the band were muted during those lyrics.

Pearl Jam wrote on their Web site earlier this week; "If a company that is controlling a webcast is cutting out bits of our performance -- not based on laws, but on their own preferences and interpretations - fans have little choice but to watch the censored version."

Michael Coe, spokesman for AT&T;, has admitted the censor made a mistake in silencing the anti-Bush lyrics and was making sure the webcast production company did not repeat the error in future. He added AT&T; were planning to release an uncensored version of the song on their Web site.

Published on: August 10 2007 at 02:11 PM

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50 Cent Promises to Outsell Kanye Or Retire

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Hip-hop star 50 Cent has vowed to outsell his rival Kanye West when their albums hit stores on the same day -- or quit his rap career.

Both 50 Cent and West are releasing their new albums, Curtis and Graduation respectively, on September 11.

50 Cent, real name Curtis Jackson, challenged West to a live TV debate to determine who has the better album, but the "Gold Digger" hitmaker turned him down.

Jackson tells the New York Daily News, "Let's raise the stakes. If Kanye West sells more records than 50 Cent on September 11, I'll no longer (perform) music. I'll write music and work with my other artists, but I won't put out any more solo albums.

"They would like to see Kanye West give me a problem because I've worked myself into a space where I've become the favorite. Everybody roots (for) the underdog when he goes against the favorite.

"And I bet this: When Kanye West's sales come in, he's gonna have a 70 percent decrease cause Def Jam is gonna buy records (the first week) to keep him closer to 50 Cent. So watch the first week and then watch the second week. Watch his ass drop off the planet."

Jackson's last album The Massacre sold 4.85 million copies in the U.S., while West's most recent disc, Late Registration, sold 2.8 million.

Jackson admits he doesn't mind if West beats him when it comes to industry accolades, because he's making more money: "I didn't get one trophy for The Massacre. I don't get trophies, I get checks. He gets the trophies. And I'll be sitting here like, 'It's cool 'cause I get the check.'"

Published on: August 10 2007 at 02:03 PM

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Winehouse Rushed to Hospital

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AP Photo/Brian Kersey

British pop star Amy Winehouse has sparked fears for her health after she was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday.

The hitmaker -- who was nominated for three MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday -- was taken to the University College Hospital in London, suffering from "severe exhaustion."

Shane O'Neill, a spokesperson for the star's record label Island/Universal, says, "Amy was admitted to the UCLH this morning, suffering from severe exhaustion.

"She was discharged this afternoon and has been advised to take complete rest. All scheduled performances are now postponed."

Winehouse initially sparked concerns for her health after she canceled a string of concerts last month, citing "exhaustion" and was ordered by doctors to rest.

During a concert in Cornwall, England, in July, the 23-year-old stunned fans by hitting herself repeatedly on the head with a microphone and walking offstage midway through her final song.

Winehouse was also recently chastised by her father for her hectic party lifestyle.

She says, "Yes, I've been bad. And yes, I still get the odd (telling off) from my dad.

"In fact, he sat me down the other day and gave me a talking to about missing gigs. I got into trouble, but I'm not gonna do that any more."

Published on: August 08 2007 at 02:40 PM

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