Year End: 2006 music news in review

December 29, 2006 01:11 PM


Reunions--and splits--seemed to be the theme of 2006, perhaps no better personified than by rapper Eminem </B>(music)'s second marriage to his longtime muse Kim Mathers, followed quickly by a second divoce filing.
Core members of Blink-182 moved on to form new groups, while the Smashing Pumpkins </B>(music), The Who </B>(music) and Guns N' Roses </B>(music) moved ahead with their old names, but half (or fewer) of their original parts.

Major acts looked for new ways to earn income from their recordings, and two--Garth Brooks and The Eagles--signed exclusive marketing deals with Wal-Mart.

Here's a month-by-month look at 2006's major music news stories.

January
The Sisters of Mercy announced plans to make their first North American concert appearances since 1999. ... Korn inked a precedent-setting agreement with concert promoter Live Nation--tying into the group's earlier deal with EMI--resulting in a set-up that gives each party a piece of the publishing, touring, merchandising, sponsorship and other activities surrounding the Korn "brand."... Billy Joel launched his first major solo tour in seven years. ... Gomez, Spearhead, Les Claypool, Keller Williams and thousands of jam-band fans embarked on the latest Jam Cruise. ... Eminem and Kim Mathers remarried during a small ceremony in a Detroit suburb. ... Axl Rose told Rolling Stone magazine that Guns N' Roses would release its long-awaited "Chinese Democracy" album before the end of the year. ... B.B. King announced that 2006 would mark the final international tour of his career. ... Husband-and-wife team Tim McGraw and Faith Hill announced plans for their first co-headlining trek since 2000. ... Actress Heather Locklear filed for divorce from Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora.

February
Reports surfaced indicating that frontman/guitarist Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin were reviving Smashing Pumpkins. ... One of Busta Rhymes' bodyguards was shot and killed outside a Brooklyn warehouse as Rhymes and various guest stars were filming a music video inside. ... Cat Power canceled her entire US tour for undisclosed health reasons. ... Garth Brooks released "The Lost Sessions," his second release under an exclusive arrangement with Wal-Mart. ... Former Creed frontman Scott Stapp and Miss New York USA 2004 Jaclyn Nesheiwa got married. ... Aretha Franklin and Aaron Neville, accompanied by pianist Dr. John, teamed to perform the national anthem at the Super Bowl in Detroit. ... Parts of two of the three songs The Rolling Stones performed during the Super Bowl halftime show were censored. ... Destiny's Child sang the national anthem during the NBA All-Star Game in what was billed as the trio's final live performance together. ... U2 dominated the Grammy Awards, taking home five trophies. ... Kinks frontman Ray Davies released his first proper solo album, and announced plans to tour in March. ... Metallica tapped Rick Rubin to produce the group's forthcoming album. ... Celine Dion and Elton John--along with special guest host Jerry Seinfeld--helped to raise $2.1 million for Hurricane Katrina victims during a performance in Las Vegas. ... Guns N' Roses confirmed appearances at several European festivals as cuts from the long-promised "Chinese Democracy" album began to surface on the Internet. ... The Sex Pistols, via a typically vulgar statement on their website, said they would not be on hand for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... Sheryl Crow underwent surgery for breast cancer.

March
Steely Dan's Donald Fagen embarked on his first-ever solo tour. ... U2 postponed the remaining dates of its "Vertigo" tour due to an illness in an unspecified band member's family. ... Original Cars members Elliot Easton and Greg Hawkes re-emerged with vocalist Todd Rundgren to announce a round of spring dates as The New Cars. ... Aerosmith canceled several dates on its North American tour so that frontman Steven Tyler could undergo surgery for an undisclosed vocal ailment. ... George Jones, suffering from pneumonia, was hospitalized in Nashville.

April
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival made its post-Katrina return with a powerhouse bill that included Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Jimmy Buffett and the Dave Matthews Band; local legend Fats Domino couldn't perform due to illness. ... Bruce Springsteen issued "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions," an album featuring Springsteen's interpretations of 13 songs associated with Pete Seeger. ... After a 15-year hiatus from the music business, '80s icon Thomas Dolby embarked on a US tour. ... Less than three months after he remarried Kim Mathers, Eminem filed for divorce. ... Former Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth's stint as the morning-man successor to Howard Stern ended when CBS Radio cut Roth loose after just four months. ... Madonna, Kanye West, My Morning Jacket, Depeche Mode and Tool were among 100-plus acts to appear at Southern California's Coachella fest. The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards suffered a head injury after reportedly falling while picking coconuts during a vacation in Fiji, resulting in tour postponements.

May
George Jones returned to the road after his latest health scare. ... "Surprise," Paul Simon's first studio album since 2000, hit stores. ... Paul McCartney and Heather Mills announced they were separating after four years of marriage. ... The Dixie Chicks released their first album in four years, "Taking the Long Way." ... Madonna launched a would tour behind 2005's "Confessions on a Dance Floor." ... During a lengthy appearance on Eddie Trunk's syndicated radio show, Axl Rose said the new Guns N' Roses album, "Chinese Democracy," would hit stores in the fall. ... Britney Spears--just eight months after giving birth to her first child--announced she was pregnant with her second. ... Pearl Jam unveiled its first video in eight years, a clip for "Life Wasted." ... Brad Paisley racked up three trophies at the ACM Awards, but Kenny Chesney won Entertainer of the Year. ... Taylor Hicks was crowned the new "American Idol." ... Luciano Pavarotti, who was scheduled to perform June farewell concerts in North America, postponed the shows, citing a painful lower back condition.

June
Sheryl Crow returned to touring, just a few months after undergoing surgery for breast cancer. ... Ani DiFranco returned to the road after a year's hiatus spent recovering from tendonitis. ... The New Cars' inaugural tour was derailed after guitarist Elliot Easton suffered a fractured left clavicle when he was thrown from a bunk as the band's tour bus swerved to evade another vehicle. ... Despite strong album sales, the Dixie Chicks revamped their tour itinerary because of slow ticket sales in many markets. ... Isaac Hayes canceled his planned summer tour due to a heart condition. ... The BBC announced plans to cancel its charts-driven music show "Top of the Pops," a staple on the network for 42 years. ... Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose was arrested in Stockholm, Sweden, for allegedly scuffling with a security guard and busting up a hotel lobby.

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July
Cirque du Soleil opened its "The Beatles' Love" production at the Mirage in Las Vegas. ... Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young reconvened for their first tour since 2002, which featured many selections from Neil Young's politically charged "Living with War" album. ... Steely Dan embarked on its first tour since 2003. ... Tom Petty, who spent much of 2006 on the road with The Heartbreakers, released Highway Companion, his first new album since 1994's "Wildflowers." ... Live Nation, the nation's largest concert promoter, agreed to acquire House of Blues Entertainment Inc., the firm that operates 10 House of Blues venues, as well as eight amphitheaters. ... Luciano Pavarotti underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer, and canceled all of the remaining concerts on his 2006 schedule. Prince shuttered his Internet-based NPG Music Club, which gave its members early access to new Prince music, as well the ability to hear otherwise unreleased music. ... Avril Lavigne and fellow Canuck musician Deryck Whibley, of Sum 41, got married. ... After years of holding out, Metallica made its entire arsenal of music available in digital form via Apple's iTunes Music Store. ... Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson celebrated their marriage with a few wedding ceremonies.

August
The James Gang headed out on the road for the first time since 1971. ... Bob Dylan issued "Modern Times," his 44th album and first new set in five years. ... Ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr became a member of Modest Mouse. ... Paris Hilton released her debut album, "Paris." ... North American Guns N' Roses tour dates began to surface. ... Aerosmith's camp revealed that bassist Tom Hamilton was recovering from a seven-week course of radiation treatment for throat cancer. ... Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, whose longtime band Blink-182 split in late 2004, announced they'd reunited to anchor a new group dubbed (+44). ... Holdouts Linkin Park issued their catalog via the iTunes Music Store. ... Rapper DMX was a no-show for a planned weeklong tour to entertain troops in Kuwait and Iraq. ... Keane canceled a planned North American tour so that singer Tom Chaplin could undergo treatment for drug and alcohol addiction.

September
Guitarist Marc Ford exited The Black Crowes on the eve of the group's fall tour, just days after longtime member Eddie Hawrsch departed the band. ... Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters began performing the classic Pink Floyd album "Dark Side of the Moon" in its entirely during his tour of North America. Bob Seger released "Face the Promise," his first studio album in more than a decade. ... Guns N' Roses postponed shows in several Western cities. ... Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler revealed that he was diagnosed three years ago with hepatitis C.

October
Rapper Cassidy suffered serious injuries in a traffic accident. ... Barbra Streisand opened her first national tour since 1994, marking the singer's first shows since her much-hyped "final performance" in 2000. ... The Who released "Endless Wire," the group's first new studio set since 1982's "It's Hard." ... (+44) scrapped a planned tour after drummer Travis Barker broke his arm. ... Lead singer Justin Hawkins exited The Darkness. ... Keith Urban checked into a rehab center. ... Rock Star Supernova bassist Jason Newsted was injured while trying to catch a bass head that fell from atop his amplifier, which could keep him out of the group for up to nine months. ... The Eagles and Wal-Mart Stores entered "long-term strategic marketing agreement that will encompass sponsorship, exclusive audio and video releases, and product visibility," according to a statement issued by the big-box retailer. ... Meat Loaf said his 2007 tour would be his last. ... Founding member Andy Taylor left Duran Duran. ... Snoop Dogg was arrested on drug- and weapon-possession charges at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, CA. ... Michael Jackson told Access Hollywood that he had begun recording a new album.

November
Trick Pony vocalist Heidi Newfield said she would leave the group at the end of 2006 to go solo. ... Phil Lesh revealed he has prostate cancer. ... Britney Spears filed for a divorce from Kevin Federline, her husband of just over two years. ... Eddie Van Halen's son, Wolfgang, was named Van Halen's new bassist, pushing out Michael Anthony. Guns N' Roses canceled a gig in Portland, ME, reportedly after being told the band could not drink on stage. ... Mick Jagger's father died at age 93, but The Rolling Stones didn't miss any tour dates. ... Four months after Tony Bennett celebrated his 80th birthday, Hollywood threw a concert in his honor that featured appearances by Kelly Clarkson, Marc Anthony and Stevie Wonder, among others. ... Jay-Z completed a whirlwind tour that saw him give seven concerts in seven different cities in less than 24 hours. .... The String Cheese Incident announced it would disband following its summer 2007 tour. ... Genesis' most commercially successful lineup of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks announced they'd hit the road for the first time in 15 years in 2007. ... Rapper The Game was arrested in New York City after he allegedly told a cab driver that he was an undercover officer, and convinced the driver to run several red lights. Universal Music Group filed a lawsuit against MySpace, claiming that the social-networking behemoth has enabled users to illegally share and distribute copyrighted music by UMG artists. ... The organizers of Southern California's Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival announced that a major, two-day, country-music festival would take place the weekend following the flagship fest. ... The Black Eyed Peas won three trophies at the American Music Awards, leading the pack. ... Billboard reported that The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang world tour had grossed $438 million worldwide since its fall 2005 launch, making it the top-grossing tour of all time. ... Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson divorced after less than four months of marriage. Snoop Dogg was arrested on four separate drug- and weapons-related charges following an appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." Jay-Z returned from his brief retirement to issue a new album dubbed Kingdom Come, which debuted at No. 1. ... Greg Page, lead singer of children's group The Wiggles announced he was leaving the act due to a chronic health condition.

December
Gwen Stefani issued a new album dubbed "The Sweet Escape," and announced plans for a 2007 tour. ... Mary J. Blige took home nine Billboard Music Awards. ... "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks released his debut album. ... A judge terminated Courtney Love's probation and dismissed three misdemeanor charges against the singer, ruling that Love had successfully battled her substance-abuse problems. ... Guns N' Roses leader Axl Rose announced that he'd fired his manager, and that his long-awaited "Chinese Democracy" album was now tentatively set for release on March 3, 2007. ... Journey named Jeff Scott Soto its new singer, taking over for Steve Perry replacement Steve Augeri.

2006 Deaths Notable deaths in the music world during 2006 included Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd), Buddy Blue (Beat Farmers), James Brown, Boz Burrell (Bad Company), Billy Cowsill (The Cowsills), Mike Douglas, Ahmet Ertegun (Atlantic Records founder), Freddy Fender, Bryan Harvey (House of Freaks), Bruce Gary (The Knack), Arthur Lee (Love), Gerald Levert, John Locke (Spirit), Grant McLennan (The Go-Betweens), Buck Owens, Gene Pitney, Wilson Pickett, June Pointer (Pointer Sisters), Billy Preston, Proof (D12), Lou Rawls, Nikki Sudden (Swell Maps), Vince Welnick (Grateful Dead, Tubes) and Sandy West (The Runaways).

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