MTV News Round-Up 04/06/2004

*** Jet have pulled out of the Glastonbury Festival due to a serious family illness. The Aussie band was due to play the Other Stage on Friday, June 25 but are returning to Australia. Reports suggest that Badly Drawn Boy may replace Jet on the Glastonbury bill. Oasis, Paul McCartney and Muse are headlining the event on June 25-27.

*** This year's Lovebox/Latin Splash Clapham Weekender will be rounded off with a new music festival for London " The Common Ground. The gathering will take place on Clapham Common on July 4, featuring Moloko, Soul II Soul, Ninja Tune, The Big Chill Soundsystem and Norman Cooks Southern Fried Records. Tickets are on sale now.

*** Blink 182 have announced a UK tour, presented by MTV. The trio will call at Birmingham NEC on November 30, Glasgow SECC -December 1, Newcastle Arena (2), Manchester MEN (3), London Wembley Arena (5), Cardiff Arena (7) and Nottingham Arena (8). The band is currently on a US tour, which kicked off this week.

*** The Libertines' manager Alan McGee has insisted that despite co-frontman Pete Doherty's recent comments, the band is not splitting. "The band is not splitting up but I agree these are not happy times," said McGee. "Peter is in a hospital and is getting treatment. His mum is constantly with him at present and she has been brilliant."

*** Three years after Aaliyah's death, a judge has ruled that the late star's record label Blackground Entertainment is entitled to sue the video producer who booked the private jet on which she died. It was previously ruled that employers cannot recover damages when an employee is injured in an incident in which a third party is negligent, but the judge ruled that Aaliyah was the prime asset of the company, not an employee.

*** Sum 41 were forced to evacuate the Democratic Republic of Congo when gunfire and explosions outside their hotel jeopardised their safety. The band was visiting the war-torn nation to film a documentary on the impact of the Congo's civil war that has killed more than 3.5 million people since 1998. Fighting erupted near Sum 41's hotel between government soldiers and troops aligned with a renegade commander.

*** Eminem has bought his younger brother Nate a 10,000 recording studio for his 18th birthday. "He's an inspiration to me," said Nate of his rap star brother. "We've always been very close and when I need help, he helps. He got me the equipment I needed to create a studio in my room because he knows I want to do music too."

DL