MTV News Round-Up 26/03/2004
*** Madonna has added announced a second UK tour date, after the first sold out in minutes. The Queen of Pop will now play London's Earl's Court on August 19 as well as the previously announced August 18 date. Tickets are priced at at 150, 90, 75, and 50, plus booking fee. Tickets for the sold-out August 18 date have received bids of several hundreds on auction websites.
*** In other Madonna news, Maverick Records - Madonna's record label " has sued its parent company Warner Music for in excess of 110 million for breach of contract. The superstar claims that her company has lost millions due to Warner Music's mismanagement and improper accounting. Madonna's claims are "baseless, unsubstantiated and without merit," said Warner Music in a statement.
*** Jeff Mills, Carl Craig and Josh Wink have been added to the line-up for this year's T In The Park festival. All three will play in the Slam Tent at the Kinross located event, along with fellow new additions Funk D Void and Slam. As previously announced, this year's T In The Park headliners include Kings Of Leon and PJ Harvey.
*** MTV's Brand Spanking New Music Week is back for its second year, featuring live gigs and new music across MTV, MTV2 and MTV Base from April 19. Two gigs - one featuring new urban acts and one boasting up-and-coming bands - will take placed in London, hosted by Trevor Nelson and Zane Lowe. There will be 15 performances in all.
*** Eminem's ex-wife Kim Mathers has been ordered back to jail after dropping out of a drug treatment programme. Kim was originally sentenced to two years probation after pleading guilty to charges of cocaine possession. She was was released from jail on March 1 to attend the programme, but subsequently dropped out and was sent back to Macomb County Jail.
*** The Charlatans are to play two gigs in London to showcase their forthcoming album 'Up At The Lake'. The band will perform at the Islington Carling Academy on May 3-4. A statement on The Charlatan's official website reads: "The band will be playing a unique set, which will be made up extensively if not exclusively of tracks from the new album."
*** Beyonce is to star alongside Steve Martin in the next installment of the 'Pink Panther' movies. She will play a singer named Xania in the upcoming prequel whose boyfriend owns the infamous Pink Panther diamond. When he is found dead and the diamond goes missing, she becomes a suspect. Filming will begin in May after Beyonce completes her US tour with Missy Elliot and Alicia Keys.
DL