Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath
Photo: Denise Truscello/ WireImage

Sugar Ray haven't gone away — they just hadn't released an album in six years. But all that changed on Tuesday (July 21), when the band released Music for Cougars and braced for a new round of tour dates that begins in North Dakota on Friday.

Before this interview even began, lead singer Mark McGrath had a question of his own. "Do you think the title of the new album, Music for Cougars, is negative?" When the response was in the negative, McGrath said, "I see a cougar as strong and empowered, knowing what they want and going after it!"

Despite that strong statement — and despite the band's string of multiplatinum albums on the strength of hits like "Fall Apart" and "Fly" — McGrath is nothing if not realistic about his band's prospects these days.

"Look, we're probably not going to be in the top 10," he said. "No one's sitting on the edge of their seat waiting for another Sugar Ray record. That wasn't the point of making the record. No one's getting rich off this. I've heard comments like, 'Sugar Ray's getting back together, it must be about the money.' Well, there's no money — there's no million-dollar tour happening here."

Indeed, Sugar Ray have paid their dues. "We started this band 21 years ago, writing songs and playing live because we enjoy doing that," McGrath said. "Nothing's changed. It was in our hearts, and it's the same 21 years later. It's just about being in a band again day to day. We still have a dream and a passion."

In addition to touring over the six years since the release of their last LP, In the Pursuit of Leisure, the bandmembers have kept themselves busy in other ways. Craig "DJ Homicide" Bullock relocated to Florida and worked as a club DJ; drummer Stan Frazier worked as a songwriter and label executive; bassist Murphy Karges became a video director; guitarist Rodney Sheppard taught music to neighborhood kids. And, of course, McGrath became a TV host on "Extra."

"It's easy to pick on us, and people can say I'm kind of a douche and I was on 'Extra,' I get it," McGrath sighed. "Believe me, I get it more than anybody gets it!"

Two decades is a long time for anyone to work together, and Sugar Ray are not without their spats. "I've been in knock-down, drag-out fights with everybody in the band before. You know, 'I hate you! We're going to break up!' And that's OK. You just have to be able to get over those things and not hold grudges. The sum is so much greater than the parts of this band. No one writes songs by themselves. The only thing that holds the test of time are the songs."

And being in this band and playing those songs is exactly where he wants to be right now. "The joy of being in a band every day and wearing bandmember clothes is so exciting to me," he said, "and being back onstage and seeing the audience again."

• Sugar Ray

Lindsay Lohan on the cover of <i>New York</i> magazine
Photo: Bert Stern

Lindsay Lohan has done some racy photo shoots in the past, but she takes it to a whole new level in New York magazine to pay tribute to her idol. The recently rehabbed actress re-created Marilyn Monroe's famous "Last Sitting" nude pictorial for the mag's spring fashion issue with the shoot's original photographer, Bert Stein. So was she nervous about getting in front of the camera wearing nothing but a chiffon scarf? "I was comfortable with it," she told New York, though she admitted to doing "250 crunches" the previous night. On set for Lohan's revealing re-creation was a small entourage of her manager; her security guard; a makeup artist and assistant; a hairstylist and assistant; a stylist; a manicurist; a sentry posted to guard the on-loan diamonds; the photographer and his manager; two photo assistants; and the actress' younger sister, Ali. (By comparison, Stern's original shoot with Monroe was just him and his subject). "Here's a woman who is giving herself to the public," Lohan said of the original photos. "She's saying, 'Look, you've taken a lot from me, so why don't I give it to you myself.' She's taking control back." ...

After taking home five Grammys at least week's awards, Amy Winehouse will appear at the Brit Awards in London Wednesday night, her publicist confirmed. The performance will be Winehouse's first appearance on a British television program since she left a London rehab clinic two weeks ago. ...

Indie powerhouse TVT Records, home to rap stars Lil Jon and the Ying Yang Twins, will file for bankruptcy protection, label head Steve Gottleib announced Tuesday. According to Billboard, the New York company will continue to operate, but a number of staff members have been let go, and several acts, though not confirmed as of press time, will become free agents. The Gottleib-founded TVT rose to prominence in the '80s after releasing rock albums by Nine Inch Nails and made larger strides beginning in the '90s with its roster of hip-hop acts. Recent legal battles with Def Jam Records and Slip-N-Slide over projects by Ja Rule and Pitbull before each gained notoriety zapped TVT of millions of dollars. ... "Dancing With the Stars" typically appeals to an older demographic, but Mario hopes to bring his young fans to the competition. The R&B crooner will join "American Pie" star Shannon Elizabeth, Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, Olympic gold medalist Kristy Yamaguchi and more on the reality show's new season, which kicks off March 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. ...

The producers of "American Idol" have teamed up with Apple's iTunes Store, giving "Idol" fans the chance to purchase music by their favorite contestants before the show's winner is crowned. Starting this week, iTunes will offer downloads of every performance from the top 24 semifinalists, for 99 cents; full videos of the final 12 contestants will be offered for $1.99 beginning March 12. iTunes will also allow customers to pre-order tracks from a given contestant for automatic download the day after "Idol" airs. One-click access to the store is being made available from the show's official Web site. ... "American Idol" victor Jordin Sparks will be the opening act on Alicia Keys' upcoming North American tour, which kicks off April 19 in Hampton, Virginia. The tour concludes June 18 with a performance at New York's Madison Square Garden. ...

They haven't even been born yet, but Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's twins might already be earning some cash. People magazine reportedly shelled out up to $6 million for the first crack at photos of the babies, while OK! struck an exclusive deal for international rights to the pictures, according to AdAge magazine. However, People and the stars' reps denied that these deals are final. ... Heidi Klum to the rescue! According to an AP report, the model and "Project Runway" host wants to help Britney Spears and said she'd be willing to open her home to the troubled pop star while she tries to put her life back together. "She can call me and come live in our house with us for a couple of months," Klum said. "I would help set her straight. I am sorry when a young person gets thrown so off-track. She has, of course, lived an extremely wild life." No word on whether Spears will take her up on the offer. ...

According to The Associated Press, the Spice Girls' tour-bus driver assisted police in the arrest of a Michigan man, who is the chief suspect in a carjacking. Police told the wire service that the bus driver called 911 to report a possible drunk driver weaving in and out of traffic on Interstate 75, just outside of Detroit, on Saturday. (The Spice Girls were performing that night in nearby Auburn Hills.) The motorist was arrested and turned over to police in the town of Burton in connection with a carjacking at a gas station. Police did not identify the Spice Girls' bus driver or the man who was arrested. ...

Pink's marriage might be ending, but her movie career is still moving forward. She shot "Catacombs" several years ago, and now the horror film will finally see the light of day — or, at least, the DVD shelf — when it is released in video stores Tuesday (February 19). "It takes place in Paris," Pink told MTV News when she first shot the movie. "I'm an expatriate who moved to Paris to study at the Sorbonne, but I dropped out, because I like to party, and my friends run all these underground parties in the Paris tunnels, where they have all these ancient remains of people. And people actually do party underground there. It's all true. It's pretty amazing and intricate, actually." Pink's character then invites her younger sister (played by Shannyn Sossamon) to come and visit, and because her sib is "very high-anxiety, an annoying nervous wreck," Pink decides to invite her to the catacomb parties to "mess with her a little bit. It's all about family ties and how evil we can be to our siblings and what we get for doing that," Pink said. Despite the film's locale, she only shot in the City of Lights for four days, and the rest of "Catacombs" was actually shot in Bucharest, Romania. "It's cheaper," she shrugged. ...

My Chemical Romance have revealed details of their upcoming tour. The trek will feature openers Billy Talent and Drive By, and get under way March 28 in Tempe, Arizona. Dates are scheduled through May 6 in Philadelphia. ... Green Jellÿ, that long-forgotten mock-metal outfit behind the infectious "Three Little Pigs," have reformed and are in the process of booking a national tour for this summer. The band will also re-release 1991's Cereal Killer and 1994's 333 LPs, along with a DVD of all their videos. For now, Green Jellÿ are scheduled to play the new Milwaukee Metalfest on June 7 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ...

Camp Freddy, the cover band featuring Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, ex-Cult bassist Billy Morrison and Velvet Revolver's Matt Sorum and Scott Weiland, will be taking over Los Angeles' Roxy Theatre "every Thursday night during the month of May for our very first residency," the band reports. "Each week we will perform a different set list, and the evening's performance will culminate with two or three songs featuring our very special guests of the night. We will not be advertising these guests in advance. The band will be joined each week by our good friend and longtime Camp Freddy cohort [Sugar Ray's] Mark McGrath." ...

On Saturday, Bury Your Dead guitarist Eric Ellis was attacked by six individuals following the band's performance at the Rave in Milwaukee. Ellis was held at gunpoint while the men hit him multiple times with a baseball bat and hammer. Local police have characterized the incident as a "gang initiation." Despite his injuries, Ellis and the rest of the band will continue on with their tour alongside Hellyeah. "It will take more than this to stop Bury Your Dead," the band said in a statement. ...

Ska-punk act Goldfinger will return April 22 with Hello Destiny, which will be issued by Side One Dummy Records. The album follows 2005's Disconnect Notice and will feature founding guitarist Charlie Paulsen, who parted ways with the band in 1997. ... Portland, Maine, rockers 6Gig will be reuniting for two hometown gigs. The shows are set for April 25 and April 26, at the Big Easy. ... Foxy Shazam will be hitting the road with Portugal. the Man starting March 17 in El Paso, Texas. The trek runs through March 27 in San Francisco. ...

Underoath have tapped Matt Goldman and Killswitch Engage's Adam Dutkiewicz to produce their forthcoming album, which they've written eight songs for so far and will begin recording in about a month. Meanwhile, the band's "Live" CD/DVD set will hit stores May 13.

2.15.08

Alicia Keys took home four trophies from the NAACP Image Awards, held at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium Thursday night. She won the Outstanding Album and Outstanding Female Artist prizes, as well as the top video and song awards. Other honorees included Chris Brown, Jordin Sparks, Denzel Washington and Janet Jackson. Washington and his "Great Debaters" co-star Jurnee Smollett won the Best Actor and Actress prizes for film, while Jackson received the Best Supporting Actress honor for her work in "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" ...

As Britney Spears' father extended control over her affairs in Los Angeles on Thursday, a New York attorney attempted to undo them by taking the conservatorship to federal court. Claiming he represents the singer — despite a judge already deciding she's unable to retain counsel of her own just yet — attorney Jon Eardley filed a claim that the singer's conservatorship deprives her of her civil liberties, since she's been denied the right to meet freely with whom she chooses (as her father has the power to restrict visitors); make and receive phone calls (since a restraining order prevents manager Sam Lutfi from contacting her); drive a car (since her father hired security to do that for her); and gain access to money or credit cards (since her finances are being handled by her trust). "She is being confined ... to the private person of her own home," the suit reads. Eardley is represented by Lutfi's publicist, Michael Sands, who claims that the motion moves jurisdiction from Los Angeles Superior Court to the U.S. District Court, and voids the conservatorship: "Britney Spears has no conservatorship!" he said in a press release. However, the Los Angeles Superior Court responded, "This is an issue that will have to be litigated by the parties." ...

Paramore and Jimmy Eat World have rolled out dates for their much-anticipated co-headlining tour. The 20-date outing will take them from San Antonio on April 1 to Atlantic City, New Jersey, on May 2, with stops in California, Iowa, New York and elsewhere along the way. ...

Eddie Vedder has sketched out the itinerary for his first-ever solo tour, which he will stage in support of his Grammy-nominated "Into the Wild" soundtrack, according to Billboard.com. The Pearl Jam frontman will swing through Vancouver, British Columbia, on April 2, after which he'll play a smattering of shows in various California cities: Santa Cruz (April 5), Berkeley (April 7), Santa Barbara (April 10), Los Angeles (April 12-13) and San Diego (April 15). ... The Raconteurs are wrapping up their yet-untitled sophomore effort in Nashville, according to a recent post on their MySpace page. The post wasn't forthcoming with more details, although it did say, "They promise to release [the LP] as soon as they can." ...

U2 frontman Bono and British artist Damien Hirst raised $42 million for HIV/AIDS programs in Africa at a Sotheby's auction in New York on Thursday, according to The Associated Press. The (Red) Auction, co-organized by the Gagosian Gallery, sold pieces from some of the world's top contemporary artists. Sotheby's said model Christy Turlington bought a piece for $170,500. "We got serious about love, and not just the love of art, but the love of our brothers and sisters suffering from AIDS in the poorest places on the planet," Bono said, according to BBC News. ...

Coheed and Cambria, Incubus and Disturbed have been added to the roster for this year's Download Festival in England (June 13-15). They join a lineup that already features Kiss, Judas Priest, the Offspring, Motörhead, H.I.M, Children of Bodom, Rise Against, Lostprophets, Alter Bridge and In Flames. ... Aerosmith are starring in a new edition of "Guitar Hero" called, er, "Guitar Hero: Aerosmith." Due in the summer, the game will feature 30 or so songs by the Boston legends, as well as ones by bands that have opened for Steven Tyler's crew. ...

Chan Marshall — better known as Cat Power — has bulked up her tour schedule in support of her recently released album, Jukebox, according to Pitchfork. Following an April 10 show in Vancouver, British Columbia, she will hit up Seattle the following day and continue playing gigs through an April 20 show at Austin, Texas' South by Southwest fest. Two days later, she'll perform in Houston, after which she'll journey down to Mexico City for an April 23 performance. ... The National — whose last album, Boxer, made many critics' top 10 lists last year — have slipped out a live EP through Rhapsody, Pitchfork reports. The release, called Rhapsody Rocks NYC, contains four songs recorded at New York's CMJ Music Marathon last year. ...

Butch Walker has slapped together a new live album, but in case you're running low on funds these days, don't worry — he's posted the 24-track effort for free download at FriendsorEnemies.com. Devout fans can get the release with bonus tracks for $5.99. ... Portishead have firmed up their first album in 10 years. Third will drop April 29 and feature 11 songs, including "Nylon Smile," "Magic Doors" and "The Rip." ...

Yoko Ono has denied reports that she was planning legal action against singer Lennon Murphy, who has sought to trademark the name of her band, Lennon. In a letter to the technology blog BoingBoing, Ono explained that several years ago, Lennon Murphy sought Ono's permission to perform under her birth name, Lennon Murphy, which Ono did not object to. But later, without Ono's knowledge, the singer reportedly filed an application in the U.S. Trademark Office requesting the exclusive right to utilize the name "Lennon" for musical performances. Ono's attorneys asked Murphy's lawyers and manager to withdraw the registration, offering to cover all costs Murphy had incurred in filing for the trademark. When Murphy went ahead with the registration anyway, Ono said she did not sue Murphy, but had her attorneys notify the trademark office that Ono did not believe it was fair that Murphy be granted the exclusive right to the Lennon trademark for musical and entertainment services. Ono wrote, "I am really hurt if people thought that I told a young artist to not use her own name in her performances and had sought to sue her. I did no such thing. I hope this allegation will be cleared." ...

Borders Books is trying a new method to appeal to music downloaders. According to a press release, the retailer will roll out 14 new concept stores this year featuring "digital centers" that will allow customers to burn CDs and download music and books to most MP3 players, though not to iPods.

• Lindsay Lohan
• Amy Winehouse
• Britney Spears
• Spice Girls
• My Chemical Romance

Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath
Photo: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images

We couldn't get enough of them. Their songs were our soundtrack, and we laughed, danced, cried and loved along with them. They flashed across our radio and TV burning brightly ... but where have they been lately? As you'll find out in this regular feature, sometimes the stories behind your favorite songs are more interesting than the hits themselves.

Who: Sugar Ray

Biggest hit: "Fly"

Why do I know that name?: For a minute in the late 1990s, Sugar Ray were one of the biggest pop/rock acts around. The combination of teen-magazine pin-up frontman Mark McGrath and a mash-up sound that borrowed from reggae, pop, new wave and white-boy funk propelled the Orange County, California, group to several platinum albums thanks to indelible radio hits like its breakthrough, "Fly," as well as "When It's Over," "Every Morning" and "Falls Apart." The band, which started out as a cheesy funk-metal act, hit its groove on 1997's Floored with the inescapable "Fly." Sugar Ray followed it up with 1999's 14:59, a nod to their signature self-deprecating attitude about their talent via Andy Warhol's maxim about everyone being famous for 15 minutes. Along with acts like Third Eye Blind, Everclear and Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray were among the leaders of what McGrath, now a co-host of "Extra," called the "class of '99." Ironically, it was their very success that he said caused their rapid downfall. "We all started out in the alternative world and then got huge crossover appeal in the late '90s," said McGrath. So, while Sugar Ray got love from pop radio, some of the tastemaker alt-rock stations that supported them early on turned their backs. "It was a poison pill," the perpetually upbeat, scratchy-voiced McGrath lamented. "Out there in the pop world we were selling millions, but you take a bite of that poisoned apple and that's who you are now. There's no going back once you start playing radio shows with Jessica Simpson."

Don't get me wrong, I loved it: Not that McGrath is complaining. The rocket ride to the top was great. "It's something I recommend to everyone," he said. After 2001's self-titled album spawned another couple of pop-radio hits, McGrath said he began to see the writing on the wall. By 2003, the band realized it had to adapt to a changing musical landscape, so Sugar Ray did what people are still doing today: They reached out to the Neptunes for some fresh beats. "Once you've had a hit, then you have to sustain that, but the cycle of music turns every day," McGrath said. Though they got together to try and jam on a song left over from the first N.E.R.D. record, the tune was a mess and the group knew it couldn't really back up the new direction. After 2003's In the Pursuit of Leisure tanked (selling 150,000 copies after the previous album clocked a million), the band realized it had reached the bottom of its creative well.

Pull the plug: "I said, 'I love you guys, I love playing with you, we all have all our body parts, so let's stop and smell the roses,' " McGrath said. With three members entering fatherhood and McGrath getting the surprise call for the "Extra" gig (after some good notices hosting a few VH1 specials), the band went on indefinite hiatus. Sugar Ray currently play 50-75 shows a year and McGrath joked, "If you can smell funnel cake, we're playing there." After a decade-long association, they were dropped from their contract with Atlantic Records earlier this year, and unless another major comes calling, McGrath said it's unlikely they'll go the indie route and start over again, so a new album seems unlikely. "I'd love to be on tour now playing sheds and selling out the world because music is my passion. But the one thing that would bum me out is walking through an airport and having some guy say, 'When's the new Sugar Ray album coming out?' when it was released a month ago." As for the rest of the guys, McGrath said guitarist Rodney Sheppard is jamming with reggae bands and teaching guitar; bassist Murphy Karges is working on his golf game and his charitable endeavors; and drummer Stan Frazier is part of a production/songwriting team credited with helping develop Ashlee Simpson's early demos — the team is currently prepping the debut from the band the Dirty Heads. And, after being taken under the wing of DJ AM, Craig "DJ Homicide" Bullock has been busy playing club shows from coast to coast between Sugar Ray gigs.

The moral: "We partied too hard, had business arguments, there were money issues, firing of managers — we've gone through it all, and to be able to sit here and pick up the phone and call any of these guys after 18 years, that's the biggest bonus," McGrath said. "I say I've done two jobs — being a singer and a host — that I can't really do. So I should be an inspiration for everyone."

Who: Lou Bega

Biggest hit: "Mambo No. 5"

Why do I know that name?: It was one of the most unlikely, and catchiest, pop hits of the new millennium. A frothy Latin confection cooked up by the son of a Sicilian mother and Ugandan father who was born in Munich, Germany, and spent time in Miami as a teenager. A remake of a 1950s instrumental by famed Cuban band leader Pérez Prado, "Mambo No. 5" rocketed Lou Bega to international renown after a decade trying to break into the music game as a teenage singer. "They think probably I'm dead," a cheery Bega, 31, said recently from his home in Germany about his millions of worldwide fans as he prepared to go on tour in support of his latest album, Lounatic. "I've read that on the Internet a few times." It's been an interesting few years for Bega, who spent more than 700 days on the road in support of his multiplatinum 1999 album A Little Bit of Mambo, which featured the name-dropping "Mambo No. 5." Since his star faded in the U.S. in 2001 following the end of "Mambo"-mania, Bega said he's been traveling with his Cuban band to places where he didn't have time to play during the height of his fame, countries like Kazakhstan (seriously, before Borat, even), Australia, South Africa, the Philippines and Russia.

Even your grandma knew it: "Mambo" became so massive, it charted high in Europe and the U.S. and became a crowd-pumping anthem at sporting events across the globe. "I never expected 'Mambo' to be that big, not at all," said Bega. "When I wrote it, I knew it would change something in my life. You have that gut feeling when you do something creatively that feels like that, but you never would dream a dream like that." Six years after the song exploded, Bega said he's constantly reminded of the song's impact, such as at a recent show where young people, their parents and grandparents were all dancing and singing along to lyrics like, "A little bit of Monica in my life/ A little bit of Erica by my side/ A little bit of Rita is all I need/ A little bit of Tina is what I see."

Pinch me: "There were a couple of moments when it was hard to believe," Bega said of the peak of his popularity in 2000, citing his appearance on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." "For us, in Europe, you see all these Hollywood stars on there and it's something very unreal. So for some dude from Munich, Germany, to sit on Jay Leno's couch ... I had to pinch myself." Bega, who released his first album in 1991 when he was still a teenager, said he wasn't surprised when his hastily recorded 2001 follow-up, Ladies and Gentlemen, flopped in the U.S. And, unlike many one-hit-wonders, he isn't offended by the tag or precious about the song he readily admits he recorded with a knowing, cheesy wink. But he's hoping the strong overseas sales of Lounatic might earn him another shot in America. "It's hard to reach all the generations at once," he said. "But you can't have a plan. I didn't have a plan the first time out and I think the new stuff works just fine."

The moral: One hit + millions in sales + the right attitude = Hello, Kazakhstan!

Ever wonder what happened to Crazy Town? How about Snow? Ace of Base? Tell us which faded stars you'd like us to check up on, and you just might find them in a future edition of "Where Ya Been?" Send us your suggestions and we'll get digging ...

Past "Where Ya Been" Artist Profiles:

• "Where Ya Been?: The Electronica Years: Prodigy, Tricky, Goldie"
• "Where Ya Been? Lilith Fair Edition: Sarah McLachlan, Joan Osborne, Lisa Loeb"
• "Where Ya Been? '90s Hip-Hop Edition: Onyx, MC Lyte, Rob Base, Young Black Teenagers"
• "Where Ya Been? Grunge Edition: Soundgarden, Screaming Trees, Mudhoney"

• Sugar Ray: Where Ya Been?
• Lou Bega: Where Ya Been?

• Sugar Ray
• Lou Bega

Sugar Ray is In the Pursuit of Leisure, and that process apparently involves Mark McGrath and company reuniting with their longtime producer, David Kahne. The new album features the group's usual mix of '80s-inspired tunes, a flirtation with hip-hop, and lighthearted party songs, plus a cover of Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out with Him" and the first single, "Mr. Bartender (It's So Easy)."

Jewel channels her inner Prince on 0304, using such song titles as "Run 2 U," "Yes U Can," and "U & Me = Love." Meanwhile, Nina Nastasia issues the beautifully haunting album Run to Ruin, engineered by Steve Albini, and Northern State, the all-girl hip-hop group from Long Island, New York, who fancy themselves a Beastie Boys for a new generation, is Dying in Stereo.

Eels deliver Shootenanny!, a solid pop album, while Souls She Said, a band featuring former members of the Icarus Line and Ink and Dagger, release the EP Rub the Sleep Out. Also out this week is Paper Monsters, the debut solo album from Depeche Mode's David Gahan.

The Yes New York compilation features Longwave, the Walkmen, and the Strokes on a live recording of "New York City Cops." Another team effort, Warped Tour 2003, contains songs from the Used, NoFX and Andrew W.K., among other performers at this year's festival.

Finally, indie hip-hop heads, Aceyalone and Saul Williams both release albums this week. The emcees espouse their political poetry on Love and Hate and Not in Our Name, respectively. Also on the independent hip-hop radar is S.A Smash/Cage's Smashy Trashy, produced by El-P and featuring Def Jux favorite Aesop Rock.

Out Tuesday, June 3:

• Aceyalone - Love and Hate (Red Urban)
• Adequate Seven - Songs of Innocence and of Experience (Household Name)
• Amazing Transparent Man - Taking Back the Covers (EP, Springman)
• Joan Armatrading - What's Inside (Denon)
• Armor for Sleep - Dream to Make Believe (Equal Vision)
• Aspera - Oh Fantastica (Jagjaguwar)
• Audio Bullys - Ego War (Astralwerks)
• Gene Autry - Singing Cowboy (American Legends)
• Aziza A - Kendi Dunyam (Doublemoon)
• Belvedere - 'Twas Hell Said Former Child (Household Name)
• Brendan Benson and the Wellfed Boys - Metarie (Star Time)
• Biff Bang Pow! - Best of Biff Bang Pow (Rev-Ola)
• Big Star - Big Star Story (Rykodisc)
• Bodies Lay Broken - Eximinous Execration (Deathvomit)
• Marc Bolan - Work in Progress (Edsel)
• Bonepony - Jubilee (Superduper)
• Bride of No No - Bride of No No (Atavistic)
• Budapest One - This Town Just Gave You a Dreamer (Beatville)
• Canned Heat - Friends in the Can (Varese)
• Andre & Martine Charbonneau - Air Mail Music: Spain - Guitare Flamenca (Playasound)
• Chatham County Line - Chatham County Line (Bonfire)
• Don Chezina - Live from Miami (D.C.)
• The Clique - Vanbrugh Park (DeTour)
• Cousin Harley - Jukin' (East Side)
• Curse of the Golden Vampire - Mass Destruction (Ipecac)
• Terence Trent D'Arby - Wild Card (Compendia)
• The Daycare Swindlers - This Is No Way to Make a Living (Vile Beat)
• Dead Meadow - Shivering King and Others (Matador)
• Death Comet Crew - DCC America (Troubleman Unlimited)
• Dee Rangers - Pretty Ugly Beat (White Jazz)
• Depswa - Two Angels and a Dream (Interscope)
• Destruction Made Simple - Terror Sticken Youth (Af )
• Divine Empire - Nostradamus (Olympic)
• DNA - Influences (Tommy Boy)
• Don't Look Down - Five (EP, NIT)
• Gordon Downie - Battle of the Nudes (Rounder)
• The Dragons - Sin Salvation (Gearhead)
• D.R.I. - Dirtiest ... Rottenest (Restless)
• The Durutti Column - Someone Else's Party (Artful)
• Dusty Drake - Dusty Drake (Warner Bros)
• Dust to Dust - Sick (Music Cartel)
• Stacey Earle/Mark Stuart - Never Gonna Let You Go (Evolver)
• Earth Quake - Purple: The A&M Recordings (Acadia)
• Eels - Shootenanny (DreamWorks)
• Elephant Micah - Elephant Micah, Your Dreams Are Feeding Back (Bluesanct Musak)
• Enon - In This City (Touch & Go)
• Erase Errata - Dancing Machine (EP, Troubleman Unlimited)
• Essential Logic - Fanfare in the Garden: An Essential Logic Collection (Kill Rock Stars)
• Extreme Noise Terror - From One Extreme to Another (Anag Punk)
• The Fall - It's the New Thing (Sanctuary)
• Federation X - X-Patriot (Estrus)
• Flamethrower - Flamethrower (DeAd Teenager)
• Adam Forkner - [[[[VVRSSNN]]]] (K)
• From Monument To Masses - Impossible Leap in 34 Simple Steps (Dim Mak)
• David Gahan - Paper Monsters (Warner Bros.)
  Read: "Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan Working On Solo Debut"
  
• Gasman - Remedial (Planet Mu)
• Ghetto Superstars - Ghetto Classics (Blackstone)
• The Gift Machine - Don't Turn Me Off (KNW-Yr-Own)
• Give Up the Ghost - Background Music (Equal Vision)
• Goldberg-Miller Blues Band - 1965-66 Blowing My Mind Plus (Acadia)
• Gold Chains - Young Miss America (Pias America)
• Grave Digger - Rheingold (Nuclear Blast America)
• Buddy Guy - Blues Singer (Jive)
• Steve Hackett - To Watch the Storms (Inside Out)
• Hoods - Pray for Death (Victory)
• Horace X - Sackbutt (Omnium)
• Hotwire - Routine (RCA)
• Glenn Hughes - Live in Tokyo (Shrapnel)
• The Jealous Sound - Kill Them With Kindness (Better Looking)
• The Jets - Bolt of Lightning (Krypton)
• Jewel - 0304 (Atlantic)
  Read: "Jewel Bites Into A Musical Pickle-And-Peanut Butter Sandwich"
  Buy Now: 0304 (Atlantic)
  
• Jumpin' Jack - Rhumba Lee (Back Bender)
• Josh Kelley - For the Ride Home (Hollywood)
• King Prawn - Got the Thirst (Golf)
• Landing - Passages Through (K)
• Langhorns - Mission Exotica (Bad Taste)
• Last Days of April - Ascend to the Stars (Crank)
• Chris Lee - Cool Rock (Misra)
• Barry Levenson & Johnny Dyer - Hard Times Won (Storyville)
• Limecell - It's Gonna Get Ugly (TKO)
• Erik Lindgren - Sound on Sound (Arf Arf)
• The Lonesome Organist - Form and Follies (Thrill Jockey)
• Lonestar - Greatest Hits (BNA)
• Lousy - Babylon District (Knockout)
• Love and Rockets - Sorted: The Best of Love and Rockets (Beggars Banquet)
• David McWilliams - Reflections of David McWilliams (RPM)
• Mea Culpa - They Put You in a Mask (Empty)
• John Cougar Mellencamp - Trouble No More (Sony)
  Buy Now: Trouble No More (Sony)
  
• Millencolin - Battery Check (Burning Heart)
• The Mink Lungs - I'll Take It (Arena Rock)
• Mister Zippy - Ambition Is Critical (Golf)
• Mistreaters - Playa Hated to the Fullest (Estrus)
• Moka Only - Lowdown Suite (Battle Axe)
• Eddie Money - Then and Now (Sanctuary)
• The Moondogs - John Peel Sessions (DeTour)
• The Movies - In One Era out the Other (Gern Blandsten)
• Nina Nastasia - Run to Ruin (Touch & Go)
• New Orleans Klezmer All Stars - Borvis (Kismet / Mri)
• None More Black - File Under Black (Fat Wreck Chords)
• Northern State - Dying in Stereo (Star Time)
  Read:"Ain't No Bling In Their Thing"
  
• Nuclear Saturday - Best Time You Never Had (New School)
• Louis Osbourne - Motion Audio (Blue Chip)
• Paradise Island - Lines Are Infinitely Fine (Dim Mak)
• Dolly Parton - Ultimate Dolly Parton (RCA)
• Britta Phillips and Dean Wareham - Avventura (Jetset)
• Pineapple Corner - Soul G & Tony Match (Milan)
• Planet Smashers -Mighty (Stomp)
• Puffball - Leave Them All Behind (Burning Heart)
• Rattlesnakes - I, Explosion (Localhost)
• Lou Reed - NYC Man: The Ultimate Lou Reed Collection (RCA)
• The Riffs - Death or Glory (TKO)
• The Riverboat Gamblers - Something to Crow About (Gearhead)
• Roxy Music - Live (Eagle)
• Carla Rugg - Dynamite (East Side)
• S.A. Smash/Cage - Smashy Trashy (Definitive Jux)
• The Satellites - Jump (Planet X)
• Saxon Shore - Four Months of Darkness (Burnt Toast Vinyl)
• Brian Setzer - Jump, Jive an' Wail (Interscope)
• Seventh Star - Dead End (Facedown)
• Shoe Suede Blues - Saved By the Blues (Beachwood)
• Sinister - Savage or Grace (Nuclear Blast America)
• Skinless - Sacrifice to Survival (Relapse)
• Sleep - Dopesmoker (Tee Pee)
• Snuff - Kilburn/Caught in Session (Golf)
• Sonata Arctica - Winterheart's Guild (Century Media)
• Souls She Said - Rub the Sleep Out (EP, Buddyhead)
• Spacegirl - Alone (Topaz)
• Rebecca Spencer - Wide Awake and Dreaming (LML)
• Strung Out - Live in a Dive (Fat Wreck Chords)
• A Sudden Sway - Seventysix Kids Forever (Cherry Red)
• Sugar Ray - In the Pursuit of Leisure (Atlantic)
  Read: "Babies, Marriage Somehow Lead Sugar Ray To Write A Club Song"
  Buy Now: In the Pursuit of Leisure (Atlantic)
• Surface of Eceon - Dragyn (Strange Attractors)
• Tabula Rasa - Role of Smith (Af)
• Tegan & Sara - If It Was You (Sanctuary) Read: Tegan & Sara: Just Don't Mention The Name 'T.A.T.U.' "
  
• Testostarone Kill - War All the Time (Fortified)
• They Came from the Stars - What We Are Doing Here (Lo.)
• Three Inches of Blood - Battle Cry Under a Winter Sun (Infect)
• Throw Rag - Desert Shores (Better Youth Organization)
• Devin Townsend - Terria (Inside Out)
• Train - My Private Nation (Sony)
  Buy Now: My Private Nation (Sony)
  
• Pete Turland - Both Wheels Left the Ground (East Side)
• Unseen -Explode (Better Youth Organization)
• Vanilla Muffins - Drug Is Football (Knockout)
• The Vanishing - Songs for Psychotic Children (Gold Standard)
• Variable Unit - Handbook for the Apocalypse (Wide Hive)
• Gillian Welch - Soul Journey (Acony)
• White Light Motorcade - Thank You, Goodnight! (Octone)
• Saul Williams - Not in Our Name (EP, Synchronic)
• Wirebox - Prison Cell (Tru-one)
• Woman & Children - Woman & Children (Attack 9)
• Zion - Zion (Native)
• Various artists - 25 Beach Music Classics (Varese)
• Various artists – “Beer: The Movie” soundtrack (Triple Crown)
• Various artists - Best of America, Vol. 2 (Curb)
• Various artists – “Bruce Almighty” soundtrack (Varese)
• Various artists - Cat'n Around, Vols. 1 & 2 (Pink & Black)
• Various artists - Compunktion, Vol. 2 (Sucka-punch)
• Various artists - Deadly Dose of Wylde Psych (Arf Arf)
• Various artists - Dream Babes, Vol. 4: Go Girl (RPM)
• Various artists - Forgive This Foolish Man: Hi Records' Deep Soul (Hi)
• Various artists - Grimey, Vol. 1 (Image)
• Various artists - Jesse and Jorge Morales Presents Z: Banda Rap (Sony)
• Various artists - Liberation Songs to Benefit PETA (Fat Wreck Chords)
• Various artists - Magpie (RPM)
• Various artists - Old School Oldies (Thump)
• Various artists - Pawn Stars!: The Pawn Label Story 1974-1978 (Hi)
• Various artists - Snoisses: The Skateboarder Sessions (Sessions)
• Various artists - Spanish Fly (Universal Latino)
• Various artists - Swami Sound System, Vol. 1 (Swami)
• Various artists - Terminal Sales (Sub Pop)
• Various artists - Ultimate Smash Hits (Arista)
• Various artists - Underground Radio: Volume High (Morisen)
• Various artists - Warped Tour 2003 (Side One Dummy)
• Various artists - We Are Tottenham (Cherry Red)
• Various artists - World Wide Noise Attack (Retch)
• Various artists - Vital Idol (Idol)
• Various artists - Yes New York (Atlantic)

June 5:

• Metallica - St. Anger (2 CDs, Elektra)
  Read: "Metallica Album Preview: Damage Inc. Is Back In Business"
  Buy Now: St. Anger (2 CDs, Elektra)

June 10:

• Duran Duran - Singles Box Set 1981-1985 (Capitol)
• Justin Guarini - TBD (RCA)
• Radiohead - Hail to the Thief (Capitol)
  Read: "New Radiohead Album, Hail To The Thief, Due In June"
  Buy Now: Hail to the Thief (Capitol)
  
• Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father (J)

June 17:

• Petey Pablo - Still Writing in My Diary: 2nd Entry (Jive)
• Monica - After the Storm (J)

June 24:

• Beyoncé - Dangerously in Love (Sony)
  Read: "Beyonce Pushes Up Release Date Of Solo Debut"
• Gang Starr - The Ownerz (Virgin)

July 15:

• Macy Gray - The Trouble With Being Myself (Sony)

• Sugar Ray
• Jewel
• eels
• Northern State
• Dave Gahan

Sugar Ray
Photo: Atlantic

If you can't believe Sugar Ray are serious on their new single, "Mr. Bartender (It's So Easy)," you're not alone. Neither could they ... at first.

"It started off as a joke," singer Mark McGrath said of the uncharacteristic tune, set to surface at radio next week. "It's like a club song, it's a dance song. It's like Pink's 'Get the Party Started' or No Doubt's 'Hella Good.' "

Atypical singles are nothing new to Sugar Ray, a band who broke through in 1997 with "Fly," a left-field, reggae-tinged pop hit that was nothing like the punk casing that wrapped their 1995 debut, Lemonade & Brownies.

"You know, you work your whole life to get a sound, and then years later it's outdated," McGrath said. "You've got to evolve and you've got to reinvent yourself, so I think this track is going to f--- people up. It's coming straight for the clubs, dude."

The song — off Sugar Ray's fifth album, the David Kahne-produced In the Pursuit of Leisure, due June 3 — has a split personality. It was recorded by an instrumentally proficient quintet, but it sounds as if it could be a boy-band banger. Any new elements added by the band are built upon samples: "Love Is Like Oxygen" by '70s glitter boys Sweet in the verse, and '80s funky bunch Midnight Star's "No Parking (On the Dance Floor)" in chorus. And as if that wasn't multifaceted enough, some hip-hop tang is provided by guest rapper Prohoezak.

The band recently shot a video for the song with director Steven Murashige (Incubus, Rage Against the Machine) at a Los Angeles car wash.

Another strange song to appear on the 12-track In the Pursuit of Leisure is a cover of Joe Jackson's 1979 hit "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" Sugar Ray's version is mostly true to form, save for some overly excitable drumming by Stan Frazier.

"David [Kahne]'s not interested in redoing," McGrath explained. "He's interested in updating the song and not making it better than the original, necessarily, but hopefully you can add an element as interesting. At the core, it's still the song. Joe Jackson has a really distinctive voice. It's not necessarily Pavarotti-esque, but it's right up my alley and it just fit really nice. It was a fun song to do."

Other songs on the album include the calypso-tinged "Heaven," which features steel drums and a ukulele; "Chasing You Around," written by guitarist Rodney Sheppard about his son; and "56 Hope Road," named for Bob Marley's old address in Jamaica and featuring dancehall-pop purveyor Shaggy. The previously reported Neptunes collaboration, "Here She Comes," didn't make the final cut.

Although only two years separate In the Pursuit of Leisure and 2001's Sugar Ray, McGrath said the construction period seemed to go on forever, which for a five-member democracy like Sugar Ray is par for the course.

"It's really laborious for us to get songs done because it's truly a collaborative effort. There's five guys in this band and every guy gets his opinion or his music heard. No one writes songs by themselves, so it's a process to get everyone's ideas in coming up with a song."

Despite the leadoff single's dance-club readiness, McGrath described the new tunes as furthering the band's maturity. That's what the plan was last time around, too, and with more than 742,000 copies sold, Sugar Ray was considerably less popular than its predecessor, 1999's hit-laden 14:59, which moved a whopping 2.4 million copies, according to SoundScan. McGrath said he hopes Sugar Ray's core fans have moved forward with the band and are open to something different.

"As you get older, your palate becomes more distinguished, and so is what you're writing about, because real things happen to you every day. I mean, some guys are married and two guys in the band have babies now, so real life kicks you in the ass no matter how much you try to stay in your rock-and-roll-lifestyle bubble."

Sugar Ray will support the In the Pursuit of Leisure on a tour with label mates Matchbox 20 beginning Saturday.

Sugar Ray/Matchbox 20 tour, according to Atlantic Records:

• 4/26 - North Little Rock, AR @ Alltel Arena
• 4/27 - St. Louis, MO @ Savvis Center
• 4/30 - St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
• 5/2 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
• 5/3 - Milwaukee, WI @ U.S. Cellular Arena
• 5/5 - Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills
• 5/6 - Cleveland, OH @ Gund Arena
• 5/7 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
• 5/9 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mellon Arena
• 5/10 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Union Spectrum
• 5/12 - Boston, MA @ FleetCenter
• 5/13 - Albany, NY @ Pepsi Arena
• 5/14 - East Rutherford, NJ @ Continental Airlines Arena
• 5/16 - Washington, DC @ MCI Center
• 5/17 - Pasadena, CA @ Rose Bowl
• 5/19 - Manchester, NH @ Verizon Wireless Arena
• 5/20 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Casino
• 5/21 - Rochester, NY @ Blue Cross Arena
• 5/23 - Indianapolis, IN @ Conseco Fieldhouse
• 5/24 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena
• 5/25 - Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena
• 5/27 - Peoria, IL @ Civic Center Arena
• 5/28 - Kansas City, MO @ Kemper Arena
• 5/30 - Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
• 5/31 - West Valley, UT @ E Center
• 6/2 - Seattle, WA @ KeyArena at Seattle Center
• 6/3 - Portland, OR @ Rose Garden Arena
• 6/7 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion At San Jose
• 6/8 - Sacramento, CA @ Arco Arena
• 6/10 - Bakersfield, CA @ Centennial Garden
• 6/11 - Phoenix, AZ @ America West Arena
• 6/13 - Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Events Center
• 6/14 - Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
• 6/16 - Albuquerque, NM @ Tingley Coliseum
• 6/17 - El Paso, TX @ UTEP Don Haskins Center
• 6/19 - San Antonio, TX @ SBC Center
• 6/20 - Houston, TX @ Compaq Center
• 6/21 - Grand Prairie, TX @ Next Stage at Grand Prairie
• 6/23 - Valley Center, KS @ Kansas Coliseum
• 6/24 - Tupelo, MS @ Bancorp South Center
• 6/25 - Antioch, TN @ AmSouth Amphitheatre
• 6/27 - Pelham, AL @ Oak Mountain Amphitheater
• 6/28 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
• 6/29 - Charlotte, NC @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Charlotte
• 7/1 - Sunrise, FL @ Office Depot Center
• 7/2 - Orlando, FL @ TD Waterhouse Centre
• 7/3 - Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum
• 7/5 - Raleigh, NC @ Alltel Pavilion @ Walnut Creek
• 7/6 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater

• Sugar Ray

Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath
Photo: MTV News

UNIVERSAL CITY, California — After the relatively disappointing sales of their last album, Sugar Ray are going back to the drawing board.

Singer Mark McGrath said on Monday the band's fifth release will likely include a few collaborations with red-hot producers the Neptunes (see "N.E.R.D. Dropping New Single, May Go In Search Of New Label").

"It's funny, you wait your whole life to have a sound ... and now it's like we gotta do something else," McGrath explained. "I think Madonna set the bar pretty high for changing yourself and metamorphosing and staying current. And we're in that position now. We've been in the same area for five years, so we're gonna pull the trigger and do something different this time."

Some things never change, however, as longtime producer David Kahne (Sublime) is again on board. Sugar Ray are knee-deep into recording and expect a spring or summer release for the as-yet-untitled album.

"There's been a lot of creative turmoil involved, which is great, 'cause if we don't fight and punch each other, than it's not going to be a great record," McGrath said.

Sugar Ray, along with Ashanti, Michelle Branch and Sixpence None the Richer, performed on Monday at the Neil Bogart Memorial Fund's annual Bogart Tour for a Cure, which honored Britney Spears with the Children's Choice Award for her charitable efforts.

"This industry has been so good to me and ... lending our time to something like this is an honor," McGrath said.

Sugar Ray's self-titled 2001 release featured the single "When It's Over" (see "Sugar Ray: It's Not Over...Yet"), but the album failed to register with listeners as had the group's previous releases.

• Sugar Ray
• The Neptunes

Sugar Ray's Mark McGrath
Photo: Kristin Callahan

Sugar Ray have lined up a 12-city trek, set to kick off in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, with a trio of gigs beginning February 15.

Following their three-night engagement at Caesar's Tahoe, Mark McGrath and company will visit 10 college campuses, starting with the University of Arizona on February 19, according to an Atlantic Records spokesperson. Toward the end of the monthlong excursion, before wrapping things up at Indiana University, Sugar Ray will share a dance with Lady Luck in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where they'll perform at the Trump Taj Mahal on March 23.

Prior to the tour's commencement, Sugar Ray will perform during halftime at the NFL Pro Bowl, which takes place in Honolulu on February 9.

"Ours," the third single from Sugar Ray, has just been released to radio. Since it came out in June, Sugar Ray's fourth album has sold more than 682,000 copies, according to SoundScan.

Sugar Ray tour dates, according to Atlantic Records:

• 2/9 - Honolulu, HI @ Aloha Stadium

• 2/15 - Lake Tahoe, NV @ Caesar's Tahoe

• 2/16 - Lake Tahoe, NV @ Caesar's Tahoe

• 2/17 - Lake Tahoe, NV @ Caesar's Tahoe

• 2/19 - Tucson, AZ @ Centennial Hall

• 2/21 - Amarillo, TX @ Amarillo Civic Center

• 3/12 - Oshkosh, WI @ University of Wisconsin

• 3/13 - Marquette, MI @ Berry Events Center

• 3/14 - Saginaw, MI @ Ryder College

• 3/17 - Williamsport, PA @ Lycoming College

• 3/18 - Buckhannon, WV @ W.V. Wesleyan College

• 3/19 - Erie, PA @ Penn. State Behrend

• 3/22 - Bloomsburg, PA @ Bloomburg University

• 3/23 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Trump Taj Mahal

• 3/25 - Bloomington, IN @ Indiana University

• Sugar Ray

If you're a real chart geek, we invite you to tune in Friday night at 5 p.m. ET for "Chart Attack," MTV News' weekly, in-depth look at what's charting where and why. Check out the "Chart Attack" Web page for more info.

In this week's chart and sales analysis, we come to the aid of Mariah Carey (and her floundering "Glitter" soundtrack) by pointing out some of the bigger chart dogs of 2001, and take a little lesson in mathematics and algebraic theory with NIN's Trent Reznor and his new And All That Could Have Been live album.

Sympathy For Mariah

We're not usually the first to jump to the defense of such megastars as Mariah Carey — especially when the artist gets a $28 million "separation package" to split from her label. But we think it's high time for a temporary cease-fire in the outrageous slings and arrows being launched at Carey because of the lackluster performance of both her "Glitter" film vehicle and the accompanying soundtrack.

The "Glitter" movie turned out to be pure fool's gold at the box office, grossing less than $5 million in the U.S., according to Variety. The flick, a fictionalized version of Carey's own rags-to-riches story, has likely earned a place as one of the more dubious cinematic efforts from a music performer — joining the ranks of such memorable '80s flubs as Madonna's "Shanghai Surprise" and the Fat Boys' "Disorderlies."

The "Glitter" soundtrack has also been an underachiever in its own right, with the disc having sold just 505,000 copies since debuting at #7 on the Billboard 200 albums chart last August. Despite the success of her "Loverboy" single, the album quickly plummeted down the charts, spending just eight weeks in the top 100 and a total of 12 weeks in the top 200. It's understandable why Carey's record label freaked, as the "Glitter" numbers marked a seismic drop in her career record sales up to that point.

Even though it sold half a million copies, "Glitter" has fallen well short of the marks set by the 31-year-old singer's previous studio efforts, including 1999's Rainbow (2.86 million copies sold), 1997's Butterfly (3.62 million), 1995's Daydream (7.49 million), 1993's Music Box (7.07 million), 1991's Emotions (3.55 million) and her 1990 debut, Mariah Carey (4.80 million).

But we think there's a problem with labeling the "Glitter" soundtrack as an out-and-out "bust." While the record seems to represent the sales nadir of Carey's career, one could argue that other albums from last year, such as Sugar Ray's self-titled record or Eric Clapton's Reptile, were at least as big of a downer as "Glitter," especially when compared to those artists' own previous efforts.

The Orange County, California, band has sold 682,000 copies of Sugar Ray since the LP's release in June — down from both the 2.41 million in sales posted by Mark McGrath and company's 1999 album, 14:59, as well as the 1.85 million copies sold of their breakthrough, 1997's Floored.

The guitarist known as Slowhand was also forced to shed the skin of his recent commercial successes with Reptile, which has notched just 535,000 in sales since arriving in stores last March. Again, while those figures are nothing to sneer at, they are a step down from the level reached by his collaborative effort with vintage bluesman B.B. King on 2000's Riding with the King (1.91 million copies sold), as well as Clapton's last solo album, 1998's Pilgrim (1.39 million).

So, regardless of the alarming shrinkage in sales posted by Carey, Clapton, and Sugar Ray's albums, it's hard for us to break down and really speak ill of any record that has sold at least 500,000 copies — and is a shoo-in for at least a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America. In fact, it's come to our attention that there were many 2001 albums from big-name artists that took as harsh a commercial drubbing as Carey's "Glitter" soundtrack did. So, in the interest of fair play, we thought we'd go ahead and remind everyone about a few of those sales slackers.

First off, it's hard to slam Carey too much when "Glitter" wasn't even the biggest R&B flop of the year. That distinction falls to none other than Macy Gray, whose second album, The Id, has sold just 498,000 copies in the past five months. Admittedly, we hate to "call out" any former employee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (located in Canton, Ohio) during Super Bowl week, but Gray had sold over 3.27 million copies of her debut, 1999's On How Life Is, so The Id was definitely a comedown. But she is still a youngster on the R&B scene, and we think she's still capable of "Blowin' Up Your Speakers."

The Stone Temple Pilots had originally decided on releasing a greatest-hits package in 2001, but eventually scrapped that plan in favor of issuing their fifth studio album, Shangri-La Dee Da, in the summer. Perhaps they should have stayed at home and just read James Hilton's "The Lost Horizon" instead, as the record has sold just 326,000 copies to date.

What is perhaps most disheartening for STP is that after rebounding from a lay-off with their previous record, 1999's No. 4 (1.01 million copies sold), Shangri-La Dee Da looks to be the band's first LP not to crack the million mark — bucking a trend established by the group's 1992 debut, Core (4.61 million), followed-up by 1994's Purple (4.11 million) and 1996's Tiny Music ... Songs From the Vatican Gift Shop (1.57 million).

Pop music fans have short attention spans — which, in turn, translates into some artists having the sort of mercurial careers that literally puts them on top one day and at the bottom the next. That adage is thoroughly demonstrated with our third offender, LFO. The pop smash single "Summer Girls" propelled sales of LFO's eponymous 1999 album over the 1.49 million mark. But while the guys in LFO once serenaded girls who wore Abercrombie & Fitch, these days band members seem as likely to work behind the counter at an A&F store than crank out another hit. Their follow-up LP, the unfortunately titled Life Is Good, has moved just 282,000 copies since its release in June.

In terms of rap LPs in 2001, there was probably no greater disappointment than Run-DMC's much-hyped, oft-delayed reunion album, Crown Royal. Backed by an all-star cast of rockers and rappers, including Kid Rock, Nas, Sugar Ray, Method Man, Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst, Jermaine Dupri, Everlast and Jagged Edge, Crown Royal looked as though it might provide the venerable rap trio with its own version of Santana's Supernatural. And while we were hoping that Crown Royal would return Run-DMC to the platinum status of 1985's King of Rock, 1986's Raising Hell (triple platinum) and 1988's Tougher Than Leather, we were shocked that the new album has only been coronated by some 142,000 record-buyers. That's not even half the amount Run-DMC posted by their (then) swan-song LP, 1993's Down With the King, which has sold more than 370,000 copies to date.

None of those artists or albums can touch what we consider to be the biggest sales fiasco of the year, though, which came courtesy of the alt rock group the Toadies. Who? Exactly. The Ft. Worth, Texas, band scored a massive hit in the mid-'90s with their single, "Possum Kingdom," which elevated sales of their 1995 album, Rubberneck, to the 1.02 million mark. After six long years (and some slight juggling in personnel), the Toadies returned in early 2001 with the follow-up, Hell Below/Stars Above. Apparently, most of the Rubberneck fans didn't hang around during the sabbatical, as Hell Below has sold just an infernal 61,000 copies — a staggering 94 percent decrease in sales from their previous album.

Those five records weren't the only sales disappointments from 2001, with other underachievers — by "Glitter" standards — including: Foxy Brown's Broken Silence (491,000 copies sold to date), Cake's Comfort Eagle (408,000), R.E.M.'s Reveal (388,000), Big Pun's Endangered Species (304,000), Rammstein's Mutter (162,000), Blues Traveler's Bridge (120,000), Buckcherry's Time Bomb (104,000), Semisonic's All About Chemistry (58,000) and Monster Magnet's God Says No (42,000).

Of course, that list does not include some of the slackers that have been mentioned or spotlighted in previous Got Charts? columns, such as Tori Amos' Strange Little Girls (337,000 copies sold), Björk's Vespertine (280,000), Live's V (258,000), Fatboy Slim's Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars (256,000), Bush's Golden State (211,000) and the Black Crowes' Lions (193,000).

We're also being rather forgiving of those artists who released albums late in the year, as their sales could still pick up, although we're none too impressed (so far) by the likes of Natalie Merchant's Motherland (296,000 copies sold), Timbaland & Magoo's Indecent Proposal (295,000), Smash Mouth (241,000), Lit's Atomic (128,000), Prince's Rainbow Children (101,000) and De La Soul's AOI: Bionix (83,000).

This also means we haven't forgotten about some of the albums that were issued late in 2000 but failed to measure up over the course of the following year, including Everlast's Eat at Whitey's (329,000) Orgy's Vapor Transmission (316,000), Everclear's Songs From an American Movie, Vol. 2: Good Time for a Bad Attitude (279,000), the Spice Girls' Forever (199,000) and Vitamin C's More (48,000).

What gives Mariah Carey the advantage over many of the other sales underachievers, though, is that as a solo artist, it's easier for her to rebound from the less-than-desired performance of just one album. A band usually has to deal with keeping the inner tensions in check following such a disappointment as the "Glitter" soundtrack. But Carey has documented her vocal abilities and prowess over the years, and there's nothing to indicate that she's technically slipping. Like all accomplished vocalists, she just needs to be matched with the right material for a return to chart or sales form — and we're betting that that hit single isn't too far away.

Nine Inch Nails' Chart Algebra

You'll have to excuse Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor if he gets tripped up on the following mathematics equation: "37 + 26 = 12." That's because the formula is a "closer" representation of the true impact of NIN's live record, And All That Could Have Been, on the new Billboard 200 albums chart. Last week, fans split almost 50-50 on whether to pick up the regular version of And All That Could Have Been or the limited-edition version, which featured a bonus disc of studio outtakes, dubbed Still.

The regular edition of And All That Could Have Been sold more than 28,000 copies to enter the Billboard 200 at #37, while the limited edition moved more than 33,000 copies to debut at #26 — not too bad, considering that NIN's remix disc, Things Falling Apart, sold just 43,000 copies during its first week in stores in October 2000 to enter the charts at #67.

However, Reznor might be slightly irked that the Billboard and SoundScan sales charts don't take into account the commutative property of addition for And All That Could Have Been, instead counting the two different versions as completely separate entities. If one were to combine sales of the two editions (for a total of 61,000 copies sold), that would be good enough to drive the NIN record up to the #12 spot on the Billboard 200 — nestled between the current #11, Enya's A Day Without Rain (62,000), and what would be #13, Alicia Keys' Songs in A Minor (59,000).

While such number-crunching probably isn't too big of a deal for Reznor, it should help the NIN leader (and the band's fans) judge how well the live album fares as compared to another upcoming concert LP, Sade's Lovers Live.

Coming Attractions

While we considered holding off until the Academy Awards in March, we're really digging the "I Am Sam" soundtrack, which could become the first of the "unlikely" hits of the year. Loaded with contemporary artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Ben Harper, Sheryl Crow and Eddie Vedder covering such Beatles classics as "Blackbird," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Mother Nature's Son" and "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away," the record has prompted us to take a look at some of the biggest and best motion picture albums from the last decade.

So, next week, we'll round up the usual soundtrack suspects — along with a few surprises.

[In SoundScan we trust. All figures, unless otherwise noted, are according to SoundScan's audited sales numbers and reflect sales as of press time.]

• Mariah Carey
• Nine Inch Nails
• Sugar Ray
• Stone Temple Pilots
• LFO

R. Kelly
Photo: Jive

Sheryl Crow, R. Kelly, Jessica Simpson and Sugar Ray will be performing for the same fans in the coming weeks as the added entertainment at professional football games.

Crow will perform during halftime at the AFC Conference Championship game on Sunday in Pittsburgh, while Kelly will perform during halftime at the NFC Conference Championship game later that day in St. Louis, a spokesperson for the National Football League said Wednesday (January 23).

The AFC game pairs the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Philadelphia Eagles will play the St. Louis Rams in the NFC game.

Simpson will sing the national anthem at the Pro Bowl in Honolulu on February 9, while Sugar Ray will perform during the all-star game's halftime ceremony.

U2, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Marc Anthony, Paul McCartney, No Doubt and Barenaked Ladies are lined up as entertainment for Super Bowl XXXVI on February 3 (see "No Doubt, McCartney, BNL Make Super Bowl More Super").

• Sheryl Crow
• R. Kelly
• Sugar Ray

Seal and Stephan Jenkins at the Breathe benefit concert for breast cancer.
Photo: Josephine Close

HOLLYWOOD — What could have possibly brought Third Eye Blind, Seal, Deftones, Lil' Kim, Sugar Ray, Nikka Costa, Crazy Town and Jurassic 5 to the same stage?

"We're here to save the boobs!" declared Crazy Town's Shifty Shellshock at Saturday's inaugural Breathe benefit concert for breast cancer.

Organized by Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins, the five-hour marathon concert took a lighthearted approach to a serious issue.

Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello and model Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, serving as hosts, tossed out jokes about examining yourself or someone else, while acts such as Nikka Costa and Sugar Ray happily flaunted their own sexuality. Lil' Kim could hardly save her own breasts from falling out of her bikini top.

Breathe was the anti-Women Rock!, the other star-studded breast cancer benefit hosted by Lifetime Television at the same Wiltern Theater a few weeks ago (see "Mary J. Blige, Pat Benatar Take On Breast Cancer, Prove Women Rock!"). While all of the acts at that show were women, including Sheryl Crow, Nelly Furtado and Mary J. Blige, the majority at Breathe were men, which Jenkins said was intentional.

"If we can get Deftones fans and Crazy Town fans, who are pretty much all guys, to say, 'This is something that is cool to me,' we are going to widen the scope of awareness for this disease and widen the scope of fundraising for this disease," Jenkins said.

Jenkins, who promised the event would continue next year, wanted to get involved raising awareness for breast cancer after his mother contracted the disease three years ago.

"Before that I always thought of breast cancer as a women's issue, which is much the way the disease has been marketed to the public," he said. "Witnessing her ordeal made me realize it's not a woman's issue. It's a son's issue. It's a family's issue. It's everyone's issue. This is something that is statistically going to attack someone in my family."

Though full of laughs, Saturday's concert was not without heartfelt performances. Seal brought a mixed crowd that included children, grandparents and Tom Hanks to its feet during both of his appearances.

He took the stage early in the evening for a somber version of "Prayer for the Dying" as a tribute to Aaliyah, who volunteered to perform at the benefit before she died in a plane crash in August (see "Aaliyah Killed In Plane Crash"). Rashad Haughton, Aaliyah's brother, introduced Seal after presenting Jenkins and the concert's charity, Step Up Women's Network, with a check for $41,000 from the Aaliyah Memorial Fund.

British singer Julia Fordham, who opened the event, also included a tribute in her 15-minute set, performing a song she wrote for Minnie Riperton, the "Lovin' You" soul singer who died of breast cancer in 1979 at the age of 31.

Costa, all attitude behind her bright red shades, chimed her way through a funky set that included the hit "Like a Feather" and her new single, "Everybody Got Their Something," which she turned into a rally anthem for women by declaring, "This song is about a guy who f---ed me over."

Crazy Town and Sugar Ray followed with hit-filled sets that were nothing out of the ordinary except for the latter's Mark McGrath blending "Fly" into the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love" from the balcony of the theater.

Lil' Kim tried dropping her familiar raps over last summer's "Lady Marmalade" cover to open her set, but struggled to match her parts and was interrupted when the track suddenly shut off.

Remy Zero took the stage for a rock-solid set that included a few tracks from their new album, The Golden Hum, including the single "Save Me." Singer Cinjun Tate, who looked and sounded like R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, was a crowd favorite. At one point during the band's performance, an audience member yelled out, "Finally some talent!"

The next set saw Deftones and Jurassic 5 mixing it up together. Chino Moreno and crew played "Change (In the House of Flies)" and other emo-metal tunes from their White Pony before providing the backdrop for Jurassic 5's "Great Expectations." Moreno scratched his guitar strings like a turntable and added in a few words here and there. The Los Angeles hip-hop outfit, minus their superstar DJs, followed with the title track of last year's Quality Control.

Jenkins followed up on his promise to pack the benefit full of collaborations, bringing up Liz Phair and Seal during Third Eye Blind's set.

Phair took over vocals on "Jumper," performed her hit "Supernova" with Third Eye Blind backing her, then dueted with Jenkins on her song "F--- and Run." Jenkins called the Exile in Guyville cut "one of my favorite naughty songs."

Seal kicked off his stirring set by debuting the ballad "Love Is Better" from his upcoming album, Togetherland.

"We are going through some rough times right now," Seal said, alluding to the September 11 terrorist attacks. "I have faith that we will get through this. History shows that good always triumphs over evil."

Answering a standing ovation, Seal closed out the show with an acoustic version of his breakthrough hit, "Crazy." "We're never gonna survive unless we get a little crazy," he sang.

They were the perfect words to define the event.

• Third Eye Blind
• Lil' Kim
• Nikka Costa
• Sugar Ray

• Sugar Ray

• Sugar Ray