Travis Barker and DJ AM were critically injured in a plane crash Friday night (September 19) in Columbia, South Carolina. They had just performed at a free show in the Five Points area, along with Perry Farrell and headliner Gavin DeGraw. Farrell’s manager, Peter Katsis, confirmed that Farrell was not on the plane; and at this time, it was unclear whether DeGraw was onboard.

A Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman said the plane, which was trying to take off, went off the runway and crashed on a nearby road. She said air traffic controllers had reported seeing sparks coming from the plane, which was carrying six people.

Just after 10 a.m. Saturday, Setree identified two of the crash victims: the plane’s pilot, Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim, California, and her co-pilot, James Bland, who was 52 and lived in Carlsbad, California. At 10:40, Setree confirmed that Barker’s assistant, Chris "Little Chris" Baker, also died in the crash. He was 29, and lived in Studio City, California.

Barker and US radio DJ Adam Goldstein are being treated for burns.

Shiny Toy Guns will be headed out on a US tour in support of their forthcoming album, Season of Poison. The record is due out November 4, 2008.

Tour Dates:

September 22, 2008 Denver, CO The Marquis Theater

September 24, 2008 Seattle, WA Nectar

September 25, 2008 Portland, OR Berbati’s Pan

September 27, 2008 Salt Lake City, UT X96 at USANA Amphitheater

September 28, 2008 San Francisco, CA Folsom Street Fair

September 30, 2008 Reno, NV Club Underground

October 1, 2008 Orangevale, CA The Boardwalk

October 2, 2008 Fresno, CA The Exit

October 3, 2008 San Diego, CA SOMA

October 4, 2008 Los Angeles, CA LA Weekly Detour Festival

October 7, 2008 Dallas, TX The Loft

October 8, 2008 Houston, TX Warehouse Live

October 9, 2008 Austin, TX The Parish

October 17, 2008 Palmerton, PA Blue Mtn Ski Area

October 24, 2008 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater

October 25, 2008 Milwaukee, WI The Rave Bar

October 26, 2008 Detroit, MI Magic Stick

October 27, 2008 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop

New Found Glory has inked a deal with Epitaph Records. The pop-punk quintet, which parted ways with Geffen Records, had been in the hunt for a new record company to release the new album.

“We aren’t just some record to put out before the new Pussycat Dolls CD!,” band member Chad Gilbert said in a statement. “A real music label. We were over the big business of the majors.”

The band released the following statement via YouTube - check it out:

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Debbie Nelson, will release a “tell-all” book about her infamous rapper son, Eminem.

The book entitled, “My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem: Setting The Record Straight On My Life As Eminem’s Mother”, will see a US release date of November 1. Nelson sees the book as her chance to address negative criticism she has received from the press and Eminem’s fans. The book will also include previously-unpublished photos of the rapper, plus lyrics and poetry he wrote as a child.

The book has already been released in the UK and has reportedly sold over 100,000 copies.

Sir Paul McCartney will be guarded by armed secret agents during his gig in Israel this month. Politicians ordered the £1million Mossad operation over fears of an attack by Suicide Bombers.

Muslim fanatics are angry that Sir Paul, 65, agreed to the £4million Friendship First concert, to mark Israel’ s 60th anniversary. But an Israeli source said last night: “Anyone who tries anything will be meeting Allah sooner than they thought.”

Exiled preacher Omar Bakri said the ex-Beatle was the “ìenemy of Muslims”, however Sir Paul McCartney has insisted his first show in Israel will go on. He states, “We are planning to have a great time and a great evening. We can’t wait to get out there and rock.”

Amy Winehouse’s husband Blake Fielder-Civil has refused an early release from prison. Fielder-Civil has chosen to stay imprisoned, as the terms of his release would mean he’d have to live with his mom in Nottinghamshire and wear an electronic tag.

A source said: “It was all set for him to be released, but he refused to go to anywhere other than Camden. He doesn’t want to go somewhere where he can’t be reunited with Amy and his friends. He’d rather stay inside” (The Sun).

Good Charlotte guitarist, Billy Martin and his wife are expecting a new addition to their family.  Martin said everything stopped when he first heard the news.

“All the sound in the world stopped for a minute. I was shocked – but excited,” says Martin, 27. He and wife Linzi, 25, are planning an Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland-themed nursery that they’ll customize once they find out the baby’s gender. 

He says bandmate Joel Madden, who’s father to 8-month-old daughter Harlow, has been a great source of advice. 

“Joel says it’s going to change my whole world, but fatherhood is the best thing that ever happened to him,” says Martin. “He tells me not to stress out, and to try to take everything in stride and enjoy it because it’s the coolest thing that can happen to you.”

On October 28th, Sire Records will release the first solo EP from Against Me! frontman, Tom Gabel, entitled “Heart Burns”. It will be available on CD,Vinyl, and as a digital download.  Gabel recorded the 7 song EP this past August in Los Angeles, CA with my friends Billy Bush and Butch Vig.  Check out Gabel’s studio journal here.

Below is the track listing and artwork (by Steak Mtn) for “Heart Burns”.

1. Random Hearts
2. Conceptual Paths
3. Cowards Sing At Night
4. Amputations
5. Anna Is A Stool Pigeon
6. Harsh Realms
7. 100 Years Of War

Fall Out Boy did a cover of Akon’s mega hit “Don’t Matter”.  Click here to check it out. 

Best Buy Co Inc plans to buy digital music service Napster Incfor $121 million in cash.  Best Buy’s purchase of Napster is their effort to compete with Apple’s iTunes service and its iPod music players.

Neither Best Buy nor Napster, both heavy hitters in the music industry, have mounted much of a challenge to Apple, which holds more than 70 percent of the U.S. digital music market. Napster and Best Buy are betting they have a better chance by combining rather than competing with each other.

Best Buy plans to use Napster to reach new customers over an array of devices. The proposed acquisition includes Napster’s approximately 700,000 subscribers, its Web-based customer service and mobile capabilities. He said Best Buy has indicated it would retain the Napster name after deal closing, expected in the fourth quarter.

Richard Wright died in England on Monday, September 15 at the age of 65 after what was, according to David Gilmour “a short struggle with cancer.”  Rick Wright was a keyboardist, songwriter, and founding member of Pink Floyd.

His spokesman said: “The family of Richard Wright, founder member of Pink Floyd, announce with great sadness, that Richard died … after a short struggle with cancer. The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.”  He said the band member’s family did not want to give more details about his death.

Jack White has distanced himself from a new TV advertisement for Coca Cola.  The commercial is using his song, ‘Another Way To Die’ which White wrote as the theme song for forthcoming James Bond film, ‘Quantam Of Solace’.

Coca Cola are using Jack White’s ‘Another Way To Die’ to promote their drink Coke Zero, which they have re-branded Coke Zero Zero 7 to tie in with the film.  However, White’s management has issued a statement distancing The White Stripes and Raconteurs man from the advert, claiming that it was not his decision to license the song for use in the promo.

"Jack White was commissioned by Sony Pictures to write a theme song for the James Bond film ‘Quantum Of Solace’, not for Coca Cola," read the statement. "Any other use of the song is based on decisions made by others, not by Jack White.

The (International) Noise Conspiracy have announced plans to release their next album. Four years after the release of Armed Love, garage rockers the (International) Noise Conspiracy have unveiled Cross of My Calling, the fifth album which is set to land stateside Nov. 25 on Vagrant/American Recordings. The quartet recorded the fourteen-track set at Sunset Sound in Hollywood with legendary producer, and American Records founder, Rick Rubin at the helm.

"We’ve worked hard for a long time, but it’s a tough world to get by in," vocalist Lyxzén said. "Anything that doesn’t fit the mold scares the music industry. We know how this world works; that’s just the way it is. But we also recognize the industry is on shaky ground because of that, which is why it’s so cool to have someone like Rick believe in you."

The band’s last studio album, Armed Love, was released in 2005. Since then, the band delivered a reissue of Live at Oslo Jazz Festival in 2007.

Cross of My Calling tracklisting:
1. "Intro
2. "The Assassination of Myself"
3. "Dustbins of History"
4. "Arm Yourself"
5. "Hiroshima Mon Amour"
6. "Boredom of Safety"
7. "Child of God"
8. "Interlude"
9. "I Am The Dynamite"
10. "Washington Bullets"
11. "Satan Made the Deal"
12. "Storm the Gates of Beverly Hills"
13. "Black September"
14. "The Cross of My Calling"

Australia granted gangsta rapper Snoop Dogg a visa on Friday after public complaints over a planned tour in October.  In exchange for the Visa, the rapper will be required to undergo counseling before arriving in Australia.

Snoop Dogg was refused permission to even apply for a visa to enter Australia in 2007 because of his criminal record.

“We took into account all relevant factors and, on balance, the department decided to grant the visa,” an immigration spokesman said.

Oscar-winning Australian actor Russell Crowe this week wrote a letter to immigration officials to support Snoop Dogg’s visa application and 17-day “Smoked Out” tour. Crowe said Snoop Dogg had pledges to do charity work with at-risk youths while in Australia.

“I submit to you that Snoop Dogg poses no threat to Australia or to any individual in this country,” Crowe wrote.

AC/DC is coming up from down under for a tour to support its upcoming Black Ice album. Check out the dates below.

Tour dates:

Oct. 28 - “Bank” Arena, Wilkes-Barre, Penn.
Oct. 30 - “Insurance” Arena, Chicago
Nov. 3 - Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Nov. 5 - Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit
Nov. 7 - Rogers Center, Toronto
Nov. 9 - “Bank” Garden, Boston
Nov. 12-13 - Madison Square Garden, New York
Nov. 15 - “Wireless” Center, Washington, D.C.
Nov. 19 - “Polo Shirt” Center, East Rutherford, N.J.
Nov. 21 - Schottenstein Center, Columbus, Ohio
Nov. 23 - “Energy” Center, Minneapolis
Nov. 25 - The Can, Denver
Nov. 28 - “Automotive Manufacturer” Place, Vancouver
Nov. 29 - KeyArena, Seattle
Nov. 30 - Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, Wash.
Dec. 2 - “Computers” Arena, Oakland, Calif.
Dec. 6 - The Forum, Los Angeles
Dec. 10 - “Airlines” Center, Phoenix
Dec. 12 - “Telecommunications” Center, San Antonio, Texas
Dec. 14 - “Automotive Manufacturer” Center, Houston
Dec. 16 - Phillips Arena, Atlanta
Dec. 18 - Cable Arena, Charlotte, N.C.