Away Team

Jesus titties people, this has had to be the most confusing day in music in…. like… forever or something.

Black Sabbath has reunited, but they didn’t. Rhapsody Of Fire split and dude is taking the word Rhapsody with him but not ‘Of Fire’ because… wait, why is he naming his new band Rhapsody if he doesn’t want to be in Rhapsody Of Fire anymore?

And now this…

From POLLSTAR.com:

KISS will rock Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium as part of “Michael Forever – The Tribute Concert.”
Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine Jackson revealed the latest addition to the Oct. 8 concert in the U.K. while appearing on CNN this morning, saying her son “would be very excited about KISS.” Acts already announced for the mega-show in Wales include Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green, Leona Lewis, Smokey Robinson, Craig David, The Jackson Brothers, Alien Ant Farm, 3T and Brit boy band JLS.

BUT WAIT!!!! There’s more…

From CNN.com:

Promoters yanked the rock band KISS from the Michael Jackson tribute show Tuesday after fans called their attention to negative remarks KISS leader Gene Simmons made about the pop star in the weeks after his death.
The reversals came a day after Katherine Jackson appeared live on CNN to announce the addition of KISS to the lineup for “Michael Forever: The Tribute Concert,” scheduled for October 8 in Cardiff, Wales.
“We have listened to Michael’s fans and are grateful to have been alerted to these unfortunate statements by Gene Simmons,” Global Live Events CEO Chris Hunt told CNN Tuesday.
Fan clubs appeared in open revolt against the tribute show after promoters added the group. Fan websites pointed to published interviews in which Simmons spoke about his suspicions that Jackson, who was acquitted of child molestation in 2005, was a pedophile.

Wait. Just wait a damned minute. Let me catch my breath.

So Gene Simmons says what everybody knows to be true, but the wackiest family in show business has no idea he said it, so they agree to let KISS perform in a tribute show to Michael Jackson.

Ok, I think I get it. But, what about these questions…

Why would KISS perform at a Michael Jackson benefit show?
Why would the Jacksons WANT KISS to perform at an MJ benefit show?
Why would ANYONE think KISS would be a good idea at an MJ benefit?
and lastly…
Why is there a BOY BAND performing at an MJ benefit? Can no one in the UK spell IRONY or understand it?

I have to go lay down now.

In what stands as a major global music relief effort to benefit those affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, over 30 of the biggest names in contemporary music have joined together for the worldwide release of “Songs for Japan,” an unprecedented compilation of 38 chart-topping hits and classic tracks, available worldwide on the iTunes Store for $9.99 ON SALE NOW. Proceeds from the album’s sale will benefit the disaster relief efforts of the Japanese Red Cross Society.

The “Songs for Japan” track listing features an all-star lineup:
1. John Lennon “Imagine” (Remastered)
2. U2 “Walk On” (Radio Edit)
3. Bob Dylan “Shelter From The Storm”
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers “Around The World” (Live)
5. Lady Gaga “Born This Way” (Starsmith Remix)
6. Beyonce “Irreplaceable”
7. Bruno Mars “Talking To The Moon” (Acoustic Piano Version)
8. Katy Perry “Firework”
9. Rihanna “Only Girl (In The World)”
10. Justin Timberlake “Like I Love You”
11. Madonna “Miles Away” (Live)
12. David Guetta “When Love Takes Over” (feat. Kelly Rowland)
13. Eminem “Love The Way You Lie” (feat. Rihanna) [Clean Version]
14. Bruce Springsteen “Human Touch”
15. Josh Groban “Awake” (Live)
16. Keith Urban “Better Life”
17. Black Eyed Peas “One Tribe”
18. Pink “Sober”
19. Cee Lo Green “It’s Ok”
20. Lady Antebellum “I Run To You”
21. Bon Jovi “What Do You Got?”
22. Foo Fighters “My Hero”
23. R.E.M. “Man On The Moon”
24. Nicki Minaj “Save Me” (Clean Version)
25. Sade “By Your Side”
26. Michael Buble “Hold On” (Radio Mix)
27. Justin Bieber “Pray” (Acoustic)
28. Adele “Make You Feel My Love”
29. Enya “If I Could Be Where You Are”
30. Elton John “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”
31. John Mayer “Waiting On The World To Change”
32. Queen “Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)” [Remastered]
33. Kings Of Leon “Use Somebody”
34. Sting “Fragile” (Live In Berlin)
35. Leona Lewis “Better In Time”
36. Ne-Yo “One In A Million”
37. Shakira “Whenever, Wherever”
38. Norah Jones “Sunrise”

For more SONGS FOR JAPAN click here.

Proceeds from “Songs for Japan” will be directed to the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) to support its disaster relief efforts. The society will use the funds for the ongoing provision of immediate relief and for eventual recovery support to the affected population. The artists participating on “Songs for Japan,” the music labels and music publishers have waived their royalties and proceeds from the worldwide sales of the album to ensure that the JRCS receives as much support as possible from this global initiative. iTunes will also donate its proceeds from the album’s worldwide sales to the benefit of the JRCS, and has prominently featured the project throughout its stores worldwide.