Loose Ends: Pearl Jam Bonus, Raconteurs Become Saboteurs And RIP June Pointer

04/13/06 7:30pm

Pearl Jam fans who pre-order the group's forthcoming self-titled album from HMV as of April 17 will receive a confirmation card that will allow them to download a recording of one of the 15 concerts they played on last year's Canadian tour.

"World Wide Suicide" has already topped the country's rock radio chart in advance of the album's May 2 release and a North American tour that kicks off at Toronto's Air Canada Centre a week later.

The Raconteurs - the new group featuring Jack White, Brendan Benson and The Greenhornes' rhythm section - will be changing their name to The Saboteurs in Australia since there's already a jazz band called The Raconteurs down under. The band's V2 debut will be released on May 19.

June Pointer, the youngest member of the R&B group The Pointer Sisters, died of cancer on Tuesday at age 52 after being hospitalized since February.

She left the group last year and, shortly thereafter, was charged with felony cocaine possession and ordered to enter a rehabilitation facility. The Pointer Sisters had a string of hits in the late '70s and early '80s, including "Fire," "Jump (For My Love)" and "Neutron Dance."

Toronto gutter rockers Maximum RNR are splitting a blue vinyl seven-inch release with their Dutch counterparts The Spades.

Maximum RNR contributed "Ire Of The Ram" and "Inside The Tracks" to the record, while The Spades recorded "CCCP Motherfucker" and "Get Outta Line" for it. The split can be purchased for $3 U.S. from Relapse Records.

Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty missed a scheduled court appearance in London, England this week after he claimed that he was stuck in Paris, where his band was performing.

Doperty was supposed to check in as part of his drug rehabilitation program and is due to appear in the same court on April 20 to answer to different drug charges.

But he wasn't the only Babyshambles member being a bad boy for a change, as guitarist Patrick Walden was put behind bars for a few days after being charged with common assault following an incident involving his girlfriend, Nadia Patane. He's pleaded not guilty.

Walden was a full-time member of the group, but has only played with them sporadically since January.

Another musician familiar with doing time is '70s teen idol Leif Garrett, who's been sent to jail for 45 days after failing several drug tests while undergoing a court-ordered rehab program.

The 44-year-old agreed to enter the program for violating probation from a 2004 cocaine arrest. Garrett also faces felony heroin possession charges stemming from a January 14 incident in Los Angeles. He's pleaded not guilty in the case.

Toronto concert announcements:

April 21 Mountain @ Healey's
April 27 Linda McLean, Jenny Whiteley and Laura Repo @ El Mocambo
May 4 Guillemots @ Mod Club
May 5 Necro @ Opera House
May 5 Russian Futurists @ Horseshoe
May 5 Blue Room @ Silver Dollar
May 11 Small Sins @ Horseshoe
May 13 Mobile and Surplus Sons @ Mod Club
May 21 Bullet For My Valentine, Walls Of Jericho and Roses Are Red @ Opera House
May 26 The Miniatures @ Horseshoe
May 27 Twilight Singers, After Hours and Jeff Klein @ Lee's Palace
June 8 G. Love And Special Sauce @ Phoenix
June 9 Pocket Dwellers @ Opera House
June 11 Pink Mountaintops @ Horseshoe
June 15 Legendary Pink Dots @ Lee's Palace
June 16 The Bellrays @ Horseshoe
June 16 White Cowbell Oklahoma @ Lee's Palace
June 17 Arctic Monkeys @ Kool Haus
June 17 Chalk Circle @ Lee's Palace
June 30 Seu Jorge @ Harbourfront Centre
July 5 The Roots and Aloe Blacc @ Kool Haus
July 6 Salif Keita @ Harbourfront Centre
July 11 Sounds Of The Underground @ Molson Amphitheatre
July 15 Panic! At The Disco, The Dresden Dolls and The Hush Sound @ Docks
July 21 Les Claypool @ Phoenix
July 22 Brand New @ Kool Haus

Vancouver concert announcements:

May 7 Rainer Maria @ Media Club
May 9 Islands, Cadence Weapon and Busdriver @ Mesa Luna
May 15 A-Trak & The Rub, Cosmo Baker and Ayres @ Plaza Club
May 20 The (International) Noise Conspiracy @ Plaza Club
May 20 The Bellrays and The Beladeans @ Red Room
May 26 Architecture In Helsinki @ Plaza Club
May 27 Arctic Monkeys and We Are Scientists @ Commodore Ballroom
May 27 Wolfmother and Deadboy And The Elephantmen @ Richard's On Richards
June 1 Elefant @ Richard's On Richards
June 5 Les Claypool @ Commodore Ballroom
June 10 The Walkmen and Mazarin @ Richard's On Richards
July 14 Reverend Horton Heat, Horrorpops and Throw Rag @ Commodore Ballroom