Metallica bassist calls it quits

Half of Metallica’s rhythm section is off to greener pastures. After 14 years, Jason Newsted announced Wednesday that he is leaving thinking man’s metal behind for personal reasons. The announcement suggested that the band’s heavy touring schedule has taken a physical toll on the bassist.”Due to private and personal reasons, and the physical damage that I have done to myself over the years while playing the music that I love, I must step away from the band,” Newsted said. “This is the most difficult decision of my life, made in the best interest of my family, myself and the continued growth of Metallica. I extend my love, thanks and best wishes to my brothers.”Guitarist Kirk Hammet responded with equal affection for Newsted.”Jason is our brother. He will be missed,” he said.Drummer Lars Ulrich took time out from shutting down Napster to share his thoughts and feelings on the errant bassist.”We part ways with Jason with more love, more mutual respect and more understanding of each other than at any other point in the past,” Ulrich said. “James, Kirk and I look forward to embracing the next chapter of Metallica with both a huge amount of appreciation for the last 14 years with Jason and the excitement of rising to the challenges that lay ahead to make Metallica shine brighter than ever.”Dynamic frontman and self-described lover of evil, James Hetfield said Newsted’s contribution to Metallica will live on in their music after his departure.”Playing with someone who has such unbridled passion for music will forever be a huge inspiration,” he said. “On stage every night, he was a driving force to us all, fans and band alike.”The band has made no statements concerning Newsted’s replacement, but the band is still planning to write and record a new album this spring to be released around the end of the year.

Kim Basinger to dump Alec Baldwin

One of Hollywood’s grand old couples is calling it quits this week as Kim Basinger filed for divorce last Friday from husband Alec Baldwin. According to E! Online, Basinger cited irreconcilable differences with Baldwin in papers filed at Los Angeles County Superior Court to put the kibosh on seven years of marriage.The vivacious 47-year-old Basinger and the suave 42-year-old Baldwin have been separated since Dec. 5 of last year. Basinger has had custody of their 5-year-old daughter, Ireland, and has been living with her in a confidential location.Ironically, Basinger and Baldwin began their love affair on the set of the romantic comedy “The Marrying Man” in 1990. The two were hitched on August 19, 1993, in East Hampton, New York, in an intimate ceremony of 60 guests and an unreported number of paparazzi.The divorce comes as something of a surprise to industry insiders and the media as the couple has long been touted as one of the enduring couples of Hollywood. Basinger even told People magazine that she was “enormously happy” with her marriage in 1999. In a 1998 profile in Ladies’ Home Journal, Basinger gave her marriage a glowing review. “It’s like, ‘No matter what comes down, it’s you and me, pal, together,'” Basinger said. “He trusts me to the ends of the world, and I trust him.”Baldwin also seemed to have nothing but positive things to say about his relationship with Basinger.”Marriage changes things because there’s a lot more at stake,” Baldwin told a Redbook magazine reporter. “You can’t get too toxic because you have to live together. No one can reach for the nuclear button too quickly. In past relationships, before I was married, I’d go back to my apartment, and she went back to hers, and it was over. “Marriage is different. The stakes are higher, so everybody cools it. You’ve got the bomb, and I’ve got the bomb, so let’s not go throwing them around too quickly.”Neither Basinger nor Baldwin have made an official comment on the separation or pending divorce.

Green Day given a plagiarism ‘warning’

Obscure English rocker, Colin Merry was not the only person disappointed with the latest Green Day release “Warning.” According to Sonicnet, Merry is so far the only person claiming that Green Day got its inspiration by stealing his music.Merry is the lead vocalist for Other Garden, a heretofore unknown English band, and is planning to sue Green Day for breach of copyright over alleged similarities between his song “Never Got the Chance” and Green Day’s “Warning.” Apparently, both bands admit that both their songs are based on the same circling bass riff in The Kinks’ “Picture Book.” There is currently no word from The Kinks as to whether or not they are planning to sue either band.

‘Cup of Life’ writer angry about inaugural performance

Robi “Draco” Rosa, writer of the Ricky Martin hit “The Cup of Life,” is holding a cup of bitter anger these days over Martin’s upcoming performance at George W. Bush’s inaugural celebration on Thursday.According to Sonicnet, Rosa is not upset with Martin, but with the Republican Party. Rosa said Friday that he believes the GOP is using Latinos for their own political gain. “It’s about Bush using my song and Latinos and Ricky as pawns,” Rosa said. “I’m not going to be a monkey performing at the palace. I’m all for celebrating with my people, but only when it’s for something real.”Rosa did not provide a definition of “real.” In a statement issued through his publicist last Friday, Rosa criticized Bush and his camp for a variety of policy choices. “This is a president who would have people in his Cabinet who would obstruct the exercise of civil rights, human rights, consumer rights, the right to choose, the right to be free of gun violence and the right to a clean environment,” Rosa said. “This is a betrayal of everything that every Puerto Rican should stand for.”Rosa and Martin are both former members of the long-running Puerto Rican boy band Menudo. This relationship however doesn’t guarantee that Martin will return Rosa’s phone calls, however. Rosa has been trying to reach Martin in order to ask him why he agreed to do the inauguration since last Thursday to no avail.If all goes as currently planned, Martin will be performing “The Cup of Life” at the inauguration gala called Celebration of America’s Spirit Together at the Lincoln Memorial.

NBC prepares to battle reality

In an attempt to thwart CBS from dominating Thursday nights, NBC is currently planning to serve a volley of longer-than-usual episodes of “Friends” and shorter-than-typical, primetime versions of “Saturday Night Live” during February.Newly inaugurated president of NBC programming, Jeff Zucker, has ordered up “super-sized” episodes of “Friends” to go head on with CBS’ “Survivor: The Australian Outback” during sweeps. According to Variety, the new episodes of “Friends” will run a total of 40 minutes with commercials and the extra 20 minutes will be filled with bite-sized segments of “Saturday Night Live.” The “SNL” segments will be broadcast live featuring the regular cast.”The Weber Show” (formerly known as “Cursed”) will go on hiatus during sweeps week. Other options considered were re-runs of “Will and Grace” or clip shows, but Zucker felt this year’s sweeps problem required a unique solution. “We’re always looking for a fresh, innovative approach to bring viewers to our programming,” Zucker said.