TV On The Radio

TV On The Radio

TV On The Radio bassist Gerard Smith has passed away from lung cancer at the age of 36. He was diagnosed with the disease after the band finished recording its new album, Nine Types of Light, and they disclosed the news to fans about five weeks ago when they announced that Smith would not be able to tour with them because he was receiving treatment. He originally joined TV On The Radio before they began recording their last album, 2008's Dear Science. "We are very sad to announce the death of our beloved friend and bandmate, Gerard Smith, following a courageous fight against lung cancer," reads a message posted on the group's website "Gerard passed away the morning of April 20th, 2011. We will miss him terribly." The band cancelled all concerts between April 20 and 26 as a result of his passing.

Beyoncé dropped the official version of her new single, "Run the World (Girls)," on Thursday morning via iTunes, and it also was sent to radio. The girl-power anthem is a cleaned up version of the demo that leaked online earlier in the week. The new track was produced by Switch, Beyoncé and Shea Taylor, and Beyoncé also co-wrote the song with The-Dream. There is still no word on when the video might debut, but director Francis Lawrence has promised that it will be epic. "It'll be big, it'll probably be one of the bigger Beyoncé music videos ever done," he told MTV News. "And I can say that I think the song is unbelievable."
Dave Matthews Band has announced two more of their Caravan festivals. The show will come to New York City's Governors Island on August 26, 27 and 28 and The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA on September 2, 3 and 4. The events will feature a diverse lineup of musical acts performing on multiple stages during the day and a full set by headliners Dave Matthews Band each night. The lineup for the Governors Island event will include Dispatch, The Roots, Gogol Bordello, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and many more to be announced. The lineup for The Gorge event will include Dispatch, The Roots, John Butler Trio, Gogol Bordello, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zerosand more.
Nikki Sixx's new book, This Is Gonna Hurt: Photography and Life Through The Distorted Lens Of Nikki Sixx, has debuted at #4 on the New York TimesBest Sellers list. The book is part journal, part memoir, and part social commentary and features his original photography. The new Sixx: AM album, This Is Gonna Hurt, is a companion to the book and will be out May 3.

The Kanye West Foundation, which was founded by his mother Donda West and was intended to prevent teens from dropping out of high school, has closed its doors after four years in operation. The news was made public by former executive director Joseph Collins, who sent an e-mail to associates stating that he was out of a job. "I am reaching out to let you know that the Kanye West Foundation has officially closed it doors after a successful 4+ years of programming and events," he wrote, according to AOL's PopEater blog. "It has been an incredible experience working with Kanye and the board to realize his mother's vision and I am honored to have been given the opportunity to lead the Foundation." No reason for the closure has been given, but the 2007 death of Donda West may have contributed to the program's ending.
Biffy Clyro took part in Spin's "Liner Notes" series this week, alongside author Mark Z. Danielewski. The Liner Notes events pair musicians and authors in live performances. Biffy Clyro's latest album, Only Revolutions, took its name from Danielewski's 2006 book of the same name. Video from the event, including performances of "God And Satan" and "The Captain," can be found here.

Actor-turned-director Michael Rapaport has spoken to Rolling Stone about all the drama and controversy surrounding his documentary film Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest. At first rapper Q-Tip said he did not support the film, and then most of the group did not attend its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. In March, Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammadand Jarobi went on MTV to give their side of the story, saying that they didn't get creative control over the movie and they were being deprived of producing credits. "Let me say this," Rapaport toldRolling Stone. "They don't have final cut. I don't think in a documentary as intimate as this – as emotional, as personal as it is – that the people it's about should have a say. It's hard for them to have perspective." Meanwhile, the movie premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 27, and Rapaport hopes he can gain the band's support. "Q-Tip, Ali, and Jarobi have yet to see the final cut, or to see the film with an audience. It's only been on a computer screen, and that's no way to watch a movie," he said. "I'm sure once they see it in its entirety, they'll realize it's a positive depiction of the group. It's my love letter to them. And I hope we get past all this."