They are signed to Burbank indie Feudal Records. The label was founded by former Columbia Records A&R turned-SonyBMG music producer Robert Shahnazarian (The Killers, The Decemberists, Kelly Clarkson, Incubus).

The Library is currently recording a studio CD due in the summer. A maxi-single will be available on April 1. So far, they have shared concert stages with de la soul, Ghostface Killah and West Indian Girl.

She also worked as a stripper before becoming an Oscar-winning screenwriter for "Juno" last month. Essentially, the entertainment industry does not care. Neither do I. If the guy can sing everyone else's tail off, he deserves to make it into the top 12.

Personally, I usually wait until they've narrowed the contestants down to 10 before I start investing time in the show. I might make an exception now.

I wonder how this revelation with sit with the core of "Idol" voters in the Bible Belt though.

What are your thoughts?

Motley Crue frontman Vince Neil will perform with his solo band at Big Bear Chopper's annual Ride the Mountain Rally. The event is June 7-8 at Snow Summit Ski Resort.

For more information, www.bigbearchoppers.com

Tickets are $15 and available at the door. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. A Static Lullaby is also on the bill. For more information, go to http://theglasshouse.us

It will be broadcast live on VH1 Classic (tape delayed on the West Coast).

British DJ Goldie, who became a drum 'n' bass sensation in the late '90s thanks to the single "Inner City Life" and the CD "SaturnzReturn, will appear at the Gotham/Hudson Theater in San Bernardino on Saturday night.

The Sin City night of house, electro, trance and jungle features Donald Glaude, Jason Blakemore and others. Tickets are $50, available at groovetickets.com.

Here are more excerpts from my interview with Billy Gibbons (vocals/guitar) of ZZ Top. The band plays a short set Sunday at California Speedway.

Q: Last summer, I caught the Irvine stop of the Jack FM tour with Pretenders and Stray Cats. How did that tour go overall?
A: When we brought that to a close, nobody wanted to leave. We’d become as tight-knit a bunch as you can imagine. I hadn’t had that much fun in a long time. Gosh, it was like startin’ over or something. I don’t know how to describe it. A lot of fun.

Q: This past November, the band taped a live show in Grand Prairie, Texas. Will that be coming out on DVD soon?
A: Yeah. We had a film crew in tow for that one. They’re in the editing process at the moment. It’s in the works.

Q: Since you have a new studio CD planned, will it be on a new label or will you self-release it?
A: We’re talking with a couple different outfits that are interested. My old buddy Rick Rubin is a real talent and he knows good music. He’s one of the leading exponents of knowing what feels right. He’s got a good feel for a great song and certainly knows how to listen to good music.

Q: Will the new material be in harder-edged vein?
A: It might, but as they say, ‘we’re the same three guys playing the same three chords.’

Q: So he might be involved in the album?
A: Hopefully so. I’m going to the wrestling matches with him next week.

Q: What is your take on the proliferation of song downloads these days and fewer people buying CDs?
A: The genie’s out of the bottle; there’s no turning back. I’ve worked with Chad Kroger, the singer for Nickelback. He and I were having a laugh. We collaborated on a song that turned out steady going for two years now, called “Rock Star.” They’re the antithesis to the whole business because they do sell a lot of product. He said, ‘we’re lucky to actually be selling hard goods,’ which is rare. Then you start thinking, ‘wait a minute, that doesn’t mean somebody isn’t downloading it as well.’ The numbers can be a little tricky. I think it’s a gas. I saw a couple young guys, I was at the shopping mall buying some funky creepers the other day and the two guys were sitting there waiting for their buddy to get off work. They recognized me standing at the counter and were grinning and didn’t want to say anything. I looked over and they had their iPod ear buds hanging into their shirt pockets and I said, ‘what are you guys listening to?’ They said, ‘we’re waiting on our buddy to get off work because we’re going to trade tracks tonight.’ That was their big deal. I said, ‘are you going to burn from CDs?’ They looked at each other and go, ‘what’s a CD?’ Things have changed, my friend.

Q: Do you still do the iPod trading between fellow musicians where you load it with songs for month and give it to the next person?
A: Yeah, there’s a new iPod with a 150 gig drive inside. It’s just insane – 500,000 tracks. There’s a group traveling with us called Blackberry Smoke. They came out on the road and couldn’t go home to refresh their iPods, so we became track tradin’ pals.

Q: A couple weeks ago, you were out here in Pomona at the Grand National Roadster Show. How was that event?
A: It was a big big deal. For years, they had it in Oakland, and then they moved it to Southern California. There’s more stuff than you can take in during a weekend. It’s just wild.

Q: Tell me about your sculpture, the VW bus ball.
A: [laughs] We dabble. There’s all kinds of crazy things aside from music that keeps us busy. While we were at the Grand National show, we signed copies of the book we got out called ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Gear Head.’ It’s a really nice coffee table edition of beautiful color plates, color photographs of our automobile and guitar collections we’ve put together over the years. We’re having a lot of fun. But it’s still the music that drives the whole shebang.

Q: Last week, a San Bernardino native who designed some of your first amps, died. What effect did those first amps have on the early ZZ Top sound?
A: Oh gee whiz. First of all, we were fortunate enough to have been on the same planet at the same time. We’re still counting on some of those early creations that maintain a character. They have a
personality that put us into a place that allowed us to play what we wanted to hear. Without the gear, one would be lost.

Q: Do you still use some of those old amps in recording or touring?
A: Yeah, that’s pretty much it. Our recording studio has a special vault where we keep the old goodies.

Q: The band has been out to the Fender Center Museum in Corona and donated some memorabilia to their display. What do you think of their Kids Rock Free program?
A: Yes, indeed. We’re big supporters of what they do…to carry on and offer the opportunity for guys and gals getting started to really get their feet on the ground, it really makes sense. It’s a good thing.

The O.C.-based musician, who plays the Inland area often, had stored it in a hotel locker overnight. Anyone who might have seen the gear is asked to contact Costa's manager Chris Fenn at chris@mattcosta.com.

Here is a list of the missing instruments:
- Gibson J-45 (natural colour)
- Gibson ES335 (seafoam blue)
- Epiphone EL-OO (sunburst)
- Fender Custom Shop Nocaster Relic (blond)
- Fender Custom Shop 1963 Telecaster Relic (Lake Placid blue)
- 1953 Supro lap steel guitar (salmon mother-of-pearl)
- Kentucky mandolin (sunburst)
- Fender Custom Shop '59 Relic precision bass (blond)

Costa returns to SoCal April 24 as part of the Off Center series at the Samueli Theater, OC Performing Arts Center, Costa Mesa. More info: www.ocpac.org.

Shooter Jennings, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Chuck Wicks, Sons of San Joaquin and Don Edwards join previously annouced headliner The Eagles, plus John Fogerty, Trisha Yearwood, Shelby Lynne and Glen Campbell.

For details, go to stagecoachfestival.com or ticketmaster.com

That Police show at the Hollywood Bowl on May 27 goes on sale at 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 24. The prices, without surcharges, are (take a breath)...
$54.50, $99.50, $154.50, $304.50.

I was really hoping when they said the final leg would be sheds in markets they bypassed before, they'd go to Irvine or heaven forbid, Devore. Oh well.

Look for tickets to go on sale sometime around the weekend of Feb. 23.

A Day to Remember
The Maine
The Higher
Alesana
Set Your Goals
Stick to Your Guns
August Burns Red
Forever the Sickest Kid