--Court Date Set For "Spider-Man" Trial Involving Bono, Edge

U2's Bono and the Edge have a new gig on their schedule, but there probably won't be much music involved.  "The New York Times" says a federal judge has set a court date in the legal battle between the rockers, producers of the Broadway musical, "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," and director Julie Taymor.  The trial is now scheduled to start May 28th in Manhattan.  A source close to the case tells the "Times" that the parties are at an impasse when it comes to creative rights and control of "Spider-Man."  After Taymor was fired back in March 2011, she sued Bono and the Edge, who served as composers for the production, as well as the producers.  She claimed they were making money off her ideas.  But the producers countersued, arguing that Taymor had been let go for breach of contract.  The source says the parties are still talking, and there's a chance there will be a settlement before the trial starts.


--Chili Peppers' Chad Smith Lobbies Congress For Music Education Funding

Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith is trying out his lobbying skills in the nation's capital this week.  According to "Rolling Stone," Smith is teaming up with former New York Yankees star and jazz guitarist Bernie Williams on behalf of the National Association of Music Merchants.  They're urging members of Congress not to cut music funding in public schools in light of the National Education Association union's estimation that the sequester could cut more than four-billion dollars in spending from the Department of Education and Head Start.  Smith says Congress has the power to "do something good here for everybody and every kid."  He adds that if it wasn't for music, he "probably would have ended up in jail or dead."  But instead, he wound up in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Smith and his Chili Pepper bandmates were inducted last year.


--Nine Inch Nails Post Documentary Online

Nine Inch Nails are getting fans prepped for their upcoming tour with a look back at one of their old treks.  Trent Reznor and company have posted a rare documentary about their "Self Destruct" tour, which ran from 1994 to 1996, on their Tumblr page.  Reznor warns that the doc does contain some "Not Safe For Work" material.  But he also notes that it has plenty of concert and behind-the-scenes footage, as well as cameos from David Bowie and Marilyn Manson.  Nine Inch Nails have also posted other rarities to the website, including an acoustic performance of the "Downward Spiral" track "The Becoming."  The band is scheduled to hit the road in its new form later this year.


--Dropkick Murphys Bassist Kicks Alleged Nazi Off Stage

Dropkick Murphys are known for putting on a rowdy show, but that doesn't mean the Celtic rockers will let just anything slide at one of their gigs.  Video from the band's March 13th show at New York's Terminal 5 surfaced this week, showing bassist Ken Casey going after a fan who allegedly began to flash a Nazi salute while onstage.  According to "The Hollywood Reporter," the fan was part of a large group invited onstage for the Boston punk band's encore.  After a few songs, Casey can be seen making his way across the stage toward the fan and starting a pile-on that eventually forced the man off the stage.  Casey then stepped to a microphone and announced that Nazis are not welcome at a Dropkick Murphys show, which the crowd approved with a roar of support.  Once that matter was settled, the band quickly picked up where they left off and finished the show.


--Ozzy Osbourne Would Welcome Opportunity To Sing With Adele

Ozzy Osbourne says he'd "die a happy man" if he had the chance to work with Adele.  The Black Sabbath frontman tells Australia's "Rip It Up" that he really admires the young British singer-songwriter because she's not "botox-faced," but is "a normal, healthy girl who speaks in her native accent."  Ozzy already has one connection to Adele -- Rick Rubin.  Rubin has been working with Black Sabbath on their new album, "13," and was one of the producers on Adele's numerically named album, "21."

Ozzy also has lots of praise for Rubin.  He admits he'd been told that Rick's busy schedule might keep the producer from attending every recording session for "13," but the singer says every time he was in the studio Rubin "was there."  Osbourne is also confident that Rubin "knows what he's doing."  He adds that if Sabbath's album "is anywhere near as successful as the Adele album," he'll "be happy."  Black Sabbath's "13" is due in stores on June 11th.


--Anthrax Drummer Sheds Light On New Covers EP

Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante says the group's new covers EP was a project that evolved into place.  The rocker tells UltimateClassicRock.com that some of the tracks on "Anthems" were "recorded a little while back," but others, like the Boston, Rush, AC/DC, and Journey songs "were all done fresh."  He adds that the track list also came about in a somewhat haphazard way.  Benante recalls that his Boston t-shirt prompted Scott Ian to suggest covering a Boston song, which led to them recording "Smokin'," while Joey Belladonna "was pretty keen" to remake AC/DC's "T.N.T."  Other tracks include Thin Lizzy's "Jailbreak" and Cheap Trick's "Big Eyes."  The eight-song collection also features two versions of their own "Crawl."  Anthrax's "Anthems" is in stores now.


--Report: Mumfords, Phoenix, Vampire Weekend Among Lollapalooza Headliners

It looks like Mumford & Sons, Phoenix, Vampire Weekend, and the Killers have all booked their tickets to this year's edition of Lollapalooza.  According to the "Chicago Tribune," multiple industry sources say they'll be among the headlining acts at the upcoming music festival, along with the National and the recently-reunited Postal Service.  Promoters C3 Presents are expected to officially unveil the lineup next month.  Lollapalooza 2013 will take place in Chicago's Grant Park from August 2nd through the 4th.  "Early Bird" tickets are scheduled to go on sale next Tuesday, March 26th.


--Today's Birthdays

Asia drummer Carl Palmer is 63.  He was also in the group Emerson, Lake, and Palmer.
Fabulous Thunderbirds guitarist Jimmy Vaughan is 62.
Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos is 41.
Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington is 37.


--Today In Rock History

In 1960
Elvis Presley returned to Nashville's RCA studios for his first post-Army recording session.

In 1968
Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Richie Furay and Jim Messina were arrested at a private residence in Los Angeles and charged with "being in a place where it is suspected marijuana is being used."  It was a misdemeanor for which Clapton was found innocent, the others had to pay small fines.

In 1971
Janis Joplin's "Me And Bobby McGee" hit number one on the pop singles chart.

In 1972
T. Rex released the album "Electric Warrior," including the hit "Bang A Gong (Get It On.)"

In 1974
Black Sabbath's album "Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath" was certified Gold.

In 1977
Lou Reed was banned from performing at the London Palladium because of his punk image.

In 1980
A Texas trucker held the manager of the New York office of Elektra/Asylum Records hostage at gunpoint for two hours, demanding to see either a member of the Eagles or Jackson Browne.  He eventually gave up when a local radio station agreed to play the Eagles' tune "Desperado."

In 1990
Social Distortion released its self-titled album.

In 1991
Eric Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor, fell to his death from a 53rd floor window of his mother's apartment in New York City.  A grieving dad wrote the Grammy-winning song "Tears In Heaven" in memory of the boy.

In 1994
Friends of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain held a five hour intervention with him regarding his drug use.

In 2002
R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck testified in his air rage trial in London, saying he had no recollection of doing any of the things of which he'd been accused.  He explained that he'd had about three glasses of wine and took a sleeping pill at the start of the flight, and the next thing he remembered was being in police custody in England.  Buck had been accused of rowdy, belligerent, violent, and destructive behavior on the flight.

Tommy Lee's ex-wife Pamela Anderson revealed that she had Hepatitis C, and claimed she contracted it from the former Motley Crue drummer.