IN: Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh rock band, formed in 1986 in Blackwood, Caerphilly and consisting of James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar), Nicky Wire (bass guitar, lyrics) and Sean Moore (drums, percussion, soundscapes). They are often colloquially known as the Manics. Following the release of their first single, "Suicide Alley", the band was joined by Richey Edwards as co-lyricist and rhythm guitarist. The band's early albums were in a punk vein, eventually broadening to a greater alternative rock sound, whilst retaining a leftist politicisation.

In late 2005, both Bradfield and Wire announced that they intended to release solo material prior to a new album by the band. A free download of Nicky Wire's debut solo offering I Killed the Zeitgeist was posted on the band's website for just one day, Christmas Day 2005, while "The Shining Path" was released exclusively on iTunes for download. In addition, a promotional album sampler had been sent out to the press and certain other people which included "I Killed the Zeitgeist", "Goodbye Suicide", "Sehnsucht", and "Everything Fades".  The album was officially released in September 2006. It charted at No. 130 in the UK. The sound of the album, which Nicky referred to as his "nihilistic anti-everything album", was inspired by, among others, Neu!, the Plastic Ono Band, Einsturzende Neubauten, the Modern Lovers, Richard Thompson and Lou Reed. Only one official single was released, "Break My Heart Slowly", which charted at No. 74. Nicky toured small intimate venues across the UK with his band the Secret Society.  Bradfield's solo album, The Great Western, was released in July 2006, to positive reviews from critics. It reached No. 22 in the UK. The sound of the album was inspired by, among others, Jeff Beck, Badfinger, Simple Minds and McCarthy. Two singles were released: "That's No Way to Tell a Lie" (No. 18) in July, which was also the background music to the BBC's Match of the Day's 'Goal of the Month' competition, and then "An English Gentleman" (No. 31) in September. The latter is in remembrance of the first Manics manager Philip Hall, to whom The Holy Bible had been dedicated. The initial pressings of the red 7" single were actually made with black vinyl, some of which were sent out to distributors by mistake. James toured the album with a band that included Wayne Murray, who would subsequently play second guitar for Manics live performances. James' solo gigs featured covers of the Clash songs "Clampdown" and "The Card Cheat", both from the album London Calling.  In a later interview, when the band were collectively asked what they had learned from making a solo album, Sean Moore dryly quipped "Not to do one".

Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?

OUT: Nicky toured small intimate venues across the UK with his band the Secret Society.


IN: Aaron Charles Carter was born on December 7, 1987, at the Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida, where his parents, Jane Elizabeth (nee Spaulding) and Robert Gene Carter (1952-2017), ran the Garden Villa Retirement Home. The family was originally from New York City, where his older brother Nick, of the boy band Backstreet Boys, was born. In addition to his brother Nick, he also has three sisters: twin sister Angel (a model), B.J. and Leslie (1986-2012). Carter is named after his paternal grandfather, Aaron Charles Carter, and his maternal grandfather, Douglas "Charles" Spaulding.

Carter's next album, Another Earthquake!, was released on September 3, 2002, during the "Rock, Rap, and Retro" tour. The album featured the patriotic-themed "America A.O." and the ballad "Do You Remember". He guest starred on three episodes of the Nickelodeon TV show, All That and sang the theme song to the PBS animated series Liberty's Kids, titled "Through my own Eyes."  During that time, Carter's parents filed a lawsuit against his former manager, Lou Pearlman (now deceased), in 2002 alleging failure to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties on Carter's 1998 album, which was released through Pearlman's label and production company, Trans Continental. On March 13, 2003, Pearlman was declared in contempt of court for ignoring a court order to produce documents relating to royalty payments.  Carter had also dated Lindsay Lohan along with his girlfriend Hilary Duff at the same time (leading to a feud between the two), but he broke up with Lohan in April 2003, and resumed dating Duff. Later, that same year, he reportedly cheated on her and Duff ended their on-and-off relationship after two years. Carter's Most Requested Hits, a collection including tracks from his last three albums as well as a new single, "One Better", was released on November 3, 2003.  "Saturday Night", which was released on March 22, 2005 and was promoted by Carter during his summer 2005 Remix Tour. The song was released by Trans Continental label, with Lou Pearlman as executive producer. The single was also featured in the soundtrack of the film Popstar, in which Carter starred. The direct-to-video film was based heavily on his own life as a performer. A real-life motocross racer, Carter also appeared in 2005's Supercross. On March 21, 2006, Trans Continental filed a lawsuit against Carter within the Los Angeles Superior Court, citing that Carter allegedly reneged on a recording deal. Carter had signed the contract on December 7, 2004, when he was 17 and underage. His attorney however stated that Carter had the right to "cancel or void various agreements" that were signed when he was a minor.  Carter and his siblings starred in a reality show, House of Carters, which ran in October-November 2006 on E!. The series features all five Carter siblings reuniting to live in the same house. On September 18, 2006, it was reported that Carter was engaged to former beauty queen and Playboy model Kari Ann Peniche. US Weekly later reported that Carter had broken off his engagement to Peniche, saying he was impulsive in proposing to her.

Did he win the lawsuit?

OUT:
On March 13, 2003, Pearlman was declared in contempt of court for ignoring a court order to produce documents relating to royalty payments.