News Roundup: Decemberists' Meloy, Pete Doherty, Coachella, Michael Stipe

It's certainly no axe battle, but Colin Meloy, frontman of Portland-based indie rockers the Decemberists, will release the innovatively titled Colin Meloy Sings Live!, a collection of tunes recorded during his 2006 solo acoustic tour, April 8 via Kill Rock Stars. In addition to many pre-Crane Wife tracks, the album showcases tracks from Meloy's first band, Tarkio, plus two previously unreleased tunes and a handful of covers. [Via Pitchfork]

Pete Doherty, Britain's resident junkie rocker, is continuing to push forward on his solo debut LP, which the Babyshambles frontman is recording with producer Jake Fior and hopes to release later this year. "All the groundwork for the album is done and I've given Jake all my new songs -- I'd say it was just over half recorded so far." Hopefully this time around a mysterious death, an in-studio slip up, or crack, heroin, ketamine, and marijuana don't block his efforts. [Via NME.com]

Looks like the Vineland Festival may have a little competition! According to Billboard.com's "sources," Coachella's producers, AEG Live/Goldenvoice, may be headed out east this summer, possibly to Liberty State Park, located across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan in New Jersey.

As Linkin Park's Chester Bennington knows, you haven't reached fame until you have stalkers. But before you grimace at all the late-night phone calls and mysterious love notes, let's look at the upside; case and point: Michael Stipe. The R.E.M. frontman was excused from jury duty in a sexual assault case in Athens, Georgia after he told the Clarke County Superior Court Judge his opinion on the case would be blemished by previous death threats, and, you guessed it, stalkers. See, creepiness pays off! [Via NME.com]