Tommy James Biopic Moves Forward, Phil Spector's Lawyers Ask For New Trial, more

Tommy James' biography, Me, the Mob and the Music, is set to be made into a motion picture with producers hoping to have it in theaters by the end of 2011.  In an interview that James did last year, he stated that Martin Scorsese had contacted him about possibly directing the film for his Triangle Pictures.

James updated the story recently on BlogTalkRadio.com, saying "We'll be making a major announcement in about three weeks. One of the actors who's being looked at seriously to play me is Val Kilmer. He's very musical and of course he can act and do anything but probably, because of the huge time span of the book, which starts in the 60s and ends in the 90s, it may have to be two actors; a young Tommy and an older Tommy."

---

The lawyers for Phil Spector have filed a 148-page brief with the California Second District Court of Appeals asking them to reverse the producer's jury verdict and order a new trial.  They are charging judicial error and prosecutorial misconduct.

Spector was convicted of murdering actress Lana Clarkson at his mansion in 2003 and was given a 19 years to life sentence.  The conviction came in his second trial after the first ended in a hung jury.

---

Count Ray Charles as another of the stars who is having his music turned into a Broadway musical.  Unchain My Heart, said to be a celebration of Charles' music, is set to open on November 7 and is being written by Suzan-Lori Parks who also produced the movie Ray.

---

Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA will be attending the induction ceremonies for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Monday night.  As far as the other two members of the group, Agnetha Faltskog does not fly and no reason was given for Bjorn Ulvaeus not attending.

Obviously, there won't be an ABBA performance at the ceremony even though Andersson said he could be talked into playing something.  Currently, the schedule has Faith Hill singing the music of the group.

---

Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls and Cheetah Chrome from the Dead Boys have formed a new group called Batusis which will make its debut on March 18 at SXSW in Austin, Texas.  For those wondering about the name of the group, it was a dance from an episode of the 1960's Batman TV series.

---

Alison Moyet is joining Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra for their spring tour throughout the U.K.

---

According to Classic Rock, Mickey Jones, a founder of the Welsh group Man, passed away on Wednesday from a brain tumor he had been fighting since 2002.

Man formed in Wales in 1968 and charted four albums in Britain during the early and mid-70's.  The band broke up in 1976 but reformed again in 1983.  Jones was a member at all times until the tumor forced him to quit in 2002.