Billboard Bits: Madonna, ‘Krush Groove,’ Zero 7

While Madonna is busy recording her forthcoming Maverick studio album, due out early next year, plans are also underway for an “ultimate box set.” On the diva’s official Web site, her manager Caresse Henry said that she “would like to focus on preparing an ultimate box set of Madonna music — single(s) and remixes, videos, and tours — so stay tuned for that to be (released) some time late next year.” The box set would apparently be timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the release of Madonna’s self-titled Sire/Warner Bros. debut.

In an earlier post to the site, Henry mentioned how the singer’s 1990 “Blond Ambition World Tour” will soon be released on DVD for the first time. No release date was given. The show was previously only available as a laserdisc, and has been out of print for years.

Currently, Madonna is enjoying her 35th Billboard Hot 100 top-10 hit, “Die Another Day,” which is at No. 8 this week. The soundtrack to the James Bond film of the same name will be released Tuesday (Nov. 12) via Warner Bros. A CD maxi-single for “Die” is already in stores and features remixes by Felix Da Housecat, Dirty Vegas, and Thunderpuss, among others.

— Keith Caulfield, L.A.

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The legendary 1985 hip-hop-themed movie “Krush Groove” is set for its first release on DVD Jan. 14 via Warner Home Video. Extras include the video for the song “Krush Groovin” (performed by the Fat Boys, Sheila E, and Kurtis Blow), the original theatrical trailer, and commentary by actor Blair Underwood, director Michael Schultz, and Source magazine senior editor Brett Johnson.

The movie is based on the life of rap impresario Russell Simmons and the early days of hip-hop culture emerging in New York. It features Underwood starring alongside artists including Run-D.M.C., the Beastie Boys, the Fat Boys, LL Cool J, Kurtis Blow, and New Edition.

— Troy Carpenter, N.Y.

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U.K.-based electronic/soul collective Zero 7 has set a short North American tour geginning with a Nov. 17 date in Vancouver. The group — led by producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker — will wind down the west coast, hitting Portland, Ore., Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles before closing with a Nov. 24 gig in San Diego.

The Nov. 23 Los Angeles date will find Zero 7 headlining the annual KCRW Sounds Eclectic show at Universal Amphitheatre, alongside Norah Jones, Aimee Mann, Beth Orton, and Kinky. Zero 7 will be out in support of its debut album “Simple Things” (Palm Pictures), which reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Top Electronic Albums tally.

The collective has begun work on the follow-up to the set, which garnered a prestigious Mercury Prize nomination and has sold 125,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. Zero 7 has also been working on a remix for N.E.R.D.’s new single “Provider” as well as a video for its own track “In the Waiting Line,” using 3-D animation.

Here are Zero 7’s tour dates:

Nov. 17: Vancouver (Commodore Ballroom)
Nov. 18: Portland, Ore. (Roseland Ballroom)
Nov. 19: Seattle (Moore Theatre)
Nov. 21: San Francisco (Fillmore)
Nov. 23: Los Angeles (Universal Amphitheatre)
Nov. 24: San Diego (Cane’s)

— Troy Carpenter, N.Y.