Lavigne Keeps Fans Holding On For New Album
Avril Lavigne has recorded a new song titled "Keep Holding On" for 
the upcoming Fox film, Eragon, which stars Jeremy Irons and John 
Malkovich and marks singer Joss Stone's first film appearance.

"They showed me the trailer and talked about it," Lavigne wrote on 
her website on Wednesday. "It's going to be a very big movie for 
them and everyone is really excited."

Lavigne worked on a number of different "ballad type songs" before a 
final decision was made to go with a track that she worked on with 
Dr. Luke, who's perhaps best known as the guitarist in the Saturday 
Night Live band. He's also produced and written for a variety of 
artists, including Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Kelis, Backstreet Boys and 
Lady Sovereign.

"The song was specifically written for the movie," Lavigne 
added. "It was challenging writing lyrics that had to go exactly 
with the movie.

"It was a new experience for me and I learned a lot. I was writing 
about strength, power, and destiny, while keeping in line with the 
story of the film."

However, Lavigne adds that the song isn't a forerunner of what's to 
come with her new studio album, the follow-up to 2004's Under My 
Skin.

"You guys are in for a big surprise," she wrote. "AND I CAN'T 
WAIT!!!"

A hacker broke into Lavigne's MySpace account late last month and 
posted an offer for her MySpace friends to win a free trip to see 
her perform in Las Vegas. Lavigne and Nettwerk Management denied any 
involvement in the alleged contest.


Avril Lavigne Reveals New Album Info
Avril Lavigne has revealed that her new album will be titled "The 
Best Dam Thing" and will be released in April, 2007. The LP will be 
the follow up to 2004's "Under My Skin". 

Posting on her MySpace blog she also revealed that the first single 
from the album will be "Girlfriend" , which is due to be released in 
February. 

She described the record as: "fast, fun, young, bratty, aggressive, 
confident, cocky in a playful way...all the good stuff". 

Lavigne also said that the album would make for some "good live 
shows". 

She posted: "I promise you guys will love this record, it is my 
favourite one! And I can't wait...I wanted to make sure the songs 
were fun. Fun for the fans and myself. I will only have like 3 slow 
songs on the record...I am working on my last song right now in the 
studio. I should be all wrapped up by Monday (December 18) in time 
for the Christmas holidays." 


Lavigne reverts back to skater image
Avril Lavigne has decided to return to her old skater image in time 
for the release of her new music, according to reports.

The Canadian singer adopted a new feminine style in 2005 but now wants 
to revert back to her old look as she promotes third album The Best 
Damn Thing. 

A source told the Daily Star: "She started dressing all girly for a 
while but now she's got more music coming out she's decided to go back 
to being a skater chick." 


Avril Lavigne pencils a date for 'The Best Damn Thing'
Avril Lavigne has penciled in an April 17 release for her new RCA 
album, 'The Best Damn Thing.' As previously reported, the first 
single is "Girlfriend; " it will arrive March 5 at U.S. radio 
outlets, and its accompanying video will premiere Feb. 26 on MTV. 

With its handclaps and bad-girl vibe, the track is reminiscent of 
Toni Basil`s "Mickey," as Lavigne pushes past rival ladies to demand 
attention from a new guy: "She`s like, so whatever / you could do so 
much better," she sings of her competition. 

Two other tracks previewed by Billboard.com follow in a similar 
style: "I Can Do Better" is a fast and punky kiss-off with Blink 182-
ish guitar riffs, and the title cut finds Lavigne proclaiming she is 
the "best damn thing your eyes have ever seen." 

Elsewhere, "When You`re Gone" is a power ballad with a piano and 
synth introduction, and "Everything Back But You" mines Rancid-style 
pop/punk for another diss of a cheating boyfriend. 'The Best Damn 
Thing' will also include "Keep Holding On," previously released on 
the 'Eragon' soundtrack. 

"I wanted to make sure the songs were fun - fun for the fans and 
myself," Lavigne said in a December post on her MySpace page. At 
present, Lavigne is in the midst of tour rehearsals but details have 
yet to be announced.

Avril Lavigne Lends Her Likeness To Japanese Manga
Avril Lavigne will appear as a comic book character in a new 
Japanese graphic novel.

The Complicated singer's likeness will appear in Make 5 Wishes, a 
comic from US publisher Del Rey Manga.

Wishes will be the company's first original English-language manga. 
In the first volume, Hana, an introverted teen, is granted a series 
of wishes by a demon. 

When things start to go badly she meets Lavigne, who helps her 
conquer her personal demons.

The first installment will be released on April 10, while the next 
volume will be in stores in July.

Lavigne isn't the first US rock star to be turned into a cartoon 
heroine in Japan - Courtney Love was turned into Manga character 
Princess Ai in a Tokyo Pop comic book series in 2005. 

In other Avril news today, the singer has announced an April 17th 
release date for her new album, The Best Damn Thing.

Avril Lavigne Helps Outcast Fan Tackle Personal Demons In Comic Book
Singer collaborated on 'Make 5 Wishes,' a two-volume manga series.
by James Montgomery
Avril Lavigne already has the market cornered on unique spellings of the phrase "skater boy," raccoon-eye makeup and album titles with the word "damn" in them. Now she's looking to get her own little piece of the manga market too.
Lavigne just inked a deal with Del Rey Manga, an imprint of Random House publishing, to release "Make 5 Wishes," a two-volume, Japanese-style comic-book series on which she collaborated.
The series follows Hana, an unpopular girl who "just doesn't fit in" at school and is tormented by her parents. Alone in her bedroom, she spends hours online, creating "various cool, smart, sexy and popular alter egos" and daydreaming about spending time with her idol, Avril Lavigne (but of course!). One night, while exploring the nether regions of the Web, Hana comes across a mysterious Web site called Make5Wishes.com, and discovers — gasp — she cannot click away. Before she knows it, she's ordered a package from the site that's guaranteed to make her dreams come true.
But just what will that package contain? Well, we're not entirely sure ... but according to a plot summary sent to MTV News by Del Rey, there will be demons involved — and Avril too. The singer, who appears in full big-eyed glory throughout the series, helps Hana "find the courage to conquer her own personal demons once and for all."
Fans can learn more about the series when the first volume of "Make 5 Wishes" hits shelves April 10. Lavigne's third album, The Best Damn Thing, is due the following week (see "Avril Lavigne, Deryck Whibley Dish Details On 'Fun, Young, Bratty' LP").
The second volume of "5 Wishes" will follow in June. The series is written by Joshua Dysart — who penned the cult series "Violent Messiahs" for Image Comics — and features art from Camilla D'Errico.
This report is provided by MTV News

Avril Lavigne grows up too soon and loses her spunk
Avril Lavigne flaunts a new, blonde, girly image in promotion of her 
new album, The Best Damn Thing, coming out in early April of this 
year.

Lavigne, pictured here with some of her old band, has shed her "punk 
rock" image and sound for a more sophisticated approach, losing many 
devoted fans in the process.


Who could forget Avril Lavigne? "Sk8er Boi" captured the hearts of 
many. "Losing Grip" certainly caused many of us to lose grip on our 
radios. I'm sure there's at least a handful of girls out there in 
the Loyola community that remembers wearing plaid skirts and ties 
with tank tops as a wonderful fashion statement in the early part of 
this century. 

Avril was a big fad for a long time, with teenage boys even jamming 
to her tunes. Then she fell off the face of the music scene, in the 
way of her teen years, thought to be gone forever.

The sad truth is that Avril did not disappear. She married a Sum-41 
boy and went blonde, throwing away the "punk rock" image that she 
once held so close to her soul. She now wears Coco Chanel-style 
clothing and a lot less eyeliner, proud of her new image. In 
September, she said, "When I was in high school I was a little shit, 
hanging out with the guys, getting drunk, getting in fights, playing 
hockey. My band was all guys, so I was only around guys, but when I 
got older I started being more of a chick. I broke out on the scene 
looking like the 17-year-old that I was. And from then to now I look 
really different -- but that's called growing up." 

Maybe it is. She's even taken part in a small modeling career. 
Lavigne has also explored her acting ability, taking on a perfect 
role for her as Heather the Possum in "Over the Hedge," and 
appearing in the well-publicized "Fast Food Nation." She recently 
contributed a track to the fantasy-based movie "Eragon" and appeared 
as a celebrity guest at the 2006 Winter Olympics. 

Now Lavigne's back and whinier then ever (in spite of what she might 
want everyone to believe), with her new album, sickeningly titled 
The Best Damn Thing, set to be released on April 17. For her first 
album and into the second, she was adamant in declaring that she was 
the representation of punk rock, and that was that. With her new 
girly, sophisticated image, she's claiming the exact opposite. "I'm 
not punk rock" she asserted in a recent interview, saying that she's 
more "pop rock" on her new album. 

Pop is right. The rock is questionable. The new album seems to take 
on a softer approach, no longer telling cutesy, emo-type stories 
about life being oh-so-complicated. Instead, it goes for a "deeper," 
gentler sound, with love songs littering the 15-track record, 
probably due to her still-fresh marriage. She even proclaimed in 
September, "That's what I'm feeling at the moment. Of course, I 
still have my boy-bashing songs, but they're very playful. So the 
record is really fun and cool and different." 

Of course, like every artist, she also had to mention, "I think it's 
my best record yet." 

The first single, "Girlfriend, " is set to be released on March 5, 
with the video coming out the end of this month on Feb. 26 (it will 
be released earlier in Canada). The video has already been shot. The 
singer seems excited about it, advertising it widely on both her Web 
site and Myspace page, where there are clips from her new songs. 

The Best Damn Thing is far from it. Avril Lavigne puts forward a 
decent effort but falls short of blowing audiences away. Artists who 
change their image or sound either do a very good job at it or have 
made a horrible decision. 

Nelly Furtado went from being "Like a Bird" to "Say What You Want" 
to being a promiscuous man-eating girl. Her music changed 
drastically from album to album, but fortunately for her, it's made 
her millions of dollars with each alteration. Pink was not as lucky, 
weirding listeners out with her extreme shifts in voice with each 
album. 

Avril Lavigne is probably following that same path. What made her 
music and image so popular was the sheer, sad stupidity of the 
lyrics and the 30 neckties that she kept on hand. Luckily, her 
badass attitude has stayed the same; she recently got news coverage 
for spitting on paparazzi. By putting a love-spin on the lyrics and 
turning into a young lady instead of staying the grungy punk that 
everyone knows and loves, however, she's probably going to lose a 
lot of loyal fans. Her record sales began to drop with her second 
album as she subtly started to change, and they may continue to do 
so. 

I'll give her the benefit of the doubt, though. Maybe the world will 
welcome the singer's new style with open arms. Avril Lavigne is 
hardly following in the footsteps of Nelly Furtado, though. There's 
always a difference between maturing naturally and changing for the 
prospect of sales. If she is doing it for the money, it will be a 
long way from her days of refusing to do advertisements because they 
were too "superficial. " It will be up to the media and the 
hopelessly devoted Avril fans out there to decide.


Avril Lavigne dominates new Burnout soundtrack
With each new EA game comes a new soundtrack packed full of current 
hits, new tracks from the world's biggest artists and songs from 
bands about to make it big. The Burnout Dominator soundtrack is no 
different and includes the world premiere of Avril Lavigne's new 
track "Girlfriend" .

Other artists featured on the soundtrack include Alice in Chains, 
Jane's Addition, N.E.R.D. and The Fratellis.

"The Burnout series is an amazing, proven platform for launching the 
world's biggest songs and artists, and we're thrilled to be working 
with Avril Lavigne this year to help debut her new 
song "Girlfriend, "" said Steve Schnur, EA's Worldwide Executive of 
Music.

Burnout Dominator will be released across Europe for PS2 and PSP on 
March 23.

Full soundtrack listing: (Artist - Song title)

!Forward, Russia! - Nine
Alice In Chains - Would? 
Army Of Anyone - It Doesn't Seem To Matter
Army Of Me - Going Through Changes
Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend
B'z - FRICTION
Brand New - The Archers Bows Have Broken
Bromheads Jacket - Fight Music For The Fight
Dead Identities - Long Way Out
Earl Greyhound - S.O.S
Filter - Hey Man, Nice Shot (Big Mac Mix) 
Hot Hot Heat - Give Up? 
Jane's Addiction - Stop! 
Killswitch Engage - My Curse
LCD Soundsystem - Us V. Them
Lifetime - Haircuts And T-Shirts
Make Good Your Escape - Beautiful Ruin
Maxeen - Block Out The World
N.E.R.D. - Rockstar (Jason Nevins Remix) 
Saosin - Collapse
Senses Fail - Calling All Cars
Shadows Fall - Burning The Lives
Shiny Toy Guns - Le Disko
Skybombers - It Goes Off
Sugarcult - Dead Living
The Confession - Through These Eyes
The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger
The Have - One Step Ahead
The Photo Atlas - Red Orange Yellow
The Styles - Glitter Hits (J.J. Puig Mix) 
The Sword - Freya
Trivium - Anthem (We Are The Fire) 
Wired All Wrong - Lost Angeles


Don't Know How To Spell 'Avril Lavigne'? Prepare To Be Scolded
Singer lashes out at bad spellers on new LP, opens up about Best Damn Thing.
by Jennifer Vineyard, with additional reporting by Simi Nahil
Avril Lavigne declared in a Web post late last year that her next LP, The Best Damn Thing, would be "fast, fun, young, bratty, aggressive, confident, cocky in a playful way ... all the good stuff."
In case you didn't believe the "fun" part, the singer recently told MTV she had an absolute blast recording the effort (see "Avril Lavigne, Deryck Whibley Dish Details On 'Fun, Young, Bratty' LP"). She didn't labor over songs, didn't write any serious ones — well, OK, just a few — and made sure to indulge herself throughout the process.
"This record, I've never had so much fun in the studio," the singer said. "We would order food five times a day and totally pig out. We'd be drinking. I wrote 'Girlfriend' when I was drunk."
Lavigne says she did her best work when she wasn't thinking so hard about it. "With my new song 'Girlfriend,' the second I was singing the melody, the lyrics were coming out: 'I don't like your girlfriend,' " Lavigne said. "The chorus was written in two minutes. It took nothing. And what's really cool about 'I Can Do Better' is we wrote it, and then I just ran into the booth, and I sang. I laid down the verse, and ... we just used my demo [take]. It was totally different — so much fun!"
Part of what made it so easy for Lavigne to churn out the tunes was that she didn't delve deep into her emotions to come up with subject matter — most of the songs are about fictional experiences she thinks everyone can relate to. "Everything Back but You," for instance, is about how bad spelling can ruin someone's day — a girl gets a postcard from a guy who meant to write "Wish you were here," but instead wrote, "Wish you were her" (ouch). "You left out the 'e,' you left without me," Avril rails, "and now you're somewhere out there with a b---h slut psychopath, I hate you." No mincing words (or letters) there.
"Some of the songs I wrote didn't even mean that much to me," Lavigne said. "It's not like some personal thing I'm going through. They're just songs."
Let's hope husband Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 knows that's the case: The album's first single, "Girlfriend," is about wanting to steal someone else's boyfriend. Still, there are a few songs on the April 17 release that serve as a reminder that Lavigne isn't just a mall punk princess. "When You're Gone" is the closest Lavigne has come to a love song, so much so that it embarrasses her.
"It wasn't like I deliberately did it," she demurred. "I was writing a slow song and that just brings out all that stuff in you, all that emotional stuff. It's not cheesy, because I wrote it. If I was older, a professional writer coming up with all that, that would be lame."
http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1553431/2...gne_avril.jhtml

Avril Lavigne Gets Plenty Of Help With New Album
Avril Lavigne has released a new single and video for "Girlfriend, " 
and the wife of Sum 41's Deryck Whibley, has a new album titled The 
Best Damn Thing slated to drop April 17. Lavigne got plenty of help 
on this album recruiting her husband, producer Rob Cavallo, and 
Butch Walker to help produce and co-write the tunes on the album. 

Walker worked with Avril on her last effort, Under My Skin, and he 
talked about growth and the new effort. 

"Yeah, yeah. Sure. Definitely some growth on this record. And I 
worked with her on her last record, so it's safe to say I'll try to 
do a few songs on every record she does...maybe. " 

Notable songwriter Kara DioGuardi has worked with Christina 
Aguilera, Katherine McPhee and has written tons of hit records. She 
also sat with Lavigne and talked about what she brings to the table 
as a co-writer. 

"Well for me, a lot of times when I work with an artist, it always 
kind of comes from talking about their life. The songs come up from 
that, where they are, what they've gone through, how they feel. 
Really we start from there, which is a point of truth, and develop 
songs." 

For Avril's fans that want more than "Girlfriend, " they can run to 
their local DVD store and pick up the movie Fast Food Nation. It 
features Lavigne's first substantial acting role, and it hits stores 
March 6.


Avril Insists New Tunes Are Works Of Fiction
Avril Lavigne is ready to release her new album, The Best Damn 
Thing, and says that the recording process was the most fun she'd 
ever had making a record. Speaking to MTV News, the Canadian Pop 
star said, "This record, I've never had so much fun in the studio. 
We would order food five times a day and totally pig out. We'd be 
drinking. I wrote [the new single] 'Girlfriend' when I was drunk."

Lavigne added that she wrote and recorded many of the songs quickly 
right in the studio. "With my new song 'Girlfriend, ' the second I 
was singing the melody, the lyrics were coming out: 'I don't like 
your girlfriend,' " Lavigne said. "The chorus was written in two 
minutes. It took nothing. And what's really cool about 'I Can Do 
Better' is we wrote it, and then I just ran into the booth, and I 
sang. I laid down the verse, and ... we just used my demo [take]. It 
was totally different — so much fun!"

However, she says that she didn't delve too much into her personal 
life and that most of the new tunes are works of fiction, which also 
helped with the fast-paced recording process. "Some of the songs I 
wrote didn't even mean that much to me," Lavigne told MTV. "It's not 
like some personal thing I'm going through. They're just songs."

The Best Damn Thing will be out on April 17.

Avril Lavigne Is Amused By Her Former Tomboy, Moody Look
Pop rocker Avril Lavigne laughs when she looks back at her 
earlier 'grunge' years because they remind her how much she has grown 
up. The hitmaker, 22, has swapped her skater persona for a more 
sophisticated image and cringes at the way she used to behave. 

She says, "When I look back now all I can think is, 'God, I was such a 
s**t'. I was such a tomboy, running around, getting in fights, hanging 
out with guys. In all my interviews I would have my head down and 
moodily just grunt an answer. I look back and laugh now as I realize 
how much I've grown up. But that was my style back then, that was me.


Lavigne promises happier third album
Avril Lavigne has revealed that she wanted her new album to be more 
light-hearted than her previous material.

The singer's second album Under My Skin, which was released in 2004, 
contained some of her darkest songs yet - but she has gone for a 
completely different approach with The Best Damn Thing.

"I was just so over writing such serious songs," Lavigne told 
Billboard. "Even though they really weren't that serious, I went 
through a little dark phase when I was 18 and wrote Under My Skin. 
But I grew out of that. Lyrically, I didn't know where I was going 
to go on this record. I totally did not even think about it. I had 
no theme. I was thinking more about the music and the vibe.

"My favourite stuff to play live has always been Sk8er Boi and He 
Wasn't, the faster songs. When I was on tour, I realized I need to 
write more of this kind of stuff. Those songs come alive onstage, 
and I feel like that's the most me."

The Best Damn Thing is released next month.

Avril Lavigne Realizes Finding Acting Jobs Isn't Easy
Aspiring actress Avril Lavigne has conceded launching a Hollywood 
career is harder than she anticipated. The 22-year-old took a break 
from music last year to concentrate on movies, but only signed to two 
projects - animated film Over The Hedge and ensemble piece Fast Food 
Nation - because she was left unimpressed by the majority of scripts 
she read. 

Now Lavigne accepts finding the perfect silver screen role could take 
years. She says, "I decided a couple of years ago that I wanted to get 
into acting so I got a movie agent and thought that on my last year 
off I would have shot a whole bunch of movies, but I didn't because 
I've been reading scripts for two years and they've all been crap. 

"I realized that I can't just decide, 'Hey, I want to act,' and then 
be in a wicked movie. It might be five years until I find the perfect 
film. So I have to be patient. I don't want it to be cheesy. I'm not 
going to do something till I read the script and go, 'Oh my God, this 
is it!' It really has to speak to me."


Avril Lavigne Has New Appreciation for Britney Spears
Avril Lavigne has surprised herself by becoming an admirer of Britney 
Spears after realizing how difficult it is to sing and dance at the 
same time. Lavigne has stunned fans by dancing in the video for her 
new single "The Girlfriend" and has only just realized why Spears 
often mimed on stage. 

She says, "I've had to work with a choreographer, but I'm actually 
quite athletic and I have good rhythm so it comes natural to me. It 
made me appreciate people like Britney Spears, as I realize how much 
work goes into that stuff. The whole thing where you sing and dance is 
so hard, so that's probably why she doesn't sing, right, ha ha!"

Avril Lavigne takes on 7 languages for new single
Avril Lavigne fans taken aback by the cheery pop persona featured in 
her bouncy new single are in for another surprise: the chorus of her 
track sung in eight different languages.

Speaking at a session during Canadian Music Week, Lavigne's manager 
Terry McBride said that the singer spent hours studying different 
languages to try to get the various deliveries just right. Lavigne 
does not speak a second language.

The Napanee, Ont.-born singer seemed to leave behind her skate-punk 
singer image for good this month with the release of her boppy new 
single Girlfriend, which is accompanied by a music video that 
features scenes of Lavigne dressed in high heels and short-shorts 
while performing a dance routine.

Aside from English, the chorus to Girlfriend has been recorded in 
Mandarin and Japanese for her massive Asian fanbase, as well as 
Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese.

"We tried Hindi twice but the diction and the meter of how you sing 
Hindi versus the western rhythms just didn't match and we just 
couldn't pull it off," McBride, also the CEO of Nettwerk Music 
Group, said in an interview on Thursday.

Appealing to Asian fans is key with Lavigne's new material. McBride 
revealed during a Canadian Music Week discussion that the 
consumption of Lavigne's music in Asia is greater than in all of the 
Western Hemisphere combined.

The largest chunks of Lavigne fans seem to live in Beijing and other 
Chinese cities, he said.

Lavigne is scheduled to release her new album The Best Damn Thing 
April 17, with a tour set to begin in February 2008. CBC-TV will air 
Avril Lavigne: Exclusive, a variety special filmed at a Calgary 
concert and in Los Angeles while she was rehearsing her new 
material, on April 2.

Lavigne's reach will also be extended to the digital realm with a 
recurring role in a new Manga-inspired online comic entitled Make 5 
Wishes. The series, which will be offered online and via cellphones, 
will feature original songs unavailable elsewhere. Girlfriend is 
also featured in the new Electronic Arts video game Burnout 
Dominator.

Styled as the anti-Britney Spears, Lavigne shot to fame as a 17-year-
old with songs like Complicated and Sk8er Boi that won her a 
worldwide fanbase. Her 2004 album Under My Skin began an attempt to 
move out of her angsty teen realm into more mature music.

Also, over the past few years, the former punk princess has begun to 
shed her former skater girl image, including appearing in designer 
outfits at the Cannes Film Festival and in a spread for Harper's 
Bazaar.

Married to Sum 41 lead singer and fellow Canadian Deryck Whibley 
last July, Lavigne has recently dabbled in acting, with a voice role 
in the animated movie Over the Hedge and as part of the cast in 
Richard Linklater's Fast Food Nation.

Avril Explains Paparazzi Spat
Avril Lavigne explains what went down late last year when she spit 
on photographers when she spit on photographers outside of Hyde 
nightclub in Los Angeles.

"There were a million paparazzi guys," she says in a new interview 
with Seventeen magazine. "They're all these gross older men, like 
disgusting — scum of the earth. They follow you around with 
clipboards and these glossy pictures of you and a blue Sharpie. They 
shove it in your face when you walk out of a club, then sell it on 
eBay, so I went 'F*** you, f*** you, f*** you' on mine. Then I spit 
on them. And they love it. They're all laughing — 'Avril spit on 
me!' But I'd been spitting on them for two years — and that one time 
it became a story."

The singer, who married musician Deryck Whibley of the band Sum 41 
last July, tells the magazine she's always done her own thing, 
especially when it comes to her social life.

"I'm not very scene-y. I don't really like the kind of people in 
L.A. anyway," she says. "Everyone is so pretentious and so caught up 
in what everybody thinks. I'm just a chill person. I'm from a small 
town, and sometimes I look at people in this town and I'm just like, 
Helloooo? It's hard to meet people here. I mean, I know a million 
people here, but I'd never tell them my secrets. You only ever have 
a few best friends."

Lavigne, who burst on the music scene in 2002, has a new album "The 
Best Damn Thing," which is scheduled to be released on April 17. She 
says she continues to evolve as she gets older.

"When I first came out on the scene, I acted like a kid and dressed 
like a kid — and now I'm a woman," she says. "As you get older, you 
start dressing differently and doing things differently with your 
hair. I was such a tomboy. I wore my hair the same every day. Barely 
wore makeup. And now I love clothes. I love shoes, I love purses. 
I'm so girly, it's not even funny."

Marriage Mellows Out Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne has credited marriage to fellow Canadian Deryck Whibley 
for turning her into a more mature, calmer person. Lavigne, 22, and 
Whibley, 26, tied the knot last June and she insists the relationship 
has had a positive influence on her. 

She explains, "I have a strong personality. (But) I don't fight people 
anymore. I'm more mature and I just don't think fighting is good." 

But Lavigne insists getting married hasn't completely tamed her wild 
ways: "I still have my boyfriend-bashing songs!"

Avril Lavigne returns with perfection
For those of you who have recently seen me wildly singing in my car, 
I'll answer the question and say it's been to the new single from 
Avril Lavigne called "Girlfriend. "

It's a return to the pure pop/rock fun of her sublime 2002 debut 
album "Let Go."

Just as she was in her smash song and video for "Complicated, " 
(which is my cell phone ring, so I can have a little piece of 
happiness with every call) Lavigne returns as a refreshing ball of 
energy -- sassy, livid and pure fun.

"Girlfriend" allows her to show her brash attitude. It helped make 
her a fixture on the teen music scene five years ago. She sings to a 
boy about her dislike of his girlfriend and her desire to be with 
him. Lavigne is known for butting heads with record execs and she 
obviously won the battle for a wider vocabulary than in previous 
songs, because she exclaims at one point with delightful 
conviction, "I'm the mother@#$%*@ ! princess!" Awesome. 

"Girlfriend" is a rousing kick-to-the- face, forceful, animated song 
serving as a better mood enhancer than any anti-depressant Pfizer 
could ever create.

The video is more like her "Complicated" video than any other in her 
body of work. In "Complicated" she and her bandmates ran amok inside 
a mall. "Girlfriend" has her playing multiple roles as she wreaks 
havoc in locations like a mini-golf course. Pink streaks in her 
blond hair, she bounces around while belting out this acrimonious 
jolt of a song with so much vehemence it's hard to sit still.

An added bonus to the video is she can be seen wearing a shirt with 
a tie printed on it, a throwback to the necktie fad she popularized. 
I was honestly sad to hear her say she was retiring the look, 
because it symbolized a piece of youth and history being put away. 
It's back though, along with Lavigne in full, uninhibited splendor. 
Ties for everyone!

Bubblegum aside, no mistake should be made about Lavigne's weight as 
a songwriter. She's not only capable of creating some of the most 
fun songs I've ever beard, but is honest and gifted with reaching 
into her listeners' deeper feelings.

Her second album was darker, a reflection of a difficult period in 
her life, she's said. "My Happy Ending" is a wrenching, yet 
cathartic break-up song with lyrics like "We were meant to be, 
supposed to be, but we lost it. All of the memories so close to me 
just fade away. All this time you were pretending, so much for my 
happy ending." This is emotionally pitch-perfect writing that 
captures the sadness of letting go of wonderful times shared with 
someone special, juxtaposed with the anger stemming from the loss.

Her song "Mobile" from her album "Let Go" is about the back and 
forth of spending time with loved ones at home, then having to leave 
as life's changes arrive. I listened to "Mobile" countless times, 
often on a plane as I made the journey from college in Arizona to my 
home near Seattle and back again.

Some of Lavigne's most affecting songs are not on studio albums, but 
these are some of her best about love and loss and I'm not ashamed 
to say when I listen to them and the mood strikes just right, my 
eyes well up.

The first Avril Lavigne concert I went to lives on as one of my 
finest memories. By some miracle my date and I had spots on the 
floor in the special standing room only section against the stage.

Arriving hours early to ensure front row enjoyment, we ran from the 
start of the line down to the floor of the auditorium, finally 
reaching the stage.

We did not quite make the front row, but we were still close enough 
I could count the individual bracelets circling Lavigne's wrists. 
I've seen her twice since then, each time more than worth the price 
of admission, but that first performance, opening with "Sk8er Boi," 
one of her best songs, is still my favorite.

Lavigne found her "happy ending" with husband Derryck Whibley of Sum 
41 and says marriage inspires her to write more upbeat songs. At a 
time when it seems many people are putting their careers in front of 
their relationships I admire Lavigne for balancing the two.

I've anxiously started counting down the days to the April 17 
release of Lavigne's new album, almost certain it is just the start 
of another wave of priceless memories.

Chaz Holmes is the Columbia Basin Herald news assistant. He is a 
constant source of entertainment in the newsroom with his quirky 
choices of music.

Avril Lavigne Opens Up About Her Marriage
Whether or not marriage has changed Avril Lavigne, it has changed 
her husband, Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley, she says. 

"I'm the best thing that's ever happened to him," Lavigne, 22, tells 
the April issue of Jane. 

And she doesn't worry about Whibley, 27, straying when he's on the 
road. "We have a really good, strong relationship, " she 
says. "There's a lot of trust." 

The couple wed in July before 110 guests, including family and 
friends from their native Ontario, Canada. To the surprise of many, 
the ceremony was traditional. 

"I wanted to be like, 'Oh, let's totally have a rock 'n' roll, goth 
wedding,' " Lavigne tells Jane. "But at the same time I was 
like, 'I've been dreaming about my wedding day since I was a little 
girl. I have to wear the white dress.' I wanted to be a princess, 
okay?" 

Part of the appeal of a traditional wedding was its 
timelessness. "People thought I would have done, like, some black 
wedding dress, and yeah, I would have. But at the same time I was 
thinking about our pictures. ... I didn't want to be, like, 20 years 
later, 'Oh, why did I wear my hair like that? It's not cool now.' " 

Also not cool: drugs. "I've never done coke in my life, and I'm 
proud of that. Oh my God! I could never. I am 100 percent against 
drugs," she says. 

The same is true for Whibley, even if it hasn't always been: "He 
doesn't do drugs. Clearly, he used to, because he talked about it, 
but I wouldn't be with someone who did, and I made that very clear 
to him when we first started dating." 

But Lavigne is okay with one bad habit: spitting – specifically, at 
paparazzi, for which she recently made headlines. 

"I don't know what the big deal was, because I've been spitting at 
paparazzi the past two years I've lived in L.A.," she says. "It was 
funny. But I think if Britney had had no underwear on that week, my 
spitting thing wouldn't have been talked about." 


Ottawa Venue Is A Special Place For Avril Lavigne
Performing onstage at the Corel Center in Ottawa, Canada is always 
extra special for Avril Lavigne because that's where she first 
realized she wanted to become a pop star. The singer entered a singing 
contest when she was just 14 and won the chance to perform with Shania 
Twain at the venue. 

The night was so magical for the pop punk she vowed to one day get 
back on the Corel Center stage. 

She tells Jane magazine, "It's, like, this massive venue, an arena, 
and then, like, three years later I get a record deal and I'm singing 
there, sold out! It was crazy, because I remember walking onstage and 
being like, 'Holy f**k, I want this so bad.' Just seeing all those 
people. Now, every time I do my tour there, I'm so grateful."


Avril waxes lyrical to about married life to expectant Charlotte
Currently in London promoting her new album, Avril Lavigne was full 
of enthusiasm for married life when she settled down for a chat with 
Charlotte Church on the Welsh celebrity's Friday night show. The 22-
year-old Canadian singer, who wed Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley 
last July, proudly showed her wedding ring to her host as she waxed 
lyrical about the joys of marrying young.

Her advice drew a smile from Charlotte who is believed to be 
planning to tie the knot with her rugby player beau Gavin Henson. 
The 21-year-old Welsh songbird, who's pregnant with the couple's 
first child, has certainly been enthusiastic about the idea of 
marriage, admitting that if Gavin asked her to be his wife she would 
immediately say 'yes'. 

It's not just on The Charlotte Church show that Avril has been 
expounding the joys of marital life. In a recent interview with a US 
magazine she revealed she and Deryck "have a really good, strong 
relationship" , quipping, "I'm the best thing that's ever happened to 
him." 

She went on to reveal why, despite her gothic punk image, she opted 
for the traditional- style nuptials she'd dreamt about since she was 
a little girl. "People thought I would have done, like, some black 
wedding dress, and yeah, I would have," she explains. "But at the 
same time I was thinking about our pictures…" 

When Avril and Charlotte next meet perhaps it will be Charlotte 
giving out the advice - on the joys of motherhood.


Avril Lavigne Readies 'the Best' New Album
Canadian rocker Avril Lavigne is readying the release of her new 
album. 

The Best Damn Thing is set to hit stores on April 17, and will be 
her follow up to 2004's Under My Skin. Lavinge will share producing 
duties with Dr. Luke, who has worked with Lavigne in the past along 
with Kelly Clarkson and P!nk, Rob Cavallo whose other production 
credits include albums by Green Day and the Goo Goo Dolls, singer 
songwriter Butch Walker and her husband Sum 41's Deryck Whibley. 

Her first single "Girlfriend" has already set a personal record for 
the young singer songwriter as her highest debut hitting #5 on the 
charts in its first week out. 

Those who pre-order the new album on iTunes will receive a bonus 
track "I Will Be". Here are the tracks: 

"Girlfriend" 
"I Can Do Better" 
"Runaway" 
"The Best Damn Thing" 
"When You're Gone" 
"Everything Back But You" 
"Hot" 
"I Don't Have To Try" 
"Innocence" 
"Contagious" 
"One Of Those Girls" 
"Keep Holding On" (Alternate Version) 


Avril, Christina's Multiple-Personality Clips Copy A Page From Madonna's Handbook
Beyoncé, J. Lo, Mariah, Gwen have also doubled up in videos.
by Jennifer Vineyard
What's with all the different versions of Avril Lavigne running around in her new video? Or, for that matter, the multiple Christinas, Ciaras and Beyoncés in theirs?
Everywhere you look, it seems some pop diva has replicated herself so she's the star of her clip several times over. (Whatever happened to delegating? Surely their budgets can't be that tight.) This is nothing new, actually — Mariah and Madonna are old pros at it by now — but the idea has been spreading lately like a video virus, with Avril just the latest to be infected.
This got us thinking: Are all these people copying themselves, or someone else?
Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend"
Avril Lavigne gets to have it both ways in her "Girlfriend" clip — she's the nice girl and the mean girl. "The redhead is the girlfriend, and the brunette is the bratty one who tries to steal the boyfriend," she explained. (The blonde, of course, is just the regular Avril.) Sure, the brunet Avril knocks the redhead Avril into a port-a-potty and bonks her on the head with a golf ball, but she's not that much of a brat — she's only hurting herself.
Christina Aguilera's "Candyman"
Like Avril, Christina Aguilera's has three different hair colors in her latest video. Her "Candyman" girls are a singing trio along the lines of the Andrews Sisters, and are supposed to look like sisters. But there also seems to be a multiple-personality thing going on (see "Xtina X Three: Aguilera Has Multiple-Personality Disorder In Clip"). Just listen to how Christina explained to MTV News the differences between the three: "The brunette, she wanted to be naughty. She wanted to stir a little trouble. The redhead, she's looking over at the blonde, and she's got a little jealousy in her, like, 'Why aren't I singing the lead?' And the blonde is, of course, my side ... kinda sweet and sassy at the same time." Kinda confusing too.
Ciara's "Like a Boy"
Crossdressing — now that's an entirely different issue. It's one thing to try to imitiate yourself — or different aspects of yourself — but Ciara takes it to a new level when she expresses her masculine side in "Like a Boy" (see "Beyonce, Ciara Explain Why They Unleashed Their Inner Tomboys"). Not that she's lacking for any male companionship, since NFL star Reggie Bush makes a cameo, but Ciara had a point to make. "I'm a tomboy at heart, but I don't go full-out like I did in this video," she told MTV News. "I also wanted to take it a little bit further, saying, 'Yo, I can rock it like this too.' "
Beyoncé's "Upgrade U"
Beyoncé does an impersonation of her man Jay-Z for most of the "Upgrade U" clip. "I love it because it's completely out of my character," Beyoncé said, "or at least the character that people think I am. I'm sure people would be shocked to see that I even did it or that I even could act that way." But why did you have to? At first we thought, what, couldn't B get Jay to be in her video? But after he showed, we got the joke.
Mariah Carey's "Heartbreaker"
The funniest multiple-me moment? Back before Mariah became Mimi, there was Bianca. When poor, sweet, innocent Mariah tries to confront the evil Bianca about stealing her boyfriend (Jerry O'Connell) in her "Heartbreaker" video, the two end up in a bathroom brawl inspired by "Enter the Dragon." Silly, maybe, but it's a fan favorite, and from there, the floodgates opened.
Madonna's "Die Another Day"
Madonna's no multiple-version virgin — she destroyed her own ego, or so she sang, in "Die Another Day," in which she expanded on her fencing-teacher cameo in the James Bond movie. While Madonna is being tortured in one room, two versions of herself — one in black, one in white — battle it out in a scene that riffs on past Bond movies, before the good Madonna kills the bad Madonna. Moral of the story? Nobody messes with Madonna — not even herself.
Kylie Minogue's "Come Into My World"
In 2002, Kylie Minogue strolled around a city block in Paris over and over, with a new Kylie emerging from a store each time the singer made her way around. Or was it the old Kylie? The clip was a Michel Gondry-directed delight, tracing her path, watching one Kylie drop something only to have another Kylie pick it up, and then the two (then three, then four) swerve to avoid each other as they swing around street poles. Then again, Kylie was copying herself in yet another fashion, since she had a Kylie-clone theme in her 1997 clip "Did It Again."
Gwen Stefani's "What You Waiting For"
Gwen Stefani had an emotional crisis when she tried to do her first solo album, Love, Angel, Music, Baby, the insecurities of which were reflected in the lyrics and video for "What You Waiting For" (see "Gwen Stefani Battles With Herself On First Single From Solo LP"). So as Stefani sang of her conflicted feelings in the form of a dialogue with herself, she reimagined that inner argument as an "Alice in Wonderland" dream, in which she was Alice, the Queen of Hearts, and Tweedledee and Tweedledum. One (more confident) Gwen would tell the other (more nervous) Gwen, "Take a chance, you might grow." "You can tell I'm still having issues," the singer said, "but the outcome has been so worth it."
Ashlee Simpson's "Shadow"
Remember when Ashlee Simpson tried to be like Jessica Simpson? We mean in her video for "Shadow." Director Liz Friedlander depicted two different Ashlees who lived side by side — one blonde, one brunette — with the blonde's world being pretty and happy and the brunette's being, well, less so (see "Blondes Have More Fun In Ashlee Simpson's New Video"). "It's like me against myself," Simpson said, "kind of a facing-your-inner-demons kind of thing and things you battle with day to day." Except the only demon depicted was, well, Jessica — when the blonde smashes a mirror to Ashlee's horror. What does this really tell us about the Simpson family's dynamic?
Jennifer Lopez's "Get Right"
What the hell is going on in the "Get Right" video? (See "An Army Of J. Los — Enough For A Dozen Marriages — Star In 'Get Right' Clip.") One Jennifer is DJing; one Jennifer is dancing alone, with her eyes closed, doing the same moves that another Jennifer is doing on a screen. Yet another Jennifer is also alone, but excited enough to dance on tables. One J. Lo is trying to order drinks from another J. Lo; one is comforting another J. Lo who is crying; one J. Lo waves to another — it's like "Multiplicity" meets "Norbit." Is this what Eddie Murphy has wrought?
Mandy Moore's "Extraordinary"
Mandy Moore is going to top them all, since she'll be no less than 120 versions of herself in her upcoming video for "Extraordinary," which was shot earlier this month in Los Angeles. Her characters include a hippie chick, a rocker chick, a '50s housewife and, strangely enough, Amelia Earhart. "She's kind of the hero," Moore explained. "She's the Mandy that makes the move to jump off the tower and be extraordinary." Could be an extraordinary disaster in the making — or just what Mandy needs to make a multiple comeback.
http://www.vh1.com/artists/news/1555792/20...fani_gwen.jhtml

Avril Lavigne Will Punch Any Groupies That Hit On Her Husband
Pop star Avril Lavigne has vowed to fight any girl who tries to steal 
her rocker husband Deryck Whibley. The Sk8r Boi star is fiercely 
protective of her relationship with the Sum 41 frontman and has a 
warning for any groupies with designs on him.

Lavigne says, "If some girl was going after my man I'd punch them. I 
don't think stealing any girl's guy is a nice thing - it's totally 
mean." 


Avril Levigne: http://www.teenpeople.com/teenpeople/galle...5829_6,00.shtml

Avril Lavigne Article: http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1556972/2...gne_avril.jhtml

Avril Lavigne's in no rush to have kids
Avril Lavigne, 22, kept her promise to be married by 21 - she tied the 
knot with Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley, 27, in July - but she's 
reneging on her word to become a mother in three years' time.

When I was 17, I told an interviewer I'd be married by 21 and have 
kids by 25. But I'm still a kid. I need to be married and do my work. 
I'll have kids later, like 10 years from now.

When she does have children, Avril may opt for an elective C-section 
after watching a live birth video on YouTube with an expectant buddy 
in horror.

I was breathing, like, 'I can't do this! What happens next? I want a C-
section!'

Avril Lavigne Site: http://music.msn.com/artist/?artist=16558715

Avril Lavigne: http://www.hollyscoop.com/photo-gallery.as...0&PGImageID=740

Avril Lavigne, the 'Girlfriend' next door in Bel-Air
While Canadian-born superstar Avril Lavigne was recording the chorus 
of her latest hit, "Girlfriend, " in eight languages last month, she 
also was talking L.A. real estate. Lavigne and her husband, Sum 41 
frontman Deryck Whibley, have bought a Bel-Air home for about $9.5 
million.

Lavigne, 22, wanted to build a home but settled on buying one that 
was fairly new with substantial upgrades. The three-story house 
behind gates has eight bedrooms and 10 1/2 bathrooms in 12,000 
square feet. The Tuscan-style residence, on an acre, also has an 
elevator, an office, a state-of-the- art kitchen, a steam shower, a 
sauna, a pool, a spa and garage space for 10 cars.

Lavigne's move to court international fans is being studied by other 
artists as record sales in North America continue to decline, 
Billboard magazine reported. The pop-punk star initially targeted 
her fans in Asia, where she makes 30% to 40% of her global album 
sales.

Lavigne, who released her debut album, "Let's Go," in 2002, is 
scheduled to appear as the musical guest next weekend on "Saturday 
Night Live." Her third album, "The Best Damn Thing," is due out 
April 17.

Eva Horland and Robin Lucas of Re/Max Olson, Westlake Village, 
represented the sellers, while Drew Mandile and Brooke Knapp of 
Sotheby's International Realty in Beverly Hills represented the 
buyers, according to agents not involved in the deal.


Newlywed Avril Lavigne talks CD, acting
NEW YORK -- Avril Lavigne has gone through a few changes since she 
released her last CD three years ago. The 21-year-old Lavigne is now 
married (to fellow Canadian rocker Deryck Whibley of Sum 41).

She's also a certified actress, having made her film debut in last 
year's flicks "Fast Food Nation" and the animated "Over the Hedge." 
And she's gone glam, ditching her tomboy duds for gowns and heels in 
high-profile modeling gigs.

But anyone concerned that the pop-punk princess had lost her edge 
will find reassurance in the title of her latest album: "The Best 
Damn Thing." And there's more attitude throughout the CD — the first 
single, "Girlfriend, " is about taking someone else's guy.

It was Lavigne's edgy, tough-girl persona (along with the rock 
ditties she co-wrote) that helped to set her apart from the rest of 
pop's divas when she made her debut at 16 with her first album, 
2002's "Let Go." It sold millions, as did her follow-up, 
2004's "Under My Skin."

Now, with her third disc, Lavigne is picking up where she left off.

The Associated Press: It's been awhile since your last album. Why 
the break?

Lavigne: ... I just wanted to kind of take a break and live my life. 
I worked on a couple of movies, got married, and then I went into 
the studio and because I write my songs it takes much longer for me 
to work on my album. I took my time with the album. I didn't want to 
rush it, I wanted to make sure it was really good ... I want to make 
sure I have time for myself to enjoy myself to enjoy life, because 
I've worked so much in my life.

AP: How has getting married changed you?

Lavigne: I don't feel like marriage has really changed me that much; 
just personally, in my personal life, I'm really happy.

AP: You're new album is very upbeat — does that reflect your mood?

Lavigne: Well, a lot of my inspiration for this record came from tour
(ing), and me realizing what songs I like to play live the most ... 
I had this vision for this record, my vision was to make a fun 
record all the way tough, energetic, poppy and catchy but still a 
rock record, so that's what I did. So I went in the studio and had a 
really good time, and the songs are so me, and it's fun, it's like a 
party CD ... it's like a summer CD, that's what it's like to me.

AP: Your husband worked with you on two songs — had you two always 
planned to work together?

Lavigne: No, I didn't plan on working with Deryck. I had written two 
songs with my friend Evan and they are kind of in the pop-rock vein 
and I thought he'd be perfect for it. He was producing his record, 
so he was already in the studio. I'm glad he got to be a part of it. 
We have very similar styles and we like a lot of the same music, and 
he's really good.

AP: You've started acting — is that something you'd always wanted to 
do?

Lavigne: (I) basically started acting when I was younger. I was in 
the school plays, singing and stuff and then I got a record deal. 
The singing thing worked out. I just wanted to try it again and be 
creative in any way I can. I am looking forward to getting a great 
movie and working on a good project. I believe in myself and I know 
that I can, so I want to. It is a matter of me finding the right 
project, something that really speaks to me instead of just jumping 
into something. I make sure I am selective and careful with what I 
do. I have to be extra careful because I'm going to be really judged.

AP: You've actually done high-fashion modeling spreads — a big 
change from your tomboy image. How are you evolving fashion-wise?

Lavigne: As I've gotten older, I appreciate fashion a bit more and 
experiment a bit more. Now I am at the age where I will wear a 
dress. Before I didn't want to. I'm a casual dresser but I love 
clothes, shoes, everything. I have done a few fashion spreads 
in "Harper's Bazaar," "W,' and all that stuff just to try it out, 
but I don't actually dress like that. Once in a while I'll put on a 
dress maybe if I am going to a premiere or something.

AP: People kind of have an image of you as a very spunky, in-your-
face kind of girl. Have you mellowed at all?

Lavigne: I've changed a ton, I've grown up, I'm wiser. I'm still the 
same girl. I'm just an older version. I've always been honest and 
I've always totally been me. Been outspoken. I'm not a butt kisser. 
I'm true to myself and I think that is what a lot of the fans liked 
about me.

AP: You say you plan to start a clothing line — so many stars have 
one. Why did you decide to do one now?

Lavigne: Now I love clothes and I feel like I have all these really 
cool ideas. It's something creative to do. It would totally be one 
of those things where I'm coming up with all the ideas. It would be 
how I dress. ... My whole thing is I love black, I love Dickies, I 
like Converse, I will wear heels once in a while, anything with a 
skull ... anything with kind of a rock `n' roll vibe is what I wear.

Avril Lavigne is married, acting and wants to design a clothing line
Avril Lavigne has gone through a few changes since she released her 
last CD three years ago.

The 21-year-old Lavigne is now married (to fellow Canadian rocker 
Deryck Whibley of Sum 41). She's also a certified actress, having 
made her film debut in last year's flicks "Fast Food Nation" and the 
animated "Over the Hedge." And she's gone glam, ditching her tomboy 
duds for gowns and heels in high-profile modeling gigs.

But anyone concerned that the pop-punk princess had lost her edge 
will find reassurance in the title of her latest album: "The Best 
Damn Thing." And there's more attitude throughout the CD — the first 
single, "Girlfriend, " is about taking someone else's guy.

It was Lavigne's edgy, tough-girl persona (along with the rock 
ditties she co-wrote) that helped to set her apart from the rest of 
pop's divas when she made her debut at 16 with her first album, 
2002's "Let Go." It sold millions, as did her follow-up, 
2004's "Under My Skin."

Now, with her third disc, Lavigne is picking up where she left off.

The Associated Press: It's been awhile since your last album. Why 
the break?

Lavigne: ... I just wanted to kind of take a break and live my life. 
I worked on a couple of movies, got married, and then I went into 
the studio and because I write my songs it takes much longer for me 
to work on my album. I took my time with the album. I didn't want to 
rush it, I wanted to make sure it was really good ... I want to make 
sure I have time for myself to enjoy myself to enjoy life, because 
I've worked so much in my life.

AP: How has getting married changed you?

Lavigne: I don't feel like marriage has really changed me that much; 
just personally, in my personal life, I'm really happy.

AP: You're new album is very upbeat — does that reflect your mood?

Lavigne: Well, a lot of my inspiration for this record came from tour
(ing), and me realizing what songs I like to play live the most ... 
I had this vision for this record, my vision was to make a fun 
record all the way tough, energetic, poppy and catchy but still a 
rock record, so that's what I did. So I went in the studio and had a 
really good time, and the songs are so me, and it's fun, it's like a 
party CD ... it's like a summer CD, that's what it's like to me.

AP: Your husband worked with you on two songs — had you two always 
planned to work together?

Lavigne: No, I didn't plan on working with Deryck. I had written two 
songs with my friend Evan and they are kind of in the pop-rock vein 
and I thought he'd be perfect for it. He was producing his record, 
so he was already in the studio. I'm glad he got to be a part of it. 
We have very similar styles and we like a lot of the same music, and 
he's really good.

AP: You've started acting — is that something you'd always wanted to 
do?

Lavigne: (I) basically started acting when I was younger. I was in 
the school plays, singing and stuff and then I got a record deal. 
The singing thing worked out. I just wanted to try it again and be 
creative in any way I can. I am looking forward to getting a great 
movie and working on a good project. I believe in myself and I know 
that I can, so I want to. It is a matter of me finding the right 
project, something that really speaks to me instead of just jumping 
into something. I make sure I am selective and careful with what I 
do. I have to be extra careful because I'm going to be really judged.

AP: You've actually done high-fashion modeling spreads — a big 
change from your tomboy image. How are you evolving fashion-wise?

Lavigne: As I've gotten older, I appreciate fashion a bit more and 
experiment a bit more. Now I am at the age where I will wear a 
dress. Before I didn't want to. I'm a casual dresser but I love 
clothes, shoes, everything. I have done a few fashion spreads in 
Harper's Bazaar, W, and all that stuff just to try it out, but I 
don't actually dress like that. Once in a while I'll put on a dress 
maybe if I am going to a premiere or something.

AP: People kind of have an image of you as a very spunky, in-your-
face kind of girl. Have you mellowed at all?

Lavigne: I've changed a ton, I've grown up, I'm wiser. I'm still the 
same girl. I'm just an older version. I've always been honest and 
I've always totally been me. Been outspoken. I'm not a butt kisser. 
I'm true to myself and I think that is what a lot of the fans liked 
about me.

AP: You say you plan to start a clothing line — so many stars have 
one. Why did you decide to do one now?

Lavigne: Now I love clothes and I feel like I have all these really 
cool ideas. It's something creative to do. It would totally be one 
of those things where I'm coming up with all the ideas. It would be 
how I dress. ... My whole thing is I love black, I love Dickies, I 
like Converse, I will wear heels once in a while, anything with a 
skull ... anything with kind of a rock 'n' roll vibe is what I wear.

Avril Lavigne's 'The Best Damn Thing' Is Billboard's Number 1
Avril Lavigne is back on top of the album charts after debuting her 
third release, The Best Damn Thing, at number one on the Billboard 
200. The album sold 286,000 copies in it's first week on release - 
almost 100,000 more than Nine Inch Nails' new release, Year Zero, 
which debuts at two on the new countdown.

Former number one Now 24, slides to number three on the new chart, 
while former American Idol star Bucky Covington's self-titled debut 
debuts at four. The album also claims the number one spot on America's 
Top Country Albums countdown.

Avril Lavigne leads singles chart
Avril Lavigne scored her first No. 1 single on the U.S. charts 
Thursday, a day after her latest album debuted in the top spot. 

"Girlfriend" moved up two places to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, 
fueled by 156,000 digital downloads. Her prior best showing was 
with "Complicated, " which peaked at No. 2 in 2002.

Her album, "The Best Damn Thing," opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 
200 with sales of 286,000 units in the week ended April 22. The 
tally fell far short of the 380,500 No. 1 start for her previous 
release, 2004's "Under My Skin," but all artists have been affected 
by a worsening industry slump.

Last week's No. 1 single, Timbaland's "Give It to Me" featuring 

Nelly Furtado and 

Justin Timberlake fell to No. 2.

R&B singer Akon's "Don't Matter" also dropped one, to No. 3. 
However, with his guest turns on 

Gwen Stefani's "The Sweet Escape" (down one to No. 6) and Bone Thugs-
N-Harmony's "I Tried" (up 28 to No. 7), Akon becomes the first 
artist since 50 Cent in May 2005 to place three songs in the top 10 
simultaneously .

Elsewhere on the Hot 100, Fergie's "Glamorous" featuring Ludacris 
remained at No. 4, T-Pain's "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" rose 
two to No. 5, rapper Mims' "This Is Why I'm Hot" dropped two to No. 
8, and Pink's "U + Ur Hand" jumped two to No. 9, her first top 10 
placement since 2002's "Just Like a Pill." Gym Class 
Heroes' "Cupid's Chokehold" featuring Patrick Stump slipped one to 
No. 10.

This week's top debut belonged to Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry" at 
No. 41. Also new were former "American Idol" contestant Bucky 
Covington's "A Different World" at No. 63 and Atlanta hip-hop combo 
Shop Boyz's "Party Like a Rockstar" at No. 80.

Avril Lavigne happy atop pop charts
Canadian pop singer Avril Lavigne said simultaneous No. 1 entries on 
the Billboard album and singles charts "felt really good." 
But she added that she wasn't "freaking out" about it. 

"I don't really think about things; I just do them," said Lavigne, 
whose hit "Girlfriend" was atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart while her 
third album, "The Best Damn Thing," topped the Billboard 200 with 
286,000 in first-week sales. 

"I'm just excited to have the record out and for everyone to hear it 
now. It's actually No. 1 in 15 countries, so it's a really exciting 
time for me. It's crazy." 

Lavigne said she won't mount a full tour to promote the album until 
2008. She will play some live dates during the summer and in the fall 
she'll film a starring role in "a dark kind of drama" whose title has 
not yet been revealed. 


Avril Lavigne Seeking Movie Career
Avril Lavigne is hooked on acting after appearing in two movies last 
year, and is now looking for serious big screen roles. The singer 
loaned her voice to an animated character in Over The Hedge and made a 
brief appearance in Fast Food Nation, and she confesses she has an 
appetite for more.

Lavigne tells MTV, "I think as time goes on, I would want to try 
different styles. I would want to go for a more serious drama, 
something darker that would take a lot of emotion."

She adds, "I do have a movie that I'm going to be working on and 
starring in."

Avril Lavigne wants to do 'serious drama'
Canadian pop singer/musician Avril Lavigne is keen to make a name as 
a 'serious' movie star.

The 22-year-old who appeared in two movies last year insisted that 
although she wants to become a versatile actress, her main attention 
is on 'serious drama'.

"I think as time goes on, I would want to try different styles. I 
would want to go for a more serious drama, something darker that 
would take a lot of emotion," Contactmusic quoted Lavigne, as 
telling MTV.

The 'Under My Skin' singer revealed that she already has a movie in 
which she will star. 

"I do have a movie that I'm going to be working on and starring in," 
she said.

Lavigne had lent her voice to an animated character Heather, 
in 'Over The Hedge' and made a brief appearance as a college 
activist Alice in 'Fast Food Nation'.

She also appears in 2007 flick 'The Flock' as the crime suspect's 
girlfriend.


Avril Lavigne Article: http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1560808/2..._mama__2_.jhtml
Avril Lavigne Article: http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1561823/2...gne_avril.jhtml

Avril Lavigne Vs. Plagiarism Claims
Avril Lavigne has responded a lawsuit that has brought against her 
claiming she copied another song for her hit "Girlfriend. " 

As previously reported, Lavigne and co-writer Luke Gottwald are 
being sued by Tommy Dubar, founder of band the Rubinoos, who claims 
that the Canadian singer's track "Girlfriend" bears a striking 
resemblance to the 1978 Rubinoos song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." 

However, writing on her blog, Lavigne refuted the accusation, 
stating she has "never ripped anyone off." 

Writing about the Rubinoos' accusations, she wrote: "You may have 
heard some news that two guys who wrote for some band from the 1970s 
I have never in my life heard of called the 'Rubinoos' are trying to 
sue me. 

"They have a song called 'I Want To Be Your Boyfriend' that has no 
musical similarities to the song 'Girlfriend' that Luke Gottwald and 
I wrote together. They claim that a small part of the lyrics are the 
same and are saying that I took these from them. I had never heard 
this song in my life and their claim is based on five words! All 
songs share similar lyrics and emotions. As humans we speak one 
language. 

"Off the top of my head, two other songs that I can immediately 
think of with this type of lyric are 'Hey, hey, you, you get off of 
my cloud' by The Rolling Stones and 'Hey little girl I want to be 
your boyfriend' by the Ramones. Simply put, I have been falsely 
accused of ripping their song off. Luke and I have done nothing 
wrong and there is no merit to their claim." 

Meanwhile, songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk has said that she would 
never work with Lavigne again, saying she will "cross the ethical 
line and no one says anything. That's why I'll never work with her 
again," after suggesting her song had been ripped off. 

Lavigne responed to this writing: "I was going to be the bigger 
person and not reply when I read Chantal Kreviazuk's article in 
Performing Songwriter magazine. Now that all the media have caught 
on to her little interview, I need to speak. 

"Chantal's comments are damaging to my reputation and a clear 
defamation of my character and I am considering taking legal action. 
Chantal has accused me of taking a song idea from her because I 
happen to have a song on my new record with the same title. 

"For the record, I wrote a song with Evan Taubenfeld which 
coincidentally has the same title as a song Chantal had sent me a 
few years ago. Our songs have no similarities and opposite meanings, 
i.e. different lyrics, different melody, different genres. 

"In Chantal's own words 'the only similarity is in the title.' I 
originally wrote this with Evan for his record and I ended up with 
it. Funny enough when I decided to put 'Contagious' on my album we 
had to change the words from 'she' to 'he' in order for it to work 
on my record. There are hundreds of songs out there with the 
title 'Contagious' 75 on iTunes alone. 

"Chantal has also made false accusations about my writing skills. I 
am so over this topic. This letter is not about this. I am not going 
to sit here and defend my writing skills. I don't have to prove 
anything to anyone. I know who I am and what I have done and 
accomplished and no one can take that away from me. 

"My decision to discontinue working with Chantal after co-writing 
together on my second record was simply based on the fact that we 
had no hits together. That is why her name is not on this record, 
despite her numerous attempts to be included, which were always 
denied. 

"From my perspective this is a clear case of bitterness. Chantal is 
upset that she didn't get to be a part of my record. She did email 
me after the article came out apologizing and I forgive her but I 
have to put the truth out there so my fans are not confused by these 
false accusations. 

"Let it be crystal clear that I have not ripped anyone off or done 
anything wrong. I have never had to deal with anything publicly like 
this and surely never wanted to. I do not deserve this negative 
press and attention. I take pride in the songs that I write and 
appreciate the opportunities to work with some great writers and 
musicians. 

"I would like to say more but my lawyers have advised me not to. Why 
is it when you get to a certain level people want to attack you?.... 
and now I have said my peace."

Avril Lavigne: Another Song Stolen?
APoor, poor Avril. Looks like you better stop giving the finger to the 
paparazzi and start coming up with more distinct bass lines. 

According to Perezhilton, another song on Avril's new CD The Best Damn 
Thing is sounding mighty familiar. The first 20 seconds of Lavigne's 
song I Don't Have To Try sounds almost identical to I'm The Kinda by 
Canadian rocker Peaches. 

Recently, the Rubinoos's (the first band to call Avril a thief) claim 
over Avril's Girlfriend was refuted by the pop/punk (but mostly pop) 
princess's manager, when he pulled a quote off their myspace page that 
claims they were also ripped off by "the Rasberries, the Beach Boys, 
the Beatles."

Avril Lavigne Article: http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1564324/2...gne_avril.jhtml
Avril Lavigne Picture: http://www.people.com/people/gallery/0,,20045498_9,00.html