andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Like his music or not, Rob Thomas is a music legend. The man has more #1 hits with his band Matchbox Twenty than we can count, and his newest solo effort “Cradlesong” is getting excellent reviews. Rob spoke with Jordan about his latest album, the effect of the Internet on the music biz, and also Miley Cyrus. Yes Miley Cyrus. Enjoy!

Producer Rob Thomas told E! News that after his new series “Cupid” airing on ABC has been cut down from 13 episodes to 8, he’ll have more time to work on the “Veronica Mars” movie script.

“What that means for me is that I have a couple of months to write the Veronica Mars movie,” Thomas said to E! News. “I suddenly find myself with enough time to write that script. That’s the next project.”

Rumours had been flying that the movie would show Veronica Mars solving crimes while in college. Thomas set the record straight to E! News, “I think it would open just days before Hearst College graduation, so Veronica would be at the end of her college career.”

Although the cast for the movie has not been confirmed, Thomas hopes the original cast will sign on, “I’ve talked to Jason Dohring, I’ve talked to Enrico Colantoni and I’ve talked to Kristen [Bell], obviously. I know that Kristen wants to do it. I want to do it”.

Cupid must have shot an arrow into ABC’s heart, because the network is giving the show another chance.

The cult hit, which originally aired in 1998 and starred Jeremy Piven, only made it to episode 15.

But in the hands of Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas, execs are hoping the revamped show will be a hit.

Thomas plans to stick to the original plot line about a man who believes himself to be Cupid, and the therapist who tries to convince him that he’s gone a little crazy.

However, Thomas will pen a completely new pilot. The leads will also be re-cast, of course, as Piven is busy earning Emmys as Ari Gold on Entourage. But Thomas plans to bring on a slew of guest stars to the project, so don’t rule out a cameo.

And as for the question of whether “Cupid” is insane or heaven-sent? “If we make it into syndication, this time I promise that I’ll answer the question,” Thomas said.

Much like the aftermath of Sept. 11 just four years ago, celebrities, musicians, and actors are banning together to raise money for victims of another U.S. disaster. This time, the cause is Katrina, the Category 5 hurricane that has left the Mississippi gulf and the city of New Orleans in ruins.

?A Concert for Hurricane Relief,? to be broadcast on NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC this Friday at 8 p.m. EST, will include performances by Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., and Tim McGraw. Celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio are also scheduled to participate in the hour-long special, which will be hosted by Matt Lauer in New York. Viewers will be encouraged to donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

But the special which will likely draw the biggest crowd is a three-city MTV extravaganza that will feature performances by Usher, Green Day, Ludacris, and Alicia Keys. It will air live on Sept. 10 on MTV, VH1, and CMT from New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville.

“In the face of a tragedy of this scope, we simply have to do everything in our power to offer support, comfort and hope to all the people directly impacted by the hurricane,” said Judy McGrath, chair and CEO of MTV Networks, who announced the concerts yesterday. “Our goal is to join forces on every medium to get involved, to volunteer, to contribute in any way we can.”

Other artists currently on board for the event are Gretchen Wilson, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews Band, Rob Thomas, Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, and David Banner. Additional performers are expected to be added to the line-up as the show draws closer. All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.

President George W. Bush has called Katrina ?one of the worst national disasters? in U.S. history as hundreds are feared dead in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.