Mixed Bag...

Paul McCartney has teamed up with Yusuf Islam, the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, on a new track of Islam's called Boots & Sand. An update on yusufislam.com reported that the song deals with the 2004 controversy of Islam being refused entry to the U.S. when his name was confused with a man on the "no fly" list.

The song also features Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss, and former Hollies guitarist Terry Sylvester. No release date has been announced.

On May 25th, 2005, McCartney and Islam performed together in Dusseldorf, Germany for the Adopt-A-Minefield benefit.
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A 60-year-old UK man who fell into a 10-week coma after contracting severe anemia regained consciousness -- after his wife blasted the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" on his headphones, according to telegraph.co.uk.

While unconscious, retired baker Sam Carter from Stoke in Staffordshire had spent three days listening to the local Stoke station Signal 2, before his wife began playing his favorite songs -- including the Stones classic, which was the first single Carter ever bought.

Carter, who had only been given a 30 percent chance of survival, recalled, "I can't remember much from being in a coma, but I do remember that when that song came on it took me right back to when I was a youngster. I could remember how excited I was to get it down at the record shop. I suddenly had a burst of energy and knew I had a lot more life left in me and that's when I woke up -- to the sound of the first song I ever bought."

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Record labels may soon try to seek more money from music-based video games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band. According to the New York Post, Warner Music Group wants to start asking game companies for additional money for song licenses.

The company's chief executive, Edgar Bronfman, compared the situation to the launch of MTV and the iPod, saying, "The amount being paid to the music industry, even though their games are entirely dependent on the content we own and control, is far too small." He added, "The industry as a whole needs to take a very different look at this business and participate more fully and in a much more partnership way. If that does not become the case, as far as Warner Music Group is concerned, we will not license to those games."

Rock Band 2 is expected out in October. Sales of Guitar Hero III have reached more than eight million, while Rock Band has sold more than 2.5 million. Rock Band has also sold more than 18 million additional song downloads at $1.99 each. Aerosmith recently released its own branded edition of Guitar Hero.