Briefly: Artie Shaw, 'Elektra' soundtrack, U2, Bill Wyman

Swing-era bandleader/clarinetist Artie Shaw died on Dec. 30 at the age of 94.

Shaw rose to fame in the late '30s when he and his band released a cover version of Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine." The single was one of eight million-selling records he recorded.

In 1954, Shaw retired from music at the age of 43, and reportedly made his clarinet into a lamp stand. He was married and divorced eight times; movie stars Lana Turner and Ava Gardner were among his wives.

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Wind-Up Records has announced a Jan. 11 release date for the soundtrack to the upcoming superhero film "Elektra." The 15-track set will include cuts from Evanescence , Jet , The Donnas, Switchfoot, Alter Bridge and others.

A complete track list and streaming samples of several songs are available at the album's official website.

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A message at U2 's website, categorized as a "response to many e-mails," informs fans that bassist Adam Clayton, who was on holiday in Malaysia, "was unaffected by the tragic events around the Indian Ocean following Sunday's [12/26] tsunami waves."

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Former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman will release a new album titled "Just a Thrill" on March 2. Mark Knopfler contributed guitar parts to the set, according to a press release.

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