Following the end of their 'Bleed Like Me' tour in November 2005, Garbage decided they needed a hiatus. "There was never any talk of an official breakup or anything," drummer-producer Butch Vig tells AOL Music, "but I think after four records in 10 years and four long tours, everybody needed to do some serious decompression."

That sabbatical ends later this month, when the group reunites for a Jan. 31 gig in Glendale, California. The show, which also will feature Bonnie Raitt, Keb' Mo', Freedy Johnston and many more, is a benefit for musician Wally "Llama" Ingram. Ingram, a drummer who has played with Raitt, Sheryl Crow and Jackson Browne, among others, is suffering from throat cancer.

Vig, who put the 'Beat It Wally' benefit together, says that other musicians have been eager to jump on board. "When I heard about this, I just sent a blank e-mail out to a bunch of our friends, and everybody was like, 'Oh, my God, we want to help. We love Wally so much,'" Vig says. "He's the sweetest guy in the world, so the response has been overwhelming."

With the eclectic lineup assembled, Vig is looking forward to a memorable night and possibly some dream collaborations. "I'm kind of hoping that Bonnie is going to do some acoustic songs and then maybe she can get up and play some blues," he says. "We kept thinking maybe she can play over something like 'Queer,' a Garbage track, and just play some cool, wicked razor-blade guitar because she's such a phenomenal player."

He says he's encouraging other musicians to think outside the box, in the Garbage manner. "I think Garbage is going to do three or four songs using a string quartet," he says, "and we kind of decided that rather than go out and play 'Stupid Girl' for the thousandth time, we'd rather do some things that really mean something to us and would give any fans who come to the show a chance to see something a lot more rare."

Click here for more info on the Beat It Wally benefit.

WALLY INGRAM has often been in the right place at the right time. Twenty-plus years ago, he had a band in Madison, Sometimes Y, that was looking to record an album about the same time a young producer with a new studio was looking for someone to record. The producer was Butch Vig, the studio was Smart and the rest is history. Now, everyone from Nirvana to Garbage has recorded at Smart, but Ingram was there first.

In the years since, Ingram has been in the right place at the right time often enough to become a music industry legend, a little under the general public's radar perhaps, but talented enough to have played his extraordinary drums in the service of Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Tracy Chapman, Timbuk 3 and Eric Burdon and the Animals, among many others.

Thursday morning, Wally Ingram was in the right place again, the right place for this time in his life. Ingram was in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

"I'm getting an injection as we speak," Ingram was saying by cellular phone. "And then I am going to get my very last radiation treatment."

Since August, when he was diagnosed with head and neck cancer, Ingram has been receiving a very aggressive series of treatments that began with six weeks of chemotherapy, followed by radiation, and is just now winding up. The treatments are at times debilitating, but they're working. The tumors, which had spread to his lymph glands below the jaw, have "pretty much melted away," Ingram said.

His spirits have been further buoyed by the reaction to a planned benefit concert, being organized by his old pal Vig, that's scheduled for Jan. 31 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale, Calif.

Like Ingram, Vig now lives in the Los Angeles area. He has lined up a dazzling array of talent to benefit Ingram. Unlike many musicians, Ingram has health insurance, but estimates he'll miss eight months of work, with the cost of his care approaching a half million dollars.

The lineup for the "Musicians Banding Together to Fight Cancer" benefit includes Raitt, the Martinis with Joey Santiago & David Lovering of the Pixies, Freedy Johnston, Eric McFadden and many more. Perhaps most notably, the night will include a performance by Garbage (Vig, Duke Erickson, Steve Marker and Shirley Manson), who have been on hiatus for more than a year amid rumors of a break-up, rumors the band has consistently denied.

Vig told Billboard this week that Garbage is planning to play "an unusual set; something atypical, and two or three songs with a string quartet." Vig added that the band has been e-mailing song ideas back and forth and may record again in March. Meanwhile, he has written a couple of songs that Manson may include on her in-progress solo album.

Ingram, 44, who is originally from Beloit and moved to Los Angeles after graduating from UW-Madison in 1984, is grateful both for the outpouring of support from his musician friends as well as the response the benefit concert is generating. The $250 "Gold" tickets, with preferred seating and a backstage reception with the artists, have already sold out. There are other tickets and packages available, and more information can be found at Ingram's Web site, wallyingram.com.

Ingram and his wife, Laurie, have a 15-month-old daughter, Lydia.

"She is my best medicine," Wally Ingram said. ...

Joining in the chorus

Musicians of many stripes gather in Glendale for a cancer benefit focusing on survivor Wally Ingram, who sits in on drums.

Things have been quiet lately on the rock-music benefit front, with the Kerry campaign and the Katrina crisis having receded as galvanizing issues.

But the musical troops were mobilized Wednesday at the 1,300-seat Alex Theatre in Glendale, where they lined up against a formidable foe that hits close to home as the members of the No Nukes generation grow older: cancer.

During her segment of the show, benefit-concert perennial Bonnie Raitt told the near-capacity audience that many of her friends and relatives, including her brother, have dealt with the disease and noted that the struggle "brings out the best in us."

Raitt also linked the issue to a broader concern for the environment and health, but the focus of this fundraiser was one individual: ailing drummer Wally Ingram, a longtime colleague of Raitt and some of the evening's other participants, including Jackson Browne and Sheryl Crow.

Those musicians are regulars at events such as this, but Wednesday's five-hour show veered sharply from business as usual, as the specifics ofIngram's personal and professional life intertwined to generate an unusual and invigorating mix of musical styles and generations.

Browne's California singer-songwriter rock and Raitt's rootsy, bluesy music are firmly identified with the '70s and '80s, but it was a more current band, Garbage, that got the most rousing welcome. One of rock's rising forces in the late '90s, the band ended a two-year hiatus Wednesday with a three-song set that reflected a renewed sense of purpose.

Replacing high-voltage flash with a more understated, emotionally resonant approach, the band was joined by some of the other performers, notably the Section Quartet string section and the six-member Radiant Voices choir.

Singer Shirley Manson seemed to relish the altered environment they provided, singing with focused intensity on "Queer," the dramatic ballad "Cup of Coffee" and "Bleed Like Me," which she described with a phrase from her native Scotland, "stretching a hand across a dark wave."

The band's presence Wednesday traces to the personal side of Ingram's history. Garbage drummer Butch Vig and Ingram became friends in their early days in Madison, Wis., and one of the most touching segments of the concert came when other cronies from those days, including singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston, came out to play music and share memories of beer and bratwurst.

Benefits such as this earn their stature by providing special surprises and collaborations, and Wednesday's unannounced set was a big one: the first performance by the reunited Crowded House, the New Zealand group that disbanded a decade ago after establishing itself as one of the leading inheritors of the Beatles' pop legacy. Ingram sat in on drums with the group, which is still auditioning replacements for its late drummer, Paul Hester.

In fact, the guest of honor was all over the place, having come through treatments for cancer of the tonsils and neck with positive results. Playing congas, the full drum kit and other percussion instruments, the elfin Ingram exhibited a humble charm and unalloyed joy that helped explain why he commanded such a show of support.

"This is my dream night," Ingram said to the audience near the end of the show, then joined Crow, Raitt, Browne and a group of musicians that grew to some three dozen (others included Victoria Williams, Pixies side band the Martinis and guitarist Eric McFadden, and funk visionary George Clinton made a bizarre surprise appearance).

They first offered an extended take on Crow's "Everyday Is a Winding Road," then closed with an epic version of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry." As it went on, it transcended the usual spirited jam, building to a massive scale as Browne played the part of conductor, shifting the focus from the ensemble to the strings, raising and lowering the volume, and ultimately spotlighting the refrain "Everything's gonna be all right."

Something to pull out whenever the odds look long.

Okay so I had terrace seats whatever but I was able to take some okay pictures.

First of all I went there for the support of Garbage...I dont know who wally is and who others performing where (about98% of them)

Garbage performed Queer, Cup of Coffee, and Bleed Like Me...with the string quartet it sounded really good amazing good.

Once Shirley said "this is our last song" I was like WHAT...No...Sing more for us please pretty please.
She looked and sang amazing.

The one thing I disliked was Sheryl Crow seemed to be added at the last minute...almost...and took over the whole concert
I thought Garbage would be the main main main act and what not

To me it was worth being there given that it was my first time seeing garbage ever (I know silly me I have been a fan since they began and never saw them)
But I think that in some way we Garbage fans gott the short end of the stick...that is just me giving my opinion k

what the hell was up with the homeless looking man (dont know who he was) hehehehe and that weird pale, long with red haired, hat girl

YAY!!! Thanks!
You got great pics (=
I loooooved Shirlz dress!

And yeah.. I totally agree with you...
I dunno... I enjoyed some of the other performers
some of them I enjoyed even more than GARBAGE...
I dunno... Shirl just looked like she wanted to get the fAck outta there!
It was so impersonal compared to everyone else that had taken the stage!
Everyone else just made me feel like I was welcome to be part of a random friendly jam session that happened to be on a stage... they were all just jamming for the sake of music & for Wally. It was really really nice (=

As much as I love G and I'm a (huge) loyal fan since forever... I think under the circumstances, it was a good choice to let Cheryl Crow end the show - she really had her heart into it & you could really feel it from her (whereas shirley... ehh...)

And my goodness... the backround singers in Bleed Like Me... it was AWFUL!!
It could've been AMAZING but there was atleast one "soprano" singer there who just ruined it... terribly...
*sigh*

Cup of Coffee gave me the chills though ... It was amazing.. truly

BUT!!!! Surprise surprise... !!!

I have it all on video
(on my digi-cam).

But I was quite far away so I doubt it came out that good (I'll check this afternoon after work).
But I couldn't take any pictures because I was video-ing it!
So... PLEASE PLEASE anyone who has pictures, pls share them!
(It's really important to me to have pics, I collect...)
If you do, I'll make sure to get my vids out as soon as I can!!!
(Even though I was considering donating it to the Queen Helen Fanclub)

Oh! I also got butch & duke playing with the kiab =D
1 whole song & then another half a song.

-Mia (anyone remember me at all from back in the day?? Hmm..)

Here is my report post.

To start the evening. My ride's plane was late two hours. Then traffic. Then the wrong mall, so needless to say. I basically missed the meet-up before the show.
Once I showed up there. It was time to cross the street for the show.
So we finally got the tickets, and went inside. The String Quartet just started. They played some great renditions of Led Zeppelin.
The next few bands were so so. Although that hat chick on bass, a guitarist, and Wally on drums played this great piece. Some sort of tick toc type song.
Jackson Browne was OK. But he seemed not to have the energy he used to.
Bonnie Rait started slow, but picked up the pace. She still has her stuff on guitar. Jackson joined her to later.
Intermission sort of sucked. The bar line was way too long. By rthe time we got up there. They had no beer, and nly a couple glasses of wine left. That hit the spot though.
After intermission. That choir was horrendous. aaaaaaaaaaaa
I turned around and asked Michelle and Eileen if they were having fun yet. Michelle's reply was a very sarcastic "I wonder how Garbage can top that?"
A few more mediocre bands, then KIAB came on. They cranked.
Once Garbage came on you could tell it was a Garbage show.
The fans went wild. The string quartet was a very nice added touch. Queer was their opening song. Very good rendition of it too. Then they went to Cup of Coffee. The violin player had a bit of a trouble with the electronic instrument (I forgot it's name) but she got better with it as the song went on. BLM, was awesome, as it is an accoustic type of song. As they left the stage. The crowd kept yelling "Garbage, Garbage, Garbage". The MC was making jokes about it too. He was lame with most of his jokes throughout the show.
Shirley was looking hot. Being front row center was great. She was almost close enough to touch. We could almost see up her dress too (obligatory perv remark)
Sheryl Crow was looking fine. A little skinny from what I imaginged her to be. But those tight jeans, and skimpy top got my blood warm.
She played a few of her hits, plus was joined by Bonnie Rait, then Jackson Browne and the rest of the cast with the exception of Shirley joined in for a 20-25 minute rendition of a overly repeated "Everythings going to be alright". I mean they beat it to death. Albeit, it did get the crowd going.
On a scale of 1-10. I give the overall show a 9+. Not a 10 due to the few performances which IMHO were not quite up to par with the rest. But the cause is good, the energy was high. It was an emotional evening.
Now I bet you want to hear about after the show huh?

okay here's a short version of my story: some of us met at CPK and then went to the Alex and met everyone else. The original plan was for us all to meet but because of plane delays and traffic etc. we ended up meeting at the venue. I got my ticket from a very generous board member and proceeded to the wonderful second row center seat, which by the way, rocked. Highlights were the Martini's and the song that Dan talked about with the bass chick. The only really bad act was the choir so I agree with you on that one Dan. They were really out of place.

Garbage sounded great as usual but I did wish the choir didn't sing on BLM. It was still great seeing them play live even for a few songs. I got to shake Butch's hand afterward which was very cool. All I could say to him is 'I love your music' so I pretty much dorked out. I had fun and met some really great board members. I really feel bad that Morgankittie got separated from us

Shirley looked amazing. Besides KIAB with Duke and Butch, we had to wait until after 10 to see them perform the three songs. All three songs were performed electric with the string quartet, and they brought in this singing group for 'Bleed Like Me.' They sung the "You should see my scars" refrain. Unfortunately, I thought it was better in concept than execution.

Shirley sounded absolutely incredible. I've heard her sing Cup of Coffee before, but her voice was very strong, stronger than usual, I'd say. She had her hair up and was wearing a rainbow-ish dress that had pockets, with black leggings and black high heels. I'm uploading pics as we speak, but I'm technologically crippled because I forgot a usb cable @ home.

Anyway, after Garbage performed their three songs, Shirley left the stage almost immediately, and didn't reappear... even as almost everyone played with Sheryl Crow at the end. The emcee got frustrated as he tried to stall between sets and all the Garbage fans in the audience kept calling for Garbage to return.

Instead, Sheryl Crow came out, and the mostly over-40 white crowd went nuts. I've never seen so many older white people dance badly in public... it was shameful. Sheryl brought everyone out during her last song, including what I thought was a homeless man off the street, but turned out to be George Clinton. (!) They jammed for what seemed like an eternity. When that was done, they began another one. Butch came out during this, but I never saw Steve, Duke or Shirley. I left shortly thereafter.

I recorded a few super-short videos and should have them up sometime Thursday night.

Cup of Coffee was the best song of the night for me, easy. Shirley seemed somewhat shy & nervous for her, but her voice was amazing. Best singer there, hands down.

Yes, Butch was the only member I saw after the performance. He also came out & said a few words at the very end of the show. I met him very briefly after the meet & greet, but other MBers there did the talking. He was very friendly & answered questions about the GH album & Shirley's solo album.

Shirley looked incredibly gorgeous. She was wearing a really cool dress with opaque black tights & 4 inch high suede ankle boots. Her hair was pulled back in a curly pony tail. I was in the 2nd row (!!!!!!!!!), just a few short feet away, and I guarantee you all that she is tiny & slim & her face looks much younger than 40. I wish I looked that good now!

After Garbage left the stage, there were so many in the crowd that kept yelling for them to come back. Looking around, it was easy to pick out the G fans too (we are so fashionable  ). Sheryl Crow did go over well with the crowd, but G were a tough act to follow. Basically anyone there who was not just supporting Wally, or part of the over 40 & white Sheryl Crow/Bonnie Rait set, was there for Garbage. I think they got the biggest applause & everyone gave them a standing ovation, not just a select few like the other acts.

The jam at the end went on for far too long (and for 2 songs), but I am not a jam kind of girl (give me a 2 1/2 minute Ramones songs any day over that). George Clinton totally freaks me out. I said I wasn't gonna stand up & clap along unless Shirley came out, but she never did. So I stood up cuz the woman standing next to me's butt kept getting in my face

All the board members I met were very nice. It was a fun, diverse concert & I'm really glad that I was able to go! Meeting Butch was surreal...I wish I could've thought of something to say to him, but all that came to mind was "I LOVE GARBAGE! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE SHIRLEY!" & maybe that would've been too intense...

Hey guys! I went last night (backstage as well!) and here is my description that I posted on Facebook. Mind the foul language as I was very excited when I wrote this...

Wow. Wow. WOW!

I feel…exhilarated, liberated, shocked, ELATED!!!!!!

Okay so I just got back from the Garbage show that I went to in Glendale with Laurel. Right now we are sitting in her room listening to “Less Talk More Rokk.” Yes. It’s Rokk with two k’s.

But that is besides the point friends!!!!

Let it be known that January 31st will go down as the greatest day in history. For it was the day that Analise met Shirley. Shirley Mother******* Manson.

Let us begin with the pre-show shall we? So most everyone here knows that I have gnarly anxiety problems. And to my surprise, my pre-concert jitters almost turned into a full-blown anxiety attack. You’d think that the idea of meeting Ms. Manson would make me feel stoked. But I was shaking and had knots in my stomach. Throughout the benefit show I thought I was going to puke. Until, of course, Garbage came on.

Since it was a benefit show and a whole bunch of people were playing (like Bonnie Raitt, The Martinis, Sheryl Crow, George Clinton, Crowded House, to name a few!) Garbage only got to play 3 songs.

So when Shirley walked on stage I was shocked right back into reality and out of my anxiety. She was dressed in the most ADORABLE dress EVER! (Check out my pictures that I just uploaded!!!!) And the band busted in right away with the lovely song, “Queer.” The raddest part? They played with a string quartet. They then played “Cup of Coffee” (a total rarity from “beautifulgarbage”), which made me totally stoked because I knew Laurel would recognize it. Shirley then announced they’d be playing their final (WTF?!) song, “Bleed Like Me.” It was a beautiful version with a choir singing the lyrics “You should see my scars.”

After they left the stage, everyone went ballistic screaming, “More!” and “Encore!” It lasted about ten minutes and the MC got irritated and finally said (after several minutes of trying to just joke about it),”Okay guys, let’s move on, okay?” To which I screamed, “NEVAHHHH!!!!!!”

The grand finale was pretty sweet. It included everyone from the show on stage singing “No Woman No Cry.” But Shirley wasn’t a part of it! I had a feeling she wouldn’t show but I kept trying to perform telekinesis by thinking, “Ginger, REVEAL THYSELF!”

The show finally ended (it went on for about five hours) and I ironically wasn’t nervous anymore. Honestly, I didn’t even really feel excited. I now know it was because I didn’t realize the gravity of what was about to happen to me. So I’m waiting up at the after-party and I noticed that Butch Vig (the drummer of Garbage) was coming up the stairs. I didn’t notice whom he was walking with but I decided to walk towards him anyway. Then it hit me. HOLY EFFING CRAP HE’S WITH SHIRLEY!!!”

Luckily only me and one other guy spotted her before the huge crowd did. He was the first to speak to her. He asked her, “Shirley will you sign this for me?” And she did. At this point I was super excited. After she signed his paper I said in a soft voice, “Shirley?” I almost half-expected her not to turn. I felt like it was a dream. That there could be no way that she would actually hear me. But of course, she did.

She turned and I said, “Shirley, I just wanted to tell you that you are my hero.” She smiled and said, “Oh, I’m sorry!” as she laughed awkwardly, showing that she still has trouble seeing herself as the truly kick ass person she really is. I immediately responded, “No, no! It’s a good thing! You know, you’ve saved my life in so many ways. I’m actually trying to sing and-“ I stopped myself remembering that I wrote her a letter.

“I actually- I don’t know if this is really geeky or not, but I wrote you a letter.” She smiled warmly and said, “No, not at all! Thank you!” She took my letter and I asked, “Can I actually have a picture with you?” And she said, “Of course.” So I took the picture (Once again SEE MY ALBUM!) and I said, “I just wanted to say one more thing. I know you’re always saying at your concerts that you want girls to start up bands. I just wanted to let you know that I’m trying.”

She smirked at me and said, “That’s my girl!” And my heart just swelled with pride. I continued, “It’s not easy, but I’m trying.” She replied, “Well good, “ (or something to that effect, at this point I was so crazy happy that my remembrances may or may not be accurate. She then said, “Thank you…Thank you for the letter!” And I said, “Thank you,” and walked away, amazed by her graciousness, her down-to-earth demeanor, and her utter coolness. And believe you me, I plan on seeing Shirley again. When? Someday, when we’re touring together.

Tonight is the best night of my life.