Ah, the life of a rock star. Bush singer Gavin Rossdale rang in the new year by playing doorman at Gwen Stefani's New Year's Eve party, quaffing champagne and nuzzling his better half's newly crimson-tipped hair while trading quips with the equally blond, equally beautiful Taylor Hawkins, the Foo Fighters' newish drummer. |

Also milling about were Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis and Flea, who strode in wearing the same Clockwork Orange-like garb: powder blue tuxedoes with oversized blue bowler hats. And all this celebrating despite the fact that Rossdale and Co. had just missed their self-imposed deadline for completing their eagerly awaited next album.

According to Bush's spokesperson, the band intended to have their new opus, titled The Science of Things, finished by the end of the year, but the band couldn't bear to let it go just yet, deciding to keep producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley on a leash a bit longer by staying in the studio for the entire month of January. The band has finished fifteen songs, including "Ban the Bomb" and "Altered States," which they played during their last tour, as well as the oddly titled "Dead Meat," "Jesus Online," and "Disease of the Dancing Cats," perhaps written for Rossdale's Hungarian sheepdog Winston, who graced the cover of Sixteen Stone and is insured by Lloyds of London for $4.8 million. After Bush tie a bow on Science, they plan to do some interviews in advance of the March release, and then head out on the road for an extended U.S. tour.

As for Stefani, she's back at the drawing board finishing up some more songs in advance of No Doubt's February studio date. According to No Doubt guitarist Tom Dumont, they've been writing for the past year and have "pretty much finished writing the whole album," including "Touch and Go," a song that especially caught his fancy.

The band's official website notes that the group's finally "sorted out their producer situation" and, after months of meetings with the knob twirling masses, have chosen one to produce the follow-up to 1997's Tragic Kingdom. No Doubt's publicist was mum on the choice, but did say that Marilyn Manson/Hole producer Michael Beinhorn "was not out of the running." In addition to recording the album, the band also plans to record an original song and film a video for a movie coming out in March.

JAAN UHELSZKI(January 6, 1999)