It wasn't just a broken finger that gave John McCrea the time to plot his own TV show. According to Cake's feisty frontman, he's been planning to bring Freedom of Speech to the small screen for the past eight years. "I thought up the idea when I realized the tools of democracy weren't available to everyone anymore," says McCrea. "You can't even put up a poster legally on a telephone pole in most American cities without getting arrested. So decided I could give people a voice by creating this show." Based loosely on the campy Seventies classic Gong Show, the show's designed to give "regular" people time to deliver a two-minute speech and discuss their views in a dignified, yet entertaining format in front of three celebrity judges. The high-profile arbitrators will either award the best speakers with prizes or send them plummeting through a hidden trap door. The guitarist/control freak has offered up potential subjects like "Marilyn Manson: Pure Evil or Savvy Businessman in Monster Outfit?" or "The Most Outdated Part of the Constitution." Although McCrea's not confirming who the celebrity guests judges will be, he does offer some tantalizing combinations, such as Judge Judy, Henry Rollins and Deepak Chopra, or Beck, Noam Chomsky and Celine Dion. "This show is for fun, but there's also a sense of participation that we need to have," McCrea says. "Even if it's an illusion, I think it would help the democratic process." He has been shopping the idea around to various networks, and he says he's got a couple of solid bites. If you're interested in being a part of the fun, send audition tapes to him at: Freedom of Speech, 3104 "O" Street, Box 109, Sacramento, CA 95816 or visit www.speechsite.com for more info . . .

Four cities, dozens of Irish and vaguely Irish-inspired acts, and gallons of Guinness: welcome to Fleadh 1999. The stout-sponsored Irish music festival is back for its third year in a row in America, with a line-up promising everything from Celtic don Van Morrison to British pop-punk archetype Elvis Costello. This year's Fleadh kicks off in San Francisco on June 5, followed by stops in Chicago (June 12), Boston (June 19) and New York (June 26). Morrison is only scheduled for the Boston date, but Costello will perform in all four cities. Other acts confirmed so far for one or more Fleadh stops include Lucinda Williams, Hootie & the Blowfish, the Cardigans, Shane MacGowan, Ben Harper, John Lee Hooker, Steve Earle & the Del McCoury Band, Richard Thompson, John Prine, Taj Mahal, Shawn Mullins, Dave Alvin, Black 47 and more . . .

An e-mail sent out last week portended the Thin White Duke's appearance at Monday night's New York Placebo show, but few believed the man who brought us glam in its first incarnation would actually materialize. Those that stuck around for the encore, however, were treated to a rare performance by David Bowie, who sang the title track of Placebo's Without You I'm Nothing along with the group's diminutive frontman, Brian Molko. The two then segued into a cover of T. Rex's "20th Century Boy," which Placebo and Bowie also performed at this year's Brit Awards. After the show, the group settled down with Bowie backstage for a chat, no doubt exchanging tips on what goes best with black (answer: pounds of eyeshadow). Placebo are currently touring in support of their album, while Bowie is reportedly doing time in a Los Angeles studio for his new album ...

Despite initial plans to rock like comrades, the KISS Psycho Circus tour won't be swinging through Russia, after all. The mascara-ed metallurgists have been forced to scrap their tour of Russia because of rampant anti-Western sentiment over the NATO bombings of Yugoslavia, according to the band's website, KISS Asylum. The Asylum confirmed that KISS were contacted by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and informed that their safety could not be guaranteed if they chose to enter the country due to the crisis in the Balkans. The band was scheduled to perform in Moscow on April 1 and 2, followed by a show in St. Petersburg on April 4. It's unclear whether the band will reschedule. Meanwhile, Garbage, who were prevented from playing a show in the Balkan country of Estonia on February 4 after Russian authorities held up their equipment at customs, have rescheduled for May 28. "Garbage haven't had any warnings from the State Department about their make-up date, and as far as we're concerned, all systems are go," says the band's spokesperson. Maybe the Russkies just don't want to be part of the KISS Army . . .

We warned you that former Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters would mount a full-fledged tour this year, and his camp has finally confirmed it. According to manager Mark Fenwick, Waters will hit the U.S. in a two-pronged attack beginning this summer. The musician plans to kick off the East Coast leg of his tour in July or August, and will return to the States in the Spring of 2000 to perform on the West Coast. No dates have been confirmed, but Fenwick says they are forthcoming. Waters will be featuring material from his 1992 opus, Amused To Death, but it's unlikely that he'll perform anything from his forthcoming opera, Ca Ira, which will be released this year in both English and French. The Pink Floyd website Steel Breeze revealed that the musician plans to begin work on a new rock album after he completes his 1999-2000 tour schedule . . .

Maybe 13 really is Damon Albarn's lucky number. Not only is Blur's new album No. 1 on the British album charts, but the frontman is about to become a father. No, not with Elastica's Justine Frischmann, his former girlfriend, but with artist Suzi Winstanley, whom he has been reportedly seeing for the past year. Albarn has attempted to keep the relationship quiet, and as recently as last week refused to name his companion. But friends of the couple spilled the news and revealed that Albarn and Winstanley will be bringing their new release into the world this October. A friend who confirmed the rumor told the BBC, "They're absolutely delighted. The pair of them are completely smitten with each other" . . .

Speaking of rock & roll domestic matters, Beastie Boy Adam Horowitz and his wife Ione Skye are getting a divorce. Though married for eight years, the couple hadn't lived together for the past two years. Skye, who is the daughter of Sixties icon Donovan Leitch, was the one to file for divorce in Los Angeles in March 29, citing irreconcilable differences. Insiders say that Skye was the one who created the breach and walked out on the B. Boy. After the shock wore off, Ad Rock consoled himself by pairing up with former Bikini Kill frontwoman Kathleen Hanna . . .

Where was all this interest in the Pretty Things thirty years ago when they were young enough to bait the birds into a little backstage hijinks? It's somewhat peculiar that the original British Invasion group never captured the fancy of U.S. audiences during its fertile years and, now, since reuniting last year, have been deemed a cult band. That nebulous distinction will get tested in late August or early September when the group launches its first U.S. tour since they opened for Led Zeppelin twenty-four years ago. According to band manager Mark St. John, the band will begin its jaunt in the Pacific Northwest and make its way across the States for three-and-a-half weeks this summer. The tour will support the reunion album Rage Before Beauty, and shows will include material from the Pretties' late Sixties and early Seventies albums. St. John says a VH-1 Behind the Music special on the group may coincide with the tour, but the manager apparently has bigger plans for the group. "There's something that I'm doing over here [in Great Britain] that I think will arrive in the States and will prove to be a really unusual and quite a cutting edge thing for a band that has been around thirty-five years to be involved in," he says by way of attempted explanation. "If it's bullshit, if I'm wrong, then I'm just a fucking horse's ass, but if I'm right it'll find you." Consider yourselves warned . . .

It's no secret that No Limit's Master P is in competition with that other rap entrepreneur Sean "Puffy" Combs. So when the Puffster donated $500,000 to Howard University -- the school he attended but never graduated from -- to establish a scholarship in both his and his mother's name, it was only a matter of time before the Master sought out his own learning institution to endow. When the rapper learned that the Archdiocese of New Orleans planned to merge St. Monica's Elementary school -- his alma mater -- with rival school Our Lady of Lourdes, Master P dashed off a check for $250,000 to St. Monica's and $150,000 to nearby Lourdes in the hopes of keeping both schools solvent. P made an additional deposit in the karmic bank with a $100,000 donation to St. Matthias, the church his family attends in Sin City . . .

When Clowns Go Bad: Chaos! Comics has added another title to their irreverent, dark catalog. They recently signed up Insane Clown Posse for their very own series beginning in May called Where Darkness Dwells. Now you can find the escapades of The Great Milenko, The Joker's Cards, the Carnival of Carnage and the Riddle Box right next to the unbelievably popular Megadeth series. The first issue will set the stage for the continuing saga of how two normal rappers from the mean streets of Detroit are transformed into two nefarious clowns known as Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, who have never seen the inside of a circus tent. And in case you're wondering, yes, the launch of this edgy comic book does coincide with an upcoming release from the two-man Posse. The Amazing Jeckel Brothers (Psychopathic Records) will be in stores on May 11. We know why the rappers signed on, but what's in it for the comic company? Chaos! president Brian Pulido says it's just the kind of fare that they want to bring out at the end of the millenium: "It's got all kinds of dark and twisted prophecy in it, along with violent clowns. What could be better? These guys are such an insane, dark group that we jumped at the chance to do their book. After all, Chaos! Comics is where darkness dwells, so it's like a second home for the ICP." . . .

Over the past few months, there's been a flurry of discussion in and out of the Grateful Dead folders about whether or not this year's Further Festival would go on as planned, with the Other Ones headlining as they have for the past two years. It looked like the issue was settled once and for all last week, when the Grateful Dead office announced that the Festival was taking a year off because bassist Phil Lesh didn't feel strong enough to tolerate an extensive touring schedule after undergoing a liver transplant last December -- despite the fact that Lesh has scheduled a few Phil & Friends shows to benefit his Unbroken Chain Foundation in San Francisco next month. Insiders speculate that the reason Lesh balked was that the schedule was too rigorous, with the band traveling to a different city every night. In addition, Lesh reportedly didn't like the three-guitar line-up -- which the powers that be thought necessary to replace the departed Jerry Garcia -- and wanted to reduce it to a more manageable dual team. "I was under the impression that [the Furthur Festival] was off, but what I'm hearing now is they're going to attempt to put together a modest, somewhat smaller scale tour, certainly smaller compared to last year," said Dennis McNally, spokesperson for the Other Ones. Insiders say that Metropolitan Entertainment wants to stage this reduced Fest for July, and is in negotiations with Bob Weir's Rat Dog and Mickey Hart's One Heart, both of which performed at 1997's Festival. "A Furthur Festival in 1999 is still a remote possibility," John Scher of Metropolitan Entertainment told Amusement Business. "It doesn't look like Furthur will be going out this year, but ever since we decided it wasn't, there has been an outpouring of emotion from fans. It's very unlikely, but we sort of reconsidered the final decision we made. There's not enough time to do it properly, but it's still in the hopper." . . .

Rap music lost another one of its young artists to gunfire over the weekend when Raymond Rogers, a k a Freaky Tah of the Lost Boyz, was shot in the head by an unidentified masked assailant outside of a Sheraton Hotel in his native Jamaica, Queens, at 3:57 a.m. Sunday (March 28).

Rogers, 28, was pronounced dead a half hour later at Jamaica Hospital. As a member of the Lost Boyz, Rogers first came onto the rap scene with the group's 1995 debut single, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless," which was followed by the albums Legal Drug Money (1995) and Love, Peace & Nappiness (1997). A third album, LB 4 Life, had been slated for a June release. A representative at the group's label, Universal Records, offered no comment on whether or not Freaky Tah's death would effect the release schedule. Universal did offer a statement Monday noting: "We join the rest of his bandmates, family, friends and fans in mourning his loss, and what is a tremendous loss to the music community." Fans can send condolences to the Lost Boyz, c/o Group Home Entertainment, 1755 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 . . .

Wyclef Jean's packing up his circus tent and heading to Miami to stage another daylong shindig at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater. Dubbed Carnival 1999, the extravaganza, which will be held April 17, will mark Jean's third annual Haitian Benefit concert. All proceeds going to the Wyclef Jean Foundation will be donated to various charitable organizations. Jean's first foray into charity took place in April 1997, when the Fugees traveled to Port-au-Prince to play before 75,000 believers. This year, Jean's Fugees sidekick Pras has signed on to perform, along with Jean & the Refugee Camp, Stone Love, Nas, Next, Mya, Eightball & MJG, Destiny's Child, Ivy Queen, the Black Eyed Peas, Kymani Marley, Khadejia, and Eagle Eye Cherry. So far, Lauryn Hill hasn't given her compatriot the nod. Then again, she has a few other things on her mind. The Chicago Sun-Times recently announced that Warner Bros. is negotiating with Hill to play her own future mother-in-law -- which could be even more gnarly than just a run-of-the-mill conflict of interest. The film company wants the hotter-than-hot erstwhile Fugee to play Rita Marley, the wife of the late, great Bob Marley in the biopic the company is planning. For the uninitiated, Hill is engaged to Rohan Marley, the son of Rita and Bob . . .

Smash Mouth have completed their seventeen-track follow-up to the platinum Fush Yu Mang (1997), which featured the ubiquitous summer radio anthem "Walkin' on the Sun." Astro Lounge, due out June 8, includes guests Coolio, who rhymes on "Swank Ride," and Sugar Ray's DJ Homicide, who scratches on "Stoned." The first single, "All Star," will drop in May. Eighteen months of touring will follow the album's release, according to band manager Robert Hayes . . .

Perhaps Blur frontman Damon Albarn should have thought a little harder before titling his band's latest album unlucky number 13. Less than six months after finally getting his very first driving license at the ripe old age of twenty-nine, the singer has already had it suspended -- and he can't get it back for a full year. "I think it's rotten," Albarn told the U.K.'s Daily Mail. "I got two of those speed photos, and if you get more than six points in the first year of passing you test, you lose your license." Albarn's American rep had no comment, except to say that since Blur are in America promoting their new album, there would be no need for Albarn to get behind the wheel . . .

Meanwhile, Albarn's nemesis Liam Gallagher also found himself in a bit of an automotive fix this past weekend -- and for once it wasn't one of his own making. Gallagher and his wife, Patsy Kensit, were attacked by a gang of ruffians when they stopped at a red light in Kensit's BMW. It's unclear whether the thugs recognized the Oasis singer or if it was just a random attack, but a rowdy handful of soccer fans attacked the couple on Marylebone Street in North London before Saturday's game against Poland. According to the Daily Mirror, a group of thugs were sitting on the sidewalk drinking when they spotted the pair stopped at the light. The group surrounded the car and spat abuse at the celebrity couple before throwing a bottle of beer on to the back seat of the car. Apparently, they didn't get the reaction they wanted, so another member of the gang pitched a brick through the car's back window. Horrified, Kensit drove out of harm's way. The couple then abandoned the vehicle and walked to their home in Primrose Hill, where they called police. According the paper, the gang had fled before any arrests could be made. Oasis head into the studio next month to begin laying down tracks with producer Mark "Spike" Stent for their follow-up to 1997's Be Here Now. That album's slated for a mid-2000 release . . .

It takes a lot to steal the show from Billy Corgan, but last Thursday night in Chicago, the Smashing Pumpkins leader found himself being upstaged by a guy named, of all things, Billy Corgan. Billy Senior and Junior performed together in public for the first time at a benefit concert for Neon Street, a Chicago organization that helps homeless teenagers. Backed by the band of benefit organizer and Chicago music scene veteran Nicholas Tremulis, father and son delivered a pair of blues standards, each in his own distinctive style. Dressed in a brown suit and tie, the younger Corgan turned Robert Johnson's delta blues "If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day" into Pumpkins-brand arena rock, as his razor-edged rasp cut through the searing guitar onslaught. With his army fatigues, Harley-Davidson T-shirt and flying V guitar, Billy Corgan Senior looked like a grizzled heavy metal guitarist, but his rendition of "Muddy Waters" attested to his career as a highly-regarded blues and jazz touring guitarist. The fifty-one-year-old musician sang lightly over the band's swing beat before his crisp, jazz-tinged guitar solo dazzled the room, particularly the bald guy towering over his right shoulder. "I'd like to thank you for having me," Corgan told his dad between songs, patting him on the shoulder, and dad responded with the universal declaration of paternal pride, "that's my boy" . . .

It's comforting to know that even the coolest guy alive has issues with his crib sometimes. Beck has been complaining to pals that the five-bedroom Pasadena abode he bought for his girlfriend Leigh last year was too cut off from civilization and too hot during the summer months. Seems he finally convinced his girlfriend to move out of the classy suburb (which counts David Lee Roth among its residents -- hmmm) and bought Leigh not one, but two houses -- one in Silver Lake and another in Santa Monica. Nothing succeeds like success, so we weren't surprised when he actually made money unloading the Pasadena manse. He bought the digs for a cool $1.275 million, and sold it for $1.38. According to insiders, Beck and his band did some pre-production work for their new album at the Pasadena house, but have now set up camp in Silverlake close to the Los Feliz homestead Beck sold to former labelmate E of the Eels last year . . .

Speaking of Beck cronies, keyboardist Roger Manning and guitarist Tony Hoffer have been moonlighting. The two of them have snared a few remixing gigs, including the very cool cut-and-paste job they did for Citizen Kane's "Better Days" . . .

Finally, look for Beck to make an appearance on Crybaby, the third album in the Melvins' upcoming trilogy -- which will be released this year on the newly formed Ipecac Records. Melvins spiritual leader Buzz Osborne contacted Beck to appear on one of the tracks, as well as Mike Patton (who is one of the owners of Ipecac), David Yow of Jesus Lizard fame, Foetus, Hank Williams III and Seventies teen idol Leif Garrett. More high profile Melvin fans are slated to be added as soon as they get the clearance from their labels . . .

Speaking of Muddy Waters and father-son teams -- most second-generation rockers burn out and fade away before the age of twenty-five, but we can guarantee such a fate won't befall Big Bill Morganfield, the biological son of blues pioneer Muddy Waters. Why? Well, Morganfield waited until that milestone was long past before choosing to make his recorded bow with a down-and-dirty set titled Rising Son, which will be in stores next month. The singer/guitarist, who bears more than a passing resemblance to his father, doesn't shy away from the comparisons either -- not only does he cover one of his pop's faves ("Champagne and Reefer"), but he uses the core of Waters' touring band for support. On a similar note, Van Morrison's daughter Shana has just issued her debut album, Caledonia, which features a rendition of Van the Man's "Sweet Thing" . . .

Fans were distraught when Eric Clapton didn't show up in Austin, Texas, last week to perform at longtime friend Jimmie Vaughan's birthday bash/jam. Turns out the legendary performer was in Toronto by his mother's bedside. Patricia Clapton, 70, died in the Canadian city after a long illness. Clapton had only recently re-established a relationship with his mother, who emigrated to Canada when the guitarist, now 53, was just two years old. Clapton was born out of wedlock after the sixteen-year-old Patricia had a wartime romance with a Canadian soldier. Clapton never met his father, Edward Singer, who died fourteen years ago, but last year the Toronto Star unearthed Clapton's family tree and revealed that the guitarist had a number of half-brothers and sisters living in Canada whom he had never met. On another sad note, March 28 is the ninth anniversary of the funeral for Eric Clapton's son, Conor, who fell to his death from a New York high rise apartment window . . .

Roll over N' Sync and tell those Backstreet Boys the news. O.G. (that's Original Girl-magnet) Rick Springfield is returning to the frontlines of shlock-rock with not one, not two, but three spring releases destined to coax shrieks and squeals from soccer moms coast-to-coast. Two of the discs -- Backtracks and the cleverly-titled Best Of Rick Springfield -- bring youthful indiscretions from the Seventies and early Eighties to CD for the first time, while Karma (which hits stores in less than two weeks, for those of you looking to begin the countdown) will feature the soapster-turned-popster-turned-soapster-again's first new material in eleven years. Next up? The return of Tony DiFranco . . .

BLAIR R. FISCHER, HEIDI SHERMAN, RICHARD SKANSE, JAAN UHELSZKI
(March 31, 1999)