If Geri Halliwell ever had trouble being taken seriously as a Spice Girl, the former Ginger Spice has had surprisingly little trouble being taken seriously as an ambassador for the United Nations. Halliwell, whose solo debut Schizophonic was released this week, landed in serious hot water with the Catholic Church in the Philippines Tuesday (June 15) for promoting contraceptives in Manila as part of her goodwill ambassador tour for the U.N.'s Population Fund. A spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said that they opposed the message Halliwell was bringing, and went on to link contraception education to abortion advocacy. The singer has yet to comment on the Catholic outcry, but she did praise a progressive sexual health program at a suburban college by saying, "Wouldn't it be great if sex education was this well accepted all over the world?" Halliwell was scheduled to return to London on Wednesday. . .

Still no plans for the millenium? If you've got a good chunk of change to spend and a high tequila tolerance, you could spend it with Jimmy Buffett and 4,999 other Parrotheads at Buffett at the Beach, an all-night celebration of all things Buffett and Caribbean at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles. The festivities include food, dancing, music and, one assumes, enough Margaritas to drown a really big fish. Tickets, which go on sale June 26, will cost $500, $1,000 and $1,500. For more information, visit Buffett's www.margaritaville.com site . . .

British teenage girls are reeling with the news that teenage heartthrob Stephen Gately, a member of Boyzone, is gay. The Irish superstar, whose band had had a string of chart-topping hits in the U.K., decided to come clean about his sexuality before it was exposed by a German tabloid. Gately, 23, told the U.K.'s Sun that the time had come "to be honest and tell everyone I'm gay." The other four band members, who of course knew of the Gatley's sexuality, have come out in support of their compatriot in the press. "We're all very proud of him," said Boyzone member Mikey Graham. "This is good news. I'm glad Steve has decided to do this. This is about his happiness and being able to live his life with honesty and pride. It changes nothing between us." Gately told the paper, "this is the most important day of my life. From today I will have the freedom to finally be myself." The band's U.K. press company also issued a statement on behalf of Stephen, which reads: "Boyzone's Stephen Gately today [June 15] confirmed that he is gay. Stephen recently discovered that someone was trying to sell this story to newspapers. He made a decision to tell the fans himself and has chosen to do so in tomorrow's Sun newspaper. He hopes tomorrow's interview will explain all to the fans and bring an end to the matter" . . .

To celebrate the release of their definitive, double-disc retrospective, Hey! Ho! Let's Go: The Anthology, the Ramones have agreed to regroup at Manhattan's Virgin Megastore at Union Square on July 20. It's the first time since the group's final show at the Hollywood Palace on August 6, 1996 that the four band members will be in the a room together. The punk progenitors will be signing copies of their album beginning at 7 p.m. (EST). "Of course we're not playing," chastised Joey Ramone. "We're not even a band anymore. We're just signing records." No body parts? "Nah, that kind of stuff only happens at shows. I have signed body parts, but it's weird. Do you know what I mean?" In addition to Joey, Johnny, C.J. and Marky Ramone -- Rhino Records has contacted Dee Dee and Tommy to join in the fun. There is still an all points bulletin out for the still M.I.A. Richie, so if you know where the moptop is, ask him to phone home. Or at least call his brothers . . .

In other Ramones-related news, Joey Ramone is throwing a benefit for the Independents, the horror-punk-ska band he manages. Last month, the South Carolina natives' van was stolen in the Bronx, N.Y., along with all of their equipment and otherworldly goods. The band had just finished recording their debut record, The Independents: Back From the Grave, produced by Ramone and Misfits knob-spinner Daniel Rey. The benefit will take place at New York's Coney Island High as part of this year's Digital Club Fest on July 22. Besides Ramone, Ronnie Spector, the Independents, the Prissteens, C.J. Ramone's Los Gusanos, Blackfire, and former Replacement Tommy Stinson will perform. More bands and special guests will be announced in coming weeks . . .

Any cynics who doubted that Bruce Springsteen's reunion tour with the E Street Band would dominate the summer concert scene should be choking on their words by now, and the tour is still more than two months away from its first American date. After selling out fifteen nights at New Jersey's Continental Airlines Arena, the Boss went on to sell-out five more dates over the weekend at Boston's FleetCenter (August 21, 22, 24, 26 and 27). Scattered tickets are still available for the August 16 and 17 shows at Detroit's Palace (August 16 and 17). According to www.backstreets.com, two shows have just been scheduled for Chicago's United Center (September 27 and 28), but on-sale dates have yet to be announced. Time to lock 'n load that credit card . . .

The "First International Music Against Brain Degeneration Revue," featuring the Flaming Lips, Sebadoh, Robyn Hitchcock and Sonic Boom, is set to launch in July 13 in St. Louis. The six-week extravaganza, which will likely conclude Aug. 23 in Cleveland, will feature thirty-minute sets by each artist in true Fifties-era summer revue style. To further enhance the nostalgia trip, Lips frontman Wayne Coyne will do his best Big Bopper imitation by introducing each act before their set. A yet-unknown DJ will open and close each show. Three quarters into the tour, Cornelius will replace Sonic Boom . . .

A three-part television series documenting the depth of David Bowie's cyber savvy hits the airwaves this week. David Bowie's Technical World -- comprised of segments on the musician's "Cyber Song Contest," his BowieNet Internet Service and his thoughts on the digital music revolution -- will be broadcast June 16, 17 and 18 on ZDTV. Bowie revealed to the network's Internet Tonight music correspondent, Liam Mayclem, that he goes into the rooms on his site "at least three times a week" under various noms de Net. As for his theory on the controversial MP3 format, Bowie said that although you won't find any MP3 files of Bowie songs on his site, he does support the idea of free musical downloads. "MP3s?" he said. "Oh, the more the merrier. I think MP3's are great. No plans to do any yet, but it's down the road." In other news, the Thin White Duke revealed on New Zealand's Holmes Show yesterday (June 14) that he's penning a new song for his appearance at the Gisborne 2000 concert in New Zealand on New Year's. Bowie said work on the new album had just been "finished this morning" . . .

All of you Beck fans who felt disheartened by the folkster's decision not to tour for the Mutations album can rejoice now that he's decided to put up a weekly video of his progress in the studio on his Web site (www.beck.com). According to his spokesman, the video will be generated from both an outside facility and his home studio, where he's working tirelessly on his next album (both in front and behind the boards) with Beastie Boy intimate/hipster engineer Mickey P. The record's release looked tenuous for a while, since Beck has filed suits against both his labels, Bong Load and Geffen Records. However, a spokesperson from the recently minted Interscope-Geffen-A&M conglomerate assures us all legal snarls will be resolved in time for a tentative November release. Guitarist Smokey Hormel will make an appearance on the album, but most of the guitar work will be handled by former Bay Area recording engineer Tony Hoffer. Also on board will be Joey Waronker on drums, despite whatever rumors you've heard, and bassist Justin Johnson . . .

Redd Kross guitarist Eddie Kurdziel was found dead in his Los Angeles apartment on Monday, June 7, from an apparent drug overdose, according to the Los Angeles County Coroners office. He was 38. The musician, who joined the seminal kitsch-punk band in 1993 during the recording of their Pitchshifter album, was not thought to have been depressed according to friends, who alerted his landlord when they couldn't raise him on the phone. "Eddie was a good guy, I know he was upset when Redd Kross broke up, but not suicidally so," said one of his friends. The band broke up with a wimper last year, a year after they released 1997's Show World . . .

Government officials have given a hearty heave-ho to legendary drummer Ginger Baker -- and the horse he rode in on. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer took some potshots at the feds over what he considered shabby treatment of a British woman he had employed as a groomer for one of the horses he uses in polo matches. When her illegal status was discovered and she was deported, Baker went ballistic -- prompting Immigration officials to take a look at his records (and we're not talking about the ones he made with Eric Clapton), as well. The result? The British-born Baker, who has no green card and is ineligible for citizenship thanks to two long-ago drug busts, was denied re-entry into the States after taking an overseas vacation and has thus packed his bags for the more hospitable surroundings of rural South Africa . . .

RICHARD SKANSE, DAVID SPRAGUE, JAAN UHELSZKI
(June 16, 1999)