Robbie Williams has offered to donate bone marrow to an ailing fan. The British pop star signed up to be a donor upon hearing that his marrow might save the life of twenty-three-year-old fan Johanna MacVicar. "If I can help save somebody's life that easily, then count me in," Williams said in a statement. According to Reuters, Williams also donated a shirt to the young fan so that she might auction it off and donate the proceeds towards a bone marrow charity . . .

For the first time in recent memory, Eminem is at a loss for words. The rapper was on a Delta Airlines flight from Cincinnati to New Orleans when a notebook containing his lyrics went missing. The notebook has a picture of Britney Spears on its front cover, and was in a shopping bag shopping bag which also contained a discman, headphones and CDs. The book is described as containing work that is "extremely important" to Eminem, and the rapper is offering "a very generous" reward for its return. Information should be sent found@eminem.com . . .

Canada's Our Lady Peace are readying Spiritual Machines, their fourth album, for release in their home country on Dec. 12, and stateside in February. The title of OLP's new album comes from Ray Kurzweil's book, Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence. Kurzweil also lends his voice to a few spoken word pieces on the album. Also guesting on the album is Pearl Jam drummer Matt Cameron, who came to the band's aid after drummer Jeremy Taggart injured his leg in a mugging . . .

U2 took to the rooftops again on Oct. 30. The Irish rovers decided to preview three songs from their new album, All That You Can't Leave Behind, from the sixth floor balcony of MTV's headquarters at 1515 Broadway, smack in the middle of Times Square. The band kicked off the aptly titled "Elevation," which segued into "Beautiful Day," followed by the band's paean to the Big Apple, "New York" -- and just in case that fans didn't get the joke, when the performance aired on Tuesday's TRL, the band turned in a second version of "Elevation." In other U2 news, the band will return to seminal Brit music show Top of the Pops for the first time in seventeen years this week. Actually, the Irish superstars will tape three tracks at the BBC's Elstree studios this week. "Elevation" and "Stuck In A Moment" will be broadcast on the weekly show on Friday (Nov. 3), while "Beautiful Day" will be held back for the show's "Hits of the Year" Christmas Special to be aired later this year . . .

Wondering what happened to the live tracks Rage Against the Machine recorded at their L.A. Grand Olympic Auditorium shows in September? It looks like at least two of them will be released after all, as bonus tracks to the initial pressings of the band's upcoming covers album Renegades. Rage's covers of the MC5's "Kick Out the Jams" and Cypress Hill's "How I Could Just Kill a Man" (the latter featuring guest appearances from Sen Dog and B-Real) that appear on the first printing of the album will be deleted from any subsequent pressings. The band also revealed that the first single from Renegades will be Rage's version of Afrika Bambaataa's "Renegades of Funk." "What began as a couple of bonus tracks has blossomed into one of the most powerful records of our career," Rage guitarist Tom Morello said in a statement. "There has never been another album like this where a band like Rage Against the Machine has recorded an entire CD of revolutionary versions of classic hip-hop and rock songs. We attack these songs with the same irreverence for convention with which they were written" . . .

Don Was managed to get his hands on an old Yiddish musical theater in New York's Lower Eastside, and he has the Black Crowes ensconced there working on their first record for V2. According to the Crowes' rep, the Atlanta-bred band have made themselves right at home in alien territory by decorating the place with Christmas lights, a working mirror ball, black candles and big overstuffed couches -- but they seem to be happy with the transition and have recorded eighteen songs so far for the yet-untitled album, due out next spring . . .

A photo exhibit dedicated to the history of the Beastie Boys will open in November at Gavin Brown's Enterprise, a gallery in New York City, to coincide with the release of the special vinyl edition of their anthology, The Sounds of Science. The exhibit will be comprised of photos from throughout the Beasties' timeline as well as video clips featured in their upcoming DVD anthology. In other Beasties news, according to www.beastieboys.com, Adam Horowitz will appear on MTV's Choose or Lose special on Nov. 3. Chances are Ad Rock will be singing the praises of Green Party candidate Ralph Nader, as the Beastie has remixed one of Nader's speeches and placed it on the Beasties' official Web site . . .

(Hed)pe singer Jahred Shaine (real name Paolo Gomes) has been released on a $1,500 bond after being arrested Friday for possession of marijuana while the band was in Waterbury, Conn. Gomes was foiled by an employee of the town's Quality Inn, after he allegedly received a FedEx package containing an ounce of pot. A six-member vice squad team staked out the hotel and waited for the singer to sign for the package. Gomes was arrested mid-afternoon, along with tour manager Brad Divens and band manager Rick Shales. Other members of the band were detained but were not arrested. Gomes was released on bond in time for (hed)pe to perform with P.O.D. later that evening at Waterbury's City Limits. He's due back in court Jan. 5 . . .

Gary Glitter will return to court again, but this time it's nothing lurid. The Seventies pop icon, born Paul Francis Gadd, has issued a writ in London's High Court against Universal Music Publishing, claiming that he has been underpaid royalties since Oct. 1993. Glitter has accused the music publishers of acting in breach of agreements, and wrongly interpreting an agreement which led to the payment of incorrect amounts of money. It also claims that the company made deals with overseas publishing companies and mishandled the funds generating from those liaisons. The singer is seeking to recover the money owed to him which has been estimated to be as high as $350,000 . . .

Sting is the latest addition to the rapidly swelling ranks of Rock in Rio performers. Last week, Guns N' Roses, the Dave Matthews Band and 5ive were added to a list of performers that already included R.E.M. , Neil Young, Britney Spears, 'N Sync , Sheryl Crow, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beck and the Foo Fighters, among others. Rock in Rio runs Jan. 12-21 in Rio De Janerio, Brazil . . .

If your idea of hair-rock nirvana is, ahem, twin releases from the blonder-than-thou sibling duo of Nelson , then you're in luck. In addition to the just-released Like Father, Like Son live-album in which Gunnar and Matthew cover the greatest hits of their father, Ricky Nelson, with rockabilly backing, Nelson have also wrapped Brother Harmony, a new studio recording which is set for release in November . . .

Sheryl Crow is slated to headline an upcoming tribute concert in honor of late Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan. Crow, who's from Kennett in southeast Missouri, had earlier appeared at Carnahan's Senate campaign fundraisers (against Republican incumbent John Ashcroft), and her father, attorney Wendell Crow, went to law school with the late governor at the University of Missouri at Columbia. The show will be held Nov. 3 at the Pageant Club in University City, outside St. Louis. Additional artists will be announced this week. Proceeds will benefit the Missouri Childrens Trust Fund. Carnahan died Oct. 16 in a plane crash . . .

MTV has requested a different edit of Stone Temple Pilots' latest, fan-filmed video for "No Way Out," because the original one contained nudity. However, band reps claim that the nudity was "covered." Regardless, there will be two different versions of the video, one for MTV and one for the band's official Web site, posting in the coming weeks. Following STP's current Monsters of Rock stint, they'll be taking a break during which Scott Weiland and his wife are expecting a baby. In January, STP will be heading back into the studio to begin work on a new record that Weiland told Los Angeles station KROQ will be a double album . . .

Christina Aguilera has been forced to cancel a slew of appearances due to illness. The busy teen, who wrapped up her fall tour on Oct. 21 in Hawaii, was diagnosed with tonsillitis. Nine other members of her touring crew were stricken with flu-like symptoms as well. The first of Christina's appearances to get the ax was a stop on Live With Regis scheduled for Thursday, followed by appearances at a radio show in Chicago on Friday and an appearance at the ESPN Zone in New York with BBMak on Saturday. Christina is expected to fully recover in time to shoot her ABC Christmas special in Los Angeles on Nov. 7 and 8. The special is scheduled to air on Dec. 3. Meanwhile her Christmas album, My Kind of Christmas, featuring Billy Preston and Dr. John on two tracks, is currently in stores . . .

Following the completion of the Anger Management Tour, Limp Bizkit will play three dates with DMX, Godsmack and Sinisstar. Anger Management, which features Eminem , Papa Roach and Xzibit, concludes on Nov. 21, and according to www.limpbizkit.com, the band will continue to stay on the road to plug their latest release, Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water. The mini-tour will hit the San Diego Sports Arena on Nov. 26, New Orleans Arena on Dec. 2 and Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich. on Dec. 7 . . .

The Old 97s have put the finishing touches on their fifth album, Satellite Rides. The thirteen-track album, the band's third for Elektra, was recorded at Willie Nelson's studio in Pedernales, Tex. Satellite Rides is currently scheduled for release in March of 2001 . . .

Moby, along with Carl Cox , King Britt, LTJ Bukem and Deep Dish, is set to play the ACA World Sound Festival Nov. 2-5 in Acapulco, Mexico. Running concurrently with the traditional Mexican holiday Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), the festival will showcase jazz, world and electronic music on five stages. Other artists and DJs on the three-day bill include Poncho Sanchez, Jazzanova, Hugh Masekela, Gilles Peterson, Jason Bentley and Liquid Todd. According to the event's Web Site, www.acasoundfest.com, travel packages for $745 (which include round-trip airfare, lodging, and show passes) are available by calling (866) ACA-FEST . . .

Natalie Merchant and Emmylou Harris are confirmed for the eleventh annual Tibet House benefit concert at New York's Carnegie Hall on Feb. 26. This year's show marks the Year of the Iron Snake, and the festivities in honor of the occasion will include Gomang monks chanting and playing Tibetan long-horns as well as a performance by Tibetan flutist Nawang Khechog. Patti Smith, who played last year's show along with Trey Anastasio, David Byrne and Rufus Wainwright, returns again this year. Proceeds from the event go towards Tibet House efforts to preserve Buddhist and Tibetan culture. Tickets are available at the Carnegie Hall box office . . .

Bruce Springsteen, who has been keeping a very low profile since he wrapped his tour last July, surfaced at Hedgerow Farm in Middletown, N.J., on Saturday to play a benefit concert for Special People United To Ride Monmouth County, an organization that employs horseback riding as therapy for handicapped children and adults. Accompanied by his wife Patti Scialfa, E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg and Jon Bon Jovi, Springsteen played a forty-five-minute set comprised entirely of rock & roll chestnuts, including "Havin' A Party," "Rockin' All Over the World," "Proud Mary" and "Twist and Shout." Springsteen played the entire set with an autographed Stratocaster Guitar that he donated for an auction benefiting the organization; he also auctioned off two hour-long guitar lessons. Also auctioned off during the event were cocktails with Max Weinberg and his wife Becky, followed by dessert with Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorthea. The entire take for the $500-a-ticket event was a cool million . . .

If there is any doubt about whom Everclear support in the Nov. 7 presidential election, the liner notes to their next album, Songs from an American Movie Vol. 2: A Good Time for a Bad Attitude, will make their position clear after the fact. "We could like to congratulate president-elect Al Gore," the notes read. "If by some strange chance he didn't win, well . . . you can't blame us for wishful thinking." The album is set for release on Nov. 21, two weeks after election day . . .

Weeks after Michael Hutchence's father Kelland said he would allow Sir Bob Geldof to formally adopt Hutchence and Paula Yates' orphaned daughter Tiger Lily comes the news that the singer's mother and sister intend to seek custody of the four-year-old child. Tina Hutchence revealed in an interview with British ITV television that she would "love" the opportunity to bring up the child and has instructed solicitors in London to take action. "I think it's totally bizarre to think that Bob would want his ex-wife's child by a man he loathed," explained Hutchence's mother, Patricia Glassop. Both women agreed that they would not subject the child to a lengthy legal battle, but hope the matter will be resolved by December . . .

Mick Jagger is learning his lines for his latest silver screen appearance. Jagger will play the sleazy owner of an escort service in The Man From Elysian Fields, opposite Andy Garcia and ER expatriate Julianna Margulies.

ANDREW DANSBY, STEVEN FLORIO, GREG HELLER, JAAN UHELSZKI, JENNIFER VINEYARD
(November 2, 2000)