Sting will perform a free concert in New York City's Bryant Park on October 25th to help Microsoft celebrate the launch of Windows XP . . . System of a Down will donate all band proceeds from their October 31st performance in East Rutherford, New Jersey to the American Red Cross Liberty Fund to aid victims of September 11th . . . The reissue of John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Milk and Honey will include three bonus tracks and an audio excerpt of Lennon's final interview, conducted hours before his murder; the album is due in stores tomorrow . . . Barenaked Ladies will kick off a winter tour behind their upcoming hits compilation on November 17th in Portland, Maine . . . Bonnie Raitt will receive the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award and the Red Hot Chili Peppers will receive the Buddy Award at the second annual MAP Awards on November 7th in Los Angeles. MAP is an organization that aids musicians suffering from drug or alcohol dependency . . .

DJ Paul Oakenfold, who had done remix work for the Smashing Pumpkins and the Rolling Stones, has signed with Maverick Records to release his first-ever solo album, due next year . . . King Crimson will hit the road on a twenty-four-date tour to begin November 9th in Nashville. Former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones will open . . . Rival Schools have joined the lineup for the Beastie Boys October 28th benefit concert in New York City . . . Roger Waters will take his In the Flesh tour back out on the road for forty-five international dates, starting February 28th in Cape Town, South Africa . . . Sean Lennon has signed with Capitol Records and is working on his second album, the follow-up to 1998's Into the Sun . . . Mack 10 will release Bang or Ball, his first album for Cash Money Records, on December 4th . . .

(October 22, 2001)