To coincide with their upcoming return to the U.S., Travis will also try to win over American airwaves by releasing their fey cover of Britney Spear's "...Baby, One More Time," as the B-side to their double-A single for "Turn," and "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?". Previously the track was only available as a live track on an import single. Spears, for one, is a fan of the cover of her song, telling reporters last month, "I was in the mall the other day and I heard this song come on and I was like, 'Oh, my Lordy.' It was so weird. It was cool, though." A larger American audience might be tougher to win over. The Scottish critical darlings' debut album The Man Who made its debut last year in the U.S. charts at a lowly No. 144. But all that could change, as the band is due to go into a Los Angeles studio with producer Nigel Godrich ( Radiohead, Beck) in October to begin recording its already-named second album, Afterglow . . .

AC/DC are set to become the latest honorees on Hollywood's Rockwalk. On Sept. 15, the highway will not lead to hell, but to Sunset Boulevard, where the band members will lay their hands and signatures in cement next to those of Aerosmith, Kiss and Carlos Santana in front of the Los Angeles' Guitar Center. If you want to see Angus and Malcolm get down and dirty on the sidewalk, wander over to 7425 Sunset Blvd at 7 p.m. The event is free . . .

Woodstock will live on as a performing arts center. New York Governor George Pataki announced that the state was willing to contribute $15 million towards the construction of a 4,000-seat indoor theater on the original site of the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival. Developer Alan Gerry, who bought the thirty-seven-acre concert site in 1997 for a cool million, in addition to snapping up 1,300 addition nearby acres, has proposed to construct the center by the summer of 2003, at the cost of $40 million. "The original Woodstock concert was a historic event that continues to draw thousands of annual pilgrims looking to recapture a piece of its magic," Pataki said. "Its organizers found what was then, and remains today, the perfect location for entertainment and hospitality" . . .

In December of 1970, Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner sat down with John Lennon for an epic interview in which the former Beatle spoke at length and with unprecedented candor about his old bandmates, Yoko Ono and drugs. The interview was published in two parts in the magazine in the beginning of 1971. On Oct. 9, what would have been Lennon's sixtieth birthday, the complete transcript will be released for the first time in the hardcover book Lennon Remembers (Verso). In addition to the unabridged interview, the 150-page, $20 tome features a new intro by Wenner, a forward by Ono and the handwritten lyrics to "Working Class Hero" and "God" . . .

The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stone Temple Pilots and Dandy Warhols are some of the more noticeable names who show up on the soundtrack for Last Party 2000. For the uninitiated, Last Party 2000 is the follow-up to 1992 political documentary Last Party. The film is directed by musician/model and now filmmaker Donovan Leitch, the son of Sixties folk singer Donovan. So far Leitch has the Dandys doing CSNY's "Ohio," Terence Trent D'Arby covering Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin" and he plans to rework his father's "Universal Soldier." Hosted by Philip Seymour Hoffman, the documentary will first premiere on television, with a live Webcast on Nov. 1, the night before the election. Leitch revealed that he's already booked time with President Clinton, and presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush, as well as peppering the film with ad hoc interviews, including Sean Penn, Rosie O'Donnell and Courtney Love . . .

Don Henley has added ten dates to his summer tour. The tour, behind his fourth solo release Inside Job, was scheduled to wrap on Sept. 10 in St. Louis, Mo., but additional dates will keep the former Eagle on the road into October. Additions include four stops in Florida (Orlando, Clearwater, Estero and West Palm Beach), as well as performances in Birmingham, Ala., Little Rock, Ark., Albuquerque, N.M., Las Vegas, Nev., and El Paso, Tex. . . .

Indie-dance unit St. Etienne are making a rare run through a set of North American tour dates. The group is touring behind its fifth long-player Sound of Water, which was released on Sub Pop in early summer. The twelve-date tour will pass through eleven cities, starting at Richard's in Vancouver, British Columbia on Sept. 21. Etienne wrap things up at New York City's Bowery Ballroom Oct. 7-8 . . .

As students begin to report to college, many may no longer find Napster awaiting them. A report by the Gartner Group, Inc. found that forty percent of American colleges and universities have banned Napster from their servers. The response follows studies in Napster's court battles that music purchases in college towns had decreased over the past few years. "I would not want to be the university president who neglected to update the school policy regarding downloads this year," said Gartner principal analyst Robert Labatt in a statement. "Long legal battles can be costly and one school could easily be singled out to set legal precedent this year" . . .

A full two months before the record is in stores, Blink-182 plans to post a new song from their upcoming live album, Blink-182 Live: The Mark, Tom and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back) on their Web site www.blink182.com on Sept. 1. Though most of the songs were recorded during the band's concert tour earlier this year, the new song, "Man Overboard," was cut at recent sessions with Jerry Finn (who produced the band's Enema Of the State). The live album is scheduled for release Nov. 7. Meanwhile, Blink-182 just picked up a Best Video award for "All the Small Things" from U.K. magazine Kerrang! . . .

Four-time nominee Christina Aguilera and five-time nominee Sisqo have signed on to perform at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. They join the previously announced line-up of Britney Spears , Eminem, 'N Sync , Janet Jackson and Rage Against the Machine. And Survivor winner Richard Hatch joins former host Chris Rock, Sting, the Rock, Eve , 98 Degrees, Destiny's Child, Nelly and Ricky Martin as a presenter. The show will be broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sept. 7 . . .

Eminem has entered a temporary agreement to give up physical custody of his four-year-old daughter, circumventing a custody battle with his estranged wife, Kim Mathers. The rapper agreed Monday in a Macomb County family court to offer financial support to his wife and child in addition to covering Kim Mathers' attorney fees as well as $20,000 in court costs. As part of the agreement, Eminem will receive joint legal custody and his wife dropped her $10 million suit against him for "emotional distress," according to the Macomb Daily. Eminem is due in the Thirty-seventh District Court in Warren, Mich. for a preliminary exam with regards to assault charges stemming from a June nightclub altercation . . .

Monica's acting career is branching out as the singer has signed on for the lead role in the upcoming MTV original movie Love Song. The singer plays a college senior whose life is turned upside down when she meets a talented guitarist played by Christian Kane (Ed TV, Angel). Naturally, the role will showcase Monica's golden pipes -- the soundtrack features "What My Heart Says," an original song composed by songwriter Dianne Warren and performed by Monica . . .

After a long hiatus from the road, Prince appears to be gearing up for a forthcoming tour in late September, according to his official Web site, www.npgonlineltd.com. Just as he did with his Hit and Run Tour, Prince will head out on a small clubs/theaters tour, where he and his soon-to-be-announced band will do live rehearsals. "The show is being designed 2 showcase the wide range of styles we have witnessed thruout the years," the site promises. And assuming the logistics can be worked out, Prince's fans will get to call the shots through a "voting mechanism" that allows fans to choose the next song played . . .

On Nov. 7, Fatboy Slim will unleash his third album Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars on Astralwerks. The first single, "Sunset (Bird of Prey)," featuring Jim Morrison's vocals from beyond the grave, will go to radio the second week of October. Also on the disc is Macy Gray, with her trademark growl embellishing two tracks, including the self-revelatory "Demons" . . .

Aerosmith relieved producer Matt Serelic of his duties and Steven Tyler and Joe Perry have been helming their new album themselves, with the help of longtime songwriters/knob twiddlers Mark Hudson and Marti Frederiksen. Guitarist Brad Whitford revealed in an interview with radio station WZLX that the former Boston bad boys have been recording at Joe Perry's home studio and have already finished nine songs. If all goes as planned, Aerosmith will release their long-awaited follow-up to 1997's Nine Lives in March. In his spare time, Tyler has been working in a Manhattan studio, under his real name of Steven Tallarico, on a CD titled Mob Story: A Hip-Hopra, produced by longtime pal and producer Jack Douglas. Also on disc are the Soprano's Vincent Pastore and Tony Sirico, as well as the Jerky Boys' Kamal. According to a rep for Douglas, "It's like The Godfather set to hip-hop." No word when the gansta rap album will be released . . .

Former members of Paul McCartney's Wings and Alice Cooper 's band have agreed to appear at a benefit show for the Dallas Can! Academy, a school program for troubled teens, at Dallas' Bronco Bowl on Sept. 29. Former Moody Blues and Wings guitarist Denny Laine, and Alice Cooper slinger Michael Bruce will join Plastic Wings, a Wings tribute group, as well as two Beatles tribute bands, Hard Night's Day and Me and My Monkey. Tickets are $54.50 and available at Star Tickets in Dallas at 888-597-7827 or online at startickets.com . . .

To no one's surprise, Courtney Love is working on a deal to pen a book about her life in the music biz. To be published by Regan Books, the tome is expected to be on shelves by next April. In other Courtney news, the unmanageable singer and her band have signed up with Left Bank Management . . .

Fishbone's Angelo Moore, M. Doughty (formerly of Soul Coughing) and poet/musician John Trudell are among the new class of performers joining Spitfire's Fall 2000 tour. In its third year, the political/social discussion tour will also feature previous speakers/performers Jello Biafra, Michael Franti (of Spearhead ), comedian Andy Dick, Kennedy and Julia "Butterfly" Hill. Twelve dates and venues have been confirmed, starting Sept. 12 at Middle Tennessee State University and running through Nov. 16 at New York City's Wetlands. Three additional dates will be scheduled in the near future. For more information on Spitfire 2000, go to www.colleges.com/spitfire . . .

Pearl Jam got to business trying to prevent injuries at their recent performances at Jones Beach, New York. The band told fans via the Rumor Pit section of their Sony Music site www.sonymusic.com/artists/PearlJam that blankets would not be allowed into the shows because some fans had been using them as trampolines, resulting in injuries. Small beach towels or ponchos were recommended instead . . .

ANDREW DANSBY, CHRISTINA SARACENO, GABRIELLE SCHAFER, JENNIFER VINEYARD
(August 31, 2000)