Really Randoms: Fatboy Slim, TLC

Bootsy Collins must have gotten over his fear of flying, since the bassmaster was holed up in Fatboy Slim's seafront home studio in Brighton working on three tracks for Mr. Slim's forthcoming album. "It was cool," Collins told the U.K. press. "I was doing some live bass for him . . . Everything feels real groovy." Cook isn't the only Englishman Collins is working with. He's currently in the studio with Eurthymic Dave Stewart, working both on one of Stewart's projects, as well as Collins forthcoming album, No Rain No Rainbows, due out later this year. According to Collins, Fatboy will also return the bassist's favor, and produce a few of the tracks . . .

TLC's T-Boz and fiancee Mack 10 are expecting their first child in the fall. The couple also plan to get hitched on Aug. 19, just ten days before Mack's upcoming album, The Paper Route, featuring his mentor, Ice Cube . . .

Rod Stewart underwent throat surgery on May 12 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles to remove a non-malignant growth on his thyroid. The growth was discovered when the fifty-five year old singer underwent a routine physical. Stewart is said to be in good condition and in the studio at work on an upcoming album . . .

Foreigner, currently recording the follow-up to 1993's Mr. Moonlight, will get the semi-box set treatment on Aug. 15 when Rhino/Atlantic releases the double-disc Jukebox Heroes: The Foreigner Anthology. In addition to the usual round-up of hits and album cuts, the set will feature selections for the respective solo careers of singer Lou Gramm and guitarist Mick Jones, as well as nuggets from Jones' brief tenure with Spooky Tooth in the early Seventies. Rhino is also working on an audio DVD (featuring 5.1 discrete audio sound and other goodies) version of the band's self-titled, 1977 debut album, also for a fall release. In other Foreigner news, Jones has been asked to help produce tracks for the Cult's new album . . .

It's been six years since Roxette released an album in America (Crash Boom Bang), but fans of the Swedish duo will soon be treated to new product thanks to the band's recent signing to Edel America Records. First up will be the previously released only in Europe greatest hits set, Don't Bore Us Get to the Chorus, due in September, followed by a new studio album next May . . .

There's been a big surge in stalkers among the classic rock set. In the past month, an overbearing Linda Ronstadt fan was nabbed, as well as an Ohio woman, who claimed that Axl Rose had summoned her to his hilltop home telepathically. The latest victim of the extreme fan syndrome is Jackson Browne. Roberta Catherine Rasp, forty-seven, was charged on Tuesday with five felony charges -- two counts of stalking, two counts of making terrorists threats and one count of extortion, after the Browne filed a criminal complaint, explaining that she harassed him to such an extent that he was in constant fear for his safety and that of his loved ones. The complaint also names his wife, Diane, as a victim. Rasp pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday in Santa Monica California Superior Court, and was held in lieu of $150,000 bond . . .

Iggy Pop's manager, Art Collins and guitarist Pete Marshall's long tenure with rock's most renowned wild child came in handy on Wednesday, as the duo returned to New York from a Pop show in Warsaw. Midway through their flight, a woman made her way up the aisle towards their seats. "She was singing and ranting, and had this blank looking stare," Collins said. "Pete took one look at her and said, 'Bad acid trip.'" For the next hour the Polish crew ignored her, save putting extra personnel at each exit. The woman then grabbed a vodka bottle from the serving cart and swung it wildly toward the passengers and stews. Collins leaped up and attempted to relieve her of the Stoli. He and Marshall managed to get her to the back galley, but since there wasn't any rope on the flight, the quick thinking air warriors decided to use the demonstration seat belts to tie her up. The plane was met by Port Authority Police who took her into custody. Any advice for future air travel? "I'll never travel without duct tape," said Collins . . .

The lineup for SoCal radio station KROQ's annual Weenie Roast is set. Eminem, Limp Bizkit and Cypress Hill offer a dash of hip-hop to the proceedings, with Moby representing electronica. Korn, Creed, Everclear, Stone Temple Pilots, No Doubt, Third Eye Blind, Lit, Godsmack, Incubus and the Offspring are also included on the bill for the June 17 event at Edison Field in Anaheim, Calif. KROQ's Web site will be giving away tickets to the show all through Memorial Day weekend, with ticket information available in the near future . . .

In the midst of recording R.E.M.'s next project, guitarist Peter Buck managed to find some time to pay tribute to the Beach Boys. Buck, Elton John, Tom Petty, Scott McCaughey and Timothy White have written liner notes for the upcoming Beach Boys twofer reissue series. Buck will tackle his pet album, Love You, which is paired with Fifteen Big Ones, the Beach Boys' fifteenth anniversary album. McCaughey will write the notes for the obscure Carl and the Passions and Holland. "I really love those records, they are contemporary with when I started going to see the Beach Boys live, so my LPs are very well worn," McCaughey says. "Carl and Dennis [Wilson] really came into the fore on those records, and I think both are major overlooked talents." . . .

The Rolling Rock Town Fair in Norvelt, Pa. is in danger of having its plug pulled. The daylong festival is scheduled to feature the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Moby, Filter, Marcy Playground and Our Lady Peace at the Westmoreland County Fairgrounds on August 5. But a local judge who owns property near the fairgrounds has filed notice in court that he plans to sue the festival as he fears the crowd will prove to be too large for the area. Rolling Rock organizers have already tapped security for the event, but were unavailable for comment about the perspective suit at press time . . .

Earlier this year Carlos Santana announced an upcoming clothing line. Now, fans can pick up some Santana footwear to match the duds. Later this year St. Louis' Brown Shoe Co. (who make Buster Browns) will begin a Carlos line of footwear for men and women. A portion of the shoes' sales will go to Santana's Milagro Foundation, a charity that benefits children . . .

The hip-hop community is mourning another fallen solider this week. Yusef Muhammad from L.A. rap outfit the Nonce was found dead this week, along the 110 Freeway, which runs outside the infamous South Central area. The cause of death is currently unknown, but the LAPD say the death is "under investigation." Just to give you a refresher course, Muhammad and the Nonce first burst on the scene with their 1995 single, "The Mix Tapes." . . .

The Dixie Chicks went beak to beak to beak for an episode of VH1's Rock & Roll Jeopardy that taped on Tuesday. The group's winnings were directed towards the charity of their choice. For singer Natalie Maines it was the Music in the Schools Program; fiddler Martie Seidel chose the World Wildlife Fund and banjo-picker Emily Robison sent her winnings to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. There is no word yet when the Chicks' episode of R&R Jeopardy will air . . .

Showtime has offered Chris Isaak his own television program. The Chris Isaak Show has been picked up for seventeen hour-long episodes. The musician and actor will serve as executive producer of the show, which will reportedly blend fact and fiction in a behind-the-scenes with Isaak, his band and a number of actors taking the roles of fictional characters. The Chris Isaak Show is tentatively scheduled to launch towards the end of the year . . .

Lit, Jamiroquai, Luscious Jackson and Powerman 5000 have each contributed original tracks to the soundtrack of 20th Century Fox animated film Titan A.E.. Unlike most animated films, the characters in Titan A.E. will not be breaking out into song musical-style, so the tunes from the aforementioned artists as well as Fun Lovin' Criminals, the Urge, Wailing Souls and Texas will instead be used as background music. The film opens in theaters June 16, while the Glen Ballard-produced soundtrack will be in stores June 6 . . .

On Tuesday, a Manhattan judge told Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde to behave herself if she wants to have the charges filed against her dismissed. Hynde was arrested in March at a Gap store in New York City while leading a protest on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals against the Gap's use of black-market leather from India (where slaughtering cows for hide is illegal). During the protest, Hynde destroyed several leather jackets that she took from the store, and she and three other protesters were charged with two counts of criminal mischief and one count of disorderly conduct. (The Gap has subsequently announced that it will cease using Indian leather.) The judge told Hynde that if she stays out of trouble for the next six months, the case against her would be officially closed . . .

Sheryl Crow will testify tomorrow in Washington, D.C., in front of the House of Representatives Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property. Crow is appearing on behalf of recording artists who object to the "work for hire" amendment, a change made last year to the 1976 Copyright Act. The amendment, made last year without any congressional hearings or testimony, determines that all material produced by an artist for a record label becomes property of the label, preventing musicians from using their own recordings should they choose to leave a record label. Crow, armed with letters from artists like Billy Joel and Jimmy Buffet, will testify that the amendment adversely affects the earning potential of recording artists. "Sheryl feels very strongly that artists are entitled to recapture the ownership of their copyrights," said her attorney, Jay Cooper. NARAS president Michael Green will also testify . . .

Former Cars bassist Benjamin Orr was hospitalized Tuesday in Atlanta, Ga., with a growth on his pancreas. He is currently awaiting diagnosis. Orr, who sang lead on seven of the band's hits, including "Just What I Needed," "Drive" and "Let's Go," shared vocal duties with guitarist Ric Ocasek. The forty-four-year-old singer/bassist released a solo album in 1986, and more recently has been performing with Big People, an Atlanta group that also includes members of the Ted Nugent Band, Damn Yankees, Lynyrd Skynrd, .38 Special. Derek St. Holmes, Orr's bandmate in Big People, posted a message to his Web site www.dstholmes.com inviting fans to send get well emails via the site for hand delivery. Cards and flowers may be sent directly to Patient: Ben Orr, Piedmont Hospital, 1968 Piedmont Rd. NW, Atlanta, GA 30309 . . .

The offices of James Brown Enterprises have had a rough few weeks. First there was the office fire that destroyed irreplaceable memorabilia. Then the revelation that arsonist Richard Glenn was not just a JBE employee, but also the Godfather of Soul's cousin. Now a former JBE employee has filed a $1 million suit against the singer and his company accusing Brown of sexual harassment, discrimination and wrongful termination, among a multitude of other charges. Lisa Ross Agbalaya began working for the singer's company in 1993 and became president of JBE's West Coast operations. She claimed in the suit, filed May 19 in a California Superior Court in Los Angeles, that Brown made numerous advances on her, including requesting that she wear a pair of zebra-print underwear and give him a massage. Calls to Brown's camp were unreturned at press time . . .

What better place to kick off summer than Florida? Bobby Brown doesn't have much say in the matter after Judge Leonard Feiner of Fort Lauderdale denied bond to the singer after he was arrested for violating his probation. Brown will stay on ice until June 19 for charges dating back to last June when he tested positive for cocaine, violating his probation stemming from a 1996 drunk driving charge. Despite his courtroom claim that "It's not fair, man, it's not fair," Brown is currently being held at the Broward County Jail . . .

The longest running bluegrass festival in the world is back for yet another round with the thirty-fourth offering of Bill Monroe's Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival. The six-day event (June 13-18) is a bluegrass coming-together without peer. Living legends will be out en masse, including Ralph Stanley and His Climch Mountain Boys, Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys, Jim and Jesse and reclusive songwriting legend Tom T. Hall. The festival also offers up younger BG stars at the Bill Monroe Memorial Music Park and Campground. Ticket information is available through www.ticketweb.com or by calling (800) 414-4677 . . .

Icelandic pop princess Bjork is having the last laugh with the director of her upcoming feature film, Lars Von Trier. As Dancer in the Dark was about to debut at the Cannes Film Festival, Von Trier was quoted as saying that Bjork, "is not an actor, which was a surprise for me because she seems so professional and really she is not." Since when does professionalism win awards anyway? Bjork picked up the best actress award at Cannes for her role, while the film picked up the festival's grand prize, the Palme d'Or. Starring opposite Catherine Deneuve, Bjork plays a Czech immigrant and single mother working in an American factory who re-imagines her bleak setting into Hollywood musical numbers starring herself and co-workers. The soundtrack for the film, which was scored by Bjork and features a duet with Radiohead's Thom Yorke, is due September 25 . . .

Despite Fatboy Slim's claims he and wife Zoe Ball "haven't had time" to start a family in his recent interview with RollingStone.com, Slim has proved that only once is needed. He and wife, a former Radio One Breakfast Show host, are expecting a child on Christmas Eve. Christmas is also when Fatboy expects his follow-up to You've Come a Long Way, Baby to be due. The album will feature Macy Gray, among other guest vocalists . . .

Speaking of the stork, with a new song on the charts and a major summer tour on the horizon, life just got even better for Metallica frontman James Hetfield. The singer/guitarist and his wife Francesca welcomed a new baby boy into their family late last week. Castor Virgil Hetfield arrived at 3:23 p.m. on Thursday, May 18 and weighed in at nine pounds, six ounces. The child is the second for the couple, who gave birth to a daughter, Cali Tee, in 1998 . . .

After completing a court-ordered drug prevention program, former SmashingPumpkins bassist D'Arcy Wretzky had drug possession charges against her dropped on May 19. The charges stem from a January 25 arrest for possession of crack cocaine. Wretzky and a companion were stopped for driving without headlights and making illegal U-turns when the drugs were found. At a court date last February, Wretzky, who has maintained her innocence all along, was ordered to complete ten hours of drug education classes by a deadline of May 19. Wretzky, who reportedly vacated her Pumpkins gig to pursue an acting career, is currently at work with co-star Mickey Rourke on the film Peaces of Ronnie . . .

ANDREW DANSBY, CHRISTINA SARACENO, GABRIELLE SCHAFER, JAAN UHELSZKI, JENNIFER VINEYARD
(May 27, 2000)