MUSIC NOW! Contributed by Mike Cooper P.O. Box 4111, Atlanta, GA 30302 (Phone) 404-627-2834 (Fax) 404-627-9086 e-mail 76347,3227 (Compuserve) [email protected] (Internet). tracks to include on their "Wild Hootie & The Blowfish are asking a federal judge in California The Cure are still deciding what due out in early May. Among the two dozen to prevent a California man from selling recordings of the Mood Swings" album period are band's first songs. The band says Haim Mizrahi of Beverly Hills songs recorded for the album over an 18 -month The band's consider- has threatened to sell 15 of the band's songs if he doesn't "Want," "Mint Car" and "Jupiter Crash." Jason receive more than $200,000. The judge has already issued a ing a U.S. tour this summer. The band has recruited temporary restaining order forbidding Mizrahi from selling, Cooper to replace drummer Boris Williams. The Cure received destroying or copying the tapes. At issue are an album called about 100 videotapes from applicants after taking out an ad in the new "Kootchypop" from 1993 and the cassettes "Time" (1992) and a British music paper. Cooper will be featured on "Hootie & The Blowfish" (1990), which all came before the album. band was signed to a major label (Atlantic Records). "We're con- close cerned with someone who has nothing to do with Hootie & The Julian Lennon and business partner Todd Meagher hope to dance club Blowfish trying to make a quick buck," says band manager a deal in the next few weeks to open a restaurant, Rusty Harmon. and lounge called The Revolution in a three-story, 20,000 - square -foot building in downtown San Francisco. They want to "Charms" by the Philosopher Kings, already a number one sin- open the restaurant in November, a year after Lennon announced gle in Canada, gets a U.S. release in March. plans to open a worldwide chain of clubs starting in California. The San Francisco location will have a dance club on the base- Bob Dylan has entered into an agreement with his record ment level, a restaurant on street level, and a jazz and R&B lounge company (Columbia Records) to launch a new label. The first release upstairs. would be a tribute album to country veteran Jimmie Rodgers, which will feature tracks from Steve Earle and Dylan. Neil Diamond launches a world tour in mid -March that he says could go on for as long as two years. "I'll begin in Australia, move British authorities say the file on Richie Edwards of the Manic on to Europe in early spring, and return to the States for the sum- Street Preachers, who disappeared a year ago, is still open. The mer to do a string of dates that are being set up now," Diamond 26 -year -old guitarist was reported missing on February 2 last year, says. Diamond has just released his first album of original songs and his car was found 15 days later near a bridge that's a pop- in five years, called "Tennessee Woman," which is the subject of ular suicide spot. Detective Sergeant Stephen Moray of the an upcoming ABC-TV special that will also feature Waylon London police says the case won't be closed until Edwards' Jennings and Chet Atkins. body is found. "Suggestions he committed suicide are pure speculation. We will investigate all new evidence," Moray says. After their winter tour of small venues, Smashing Pumpkins Edwards' sister went on television last Christmas asking for plan a tour of larger venues later this year in support of the "Melon information, but Moray says that didn't develop "a vast amount" Collie & The Infinite Sadness" CD. of new leads. Music journalist Simon Price of Britain's Melody Maker music newspaper, who was the last British journalist to interview Lucinda Williams is reportedly considering doing a substantial Edwards, says he believes Edwards is still alive. "I have nothing reworking of her upcoming album (for American Recordings) to base that on whatsoever, it's just an instinct, and I com- because she's unhappy with the results so far. pletely understand people who have accepted the worst," he says. The Manic Street Preachers are continuing without Edwards and AC/DC postponed a show in San Jose, California, for two days, are recording a new album in France. so that lead singer Brian Johnson could return to Newcastle, England, because of the death of his father. Oasis are refusing to play live at a British music awards program later this month in London. They even rejected a suggestion to An article in Esquire magazine says Courtney Love is carrying pre -record an appearance for the Brit Awards on February 19. Kurt Cobain's ashes around in a knapsack shaped like a teddy "We just said, it's a night out, and you don't want to work on bear. She's also carrying her wedding dress in the same package. a night out," says songwriter Noel Gallagher. "We will go and The article says "little puffs of dusty ash" occasionally come out pick up our award and do the interviews. But we won't be of the knapsack in Love's travels. Cemetaries have refused pushed around by anybody any more." The band is nominated Cobain's ashes because of concern about the crowds his remains Best Best for Brit awards in the Best British Group, Album, attract, though Love is said to have left "about two handfuls" Single and Best Video categories, while Gallagher is nominated of Cobain's remains at the Namgyal Monastery, in Ithaca, N.Y., for the album along with Owen Morris for a production award so that monks could perform Buddhist consecration ceremonies. "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?" Penelope Houston, formerly of the Avengers, is to release her Sting releases a new album called "Mercury Falling" next debut major -label solo album in the next few months. month, recorded at his home studio in Wiltshire, England. "The as much as they are about songs are about rebirth; new beginnings Bass player, singer and programmer Paul Barker of Ministry sound on the record is very nos- endings," he says. "I think the says the new album "Filth Pig" is "us flippin' people off." The new music. I'm talgic. I'm not really producing an homage to Stax soul record, the band's first since 1992's "Psalm 69" was recorded in first single, "Let Your putting an ironic, objective view on it." The Austin and Chicago. It was described in a recent Details maga- Sting says he wrote while Soul Be Your Pilot," is a "gospel ballad" zine review as Al Jourgenson's "most repulsive record ever." He'll perform the song making a film called "The Grotesque." "I never thought this was a harder album, but it's certainly 24, just before starting a on "Saturday Night Live" on February slower, more introspective and darker. Since we've been doing year -long concert tour in March. February 9 1996 THE HARD REPORT 43 .