Searching for Jimi Hendrix
The Right Stuff
Where is My Mind?
A Tribute to the Pixies
Glue Factory Records
Burning London
The Clash Tribute
Epic Records
Right now, there's an Elektra Records exec rounding up the Old 97's, Styx, and Lou Reed for the Doobie Brothers tribute Listen to the Music? Silkk the Shocker and Joni Mitchell both wanted to record "Takin' it to the Streets," which forced Joni to retreat to her second choice, "Minute by Minute"--which was to be performed by Billy Joel, until he backed out to work on his own tribute record (Only the Good Die Young... Seriously), which he's producing. That disc features Britney Spears, Olivia Tremor Control, and a band made up of members of Metallica, 'N Sync, and Bow Wow Wow. Spears also will be the subject of a forthcoming homage, featuring Elton John, Elvis Costello, Henry Rollins, and Madonna with "special guest" Ricky Martin--all of whom appear on the Ricky Martin salute, Rico Suave, alongside the reunited Menudo, Arlo Guthrie, Run-DMC, and Sheena Easton. The Sheena Easton tribute (Mourning Train) will be contain a trip-hopped "Sugar Walls," done by Tricky and Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls. Sub Pop Records will release the disc at 11:59 p.m. on December 31.
That same day, Warner Bros. will release an album of "1999" covers performed by Rosanne Cash, Taylor Dayne, Los Lobos, Laurie Anderson, the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Specials, and Chuck D--all of whom appear on Searching for Jimi Hendrix. There's no truth to the rumor that Hendrix himself will show up on the upcoming Third Eye Blind tribute disc (Second Ear Def), but Buddy Miles is scheduled to record "Semi-Charmed Life" next week with LeAnn Rimes and Bruce Springsteen. Third Eye Blind also appears on Burning London, the salute to the Clash, joining No Doubt, Ice Cube, Rancid, silverchair, Afghan Whigs, and, of course, the Indigo Girls.
And speaking of Springsteen, his forthcoming nod (The Ghost of Bruce Springsteen) is said to feature no less than Eric Clapton, Sugar Ray, the corpse of Dusty Springfield with Leon Redbone, and John Denver's wrenching, unreleased take of "Highway Patrolman." Before his death, Denver was also scheduled to record "Velouria" for Where is My Mind?, but that honor has since gone to Weezer, who joined Local H, The Get-Up Kids, and Eve 6 on the Pixies trib. That disc hits stores just as the reformed Pixies are recording a song for How Sweet It Was, the James Taylor nod scheduled to include Korn backing the Dixie Chicks, and the Toadies with Bush. Shower the people indeed.
--Robert Wilonsky
