www.GoodNoise.com  changed their name to E-music.com  and offered stock as an IPO in 1999. Cutting deals with content providers is their business model and they  make songs exclusively available for download from their site. Among the artists they work with is ex-Pixies frontman Frank Black. His complete album is available as an MP3 download for $8.99, or any individual track for only 99 cents ...download times may vary.

Paul McCartney has been working on an album of Rock and Roll covers with David Gilmour, which may include Ricky Nelson’s ‘Lonesome Town’ which he performed at a U.K charity concert in April. He also has been in the studio with multi-instrumentalist Youth, from the industrial punk band Killing Joke to release another ambient techno project under the moniker "Fireman". The album, McCartney's first since the death of his wife, Linda McCartney, will be released on the EMI imprint, Hydra, created solely for this project. Capitol is also heavily hyping the 25th anniversary re-issue of "Band On The Run".

Wazzup with Carlos Santana

Aside from making Supernatural, one of the hottest albums of 1999/2000, Carlos is still hanging in the hood. Fresh from winning more Grammy's than any one man could ever carry, planning a huge tour, and riding the top of the charts with over 10 million copies of Supernatural sold, Carlos was kicking it in the mission in late March. The San Francisco Mission High alumni, who donated over $200,000 in the past year through his Marin based Milagro Foundation to local and international charities, still takes personal  time to support local artists and community based non-profits. Spotted  eating lunch at  Maya Taqueria on 16th & Guerrero, the latino rock guitar legend was dining with local artist and ex-Komotion collective member Sal Garcia. Garcia, who once helped curate a Santana retrospective at the Mission Cultural Center, makes the unique amulets that Carlos wears onstage and gives to people on his travels. Carlos informed Garcia that he recently gave one to pop sensation Ricky Martin. The Santana band  leaves for stadium dates in Japan in April, hits Spain in May and rolls through 8 countries by June. US dates begin in Florida in July, with no Bay Area concerts expected until at least late August... 

In early April of 2000 he  and Everlast filmed the video for Put Your Lights On at Oakland's Diamond Club.

He also now has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 7080 Hollywood Blvd. (near the corner of Hollywood and La Brea), the Walk Of Fame Star dedicated to the Mexican American Guitar God was secured with contributions from the Hispanic Education and Media Group, Inc. and dedicated on August 18th 1998 during a four night run at the Greek Theater in LA. Santana has also started his own label distributed by Sony.  

Glam rock legend GARY GLITTER (real name PAUL GADD) was officially charged on Monday March 30th 1998 with 50 offenses relating to child pornography. He was eventually convicted in November of 1999 and was being held in a British gaol. Glitter, 53 was charged by British Police with possessing hundreds of  indecent pseudo-photographs of children under the age of 16.  The charges came after nearly six hours of questioning at Staple Hill police station on the outskirts of Bristol. Glitter flew back to Britain from Cuba this spring, where he had been hiding out since the New Year, with his 25-year-old girlfriend YUDENIA SOS MARTINEZ. Glitter was first questioned in November of 1997 after staff at a computer chain store alerted police about material allegedly stored in a computer Glitter had brought in for repair. The rocker  consistently denied the allegations, but was  forced to litigate, was jailed andwas released in late 1999.

Waddy Wachtel, an LA based american guitar slinger of dubious distinction is also facing similar charges due to som electronic depictions downloaded and stored on his hardrive that was sent in for repair. Let this be a warning to all ye porno surferz, get removable storage devices if your gonna be looking at XXX images.

Shane MacGowan's manager has said he's working on a book of short stories of reminiscent "of Charles Bukowski", while his recent 17 track album "Crock of Gold" is as yet unreleased in the State's...it is available for $26.99 via this link

As the anniversary of Michael Hutchence death passed, a private ceremony was organized by his father on Nov. 22 1998 at an intimate chapel in North Ryde, Sydney.

The Hard Rock Cafe held a more public event that occurred on Jan. 22 1999, on what would have been his thirty-ninth birthday. A "reunion" jam on that occasion  was organized by Kelland Hutchence ,who recently said of Michael "He brought the world a great deal of love and happiness -- I hope this tribute can do the same for his fans."

The INXS singer hanged himself with a belt at the Ritz-Carlton in Double Bay, Australia, on Nov. 22, 1997 -- just days before INXS were to have launched their twentieth anniversary "Lose Your Head" tour. Hutchence was due to perform on Australian T.V w/ INXS the day of his death and was late for rehearsal when his body was discovered in a Sydney Hotel by the maid. Investigators found traces of cocaine, alcohol and prescription anti-depressants in Hutchence's blood and ruled his death a suicide.

Paula Yates, widow of INXS singer Michael Hutchence, announced earlier in 1998 that she will attempt to legally overturn an Australian coroner's ruling that declared her husband's death a suicide, according to the Associated Press. Yates, a british TV star and ex-wife of Sir Bob Geldof said that, based on her personal knowledge of the singer, she could not believe Hutchence took his own life.

The first decade of U2's extraordinary history is celebrated with the worldwide release by Island Records of " U2 The Best of 1980-1990" was released on Tuesday, November 3 1998.
The initial pressing and advance orders included a bonus Cd with bonus B-sides from the eighties.
The main track listing of U2 "The Best of 1980-1990" is:

• -- Pride (In the Name of Love)
• -- New Year's Day
• -- With or Without You
• -- I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
• -- Sunday Bloody Sunday
• -- Bad
• -- Where the Streets Have No Name
• -- I Will Follow
• -- The Unforgettable Fire
• -- Desire
• -- Angel of Harlem
• -- When Love Comes to Town
• -- Sweetest Thing
• -- All I Want is You