> The remaining members of Blind Melon will be appearing in an online chat at MTV Online's AOL (America On-Line) site (keyword: MTV or MTVArena) February 6 at 8:00 p.m. EST.
> Co-founding member of Duran Duran, John Taylor, recently announced his amicable departure from the band after more than 18 years.
> Japan's Shonen Knife will be headlining Los Angeles' Poptopia Festival at the Troubadour on February 8. Other bands on the bill for the evening include the Muffs, Cockeyed Ghost, Wondermints and Splitsville.
> Pulp's guitarist Russell Senior has quit the band to pursue the ever-vague "new projects".
> Sonicnet will be having online chats at http://www.sonicnet.com/sonicore/chat/ with Space Needle (February 4, 7:00 pm) and INXS (February 7, 7:30 pm). All times are EST.
> Some lucky college student will have the chance to win a free concert with the Verve Pipe. Coinciding with the single release of "The Freshmen", the contest (sponsored by U. Magazine) invites college students to tell about a memorable freshman experience. The members of the Verve Pipe will pick the entry they like the best, and that entrant's school will get a free on-campus concert from the band.
> Mike Watt's new album, Contemplating The Engine Room, is tentatively due to be released in September. The concept for the album is a "punk rock opera" revolving around a metaphor of three guys in a Navy boat's engine room. Bobby Seifert will be the engineer for the album, whose recording will commence in April.
