POP GOES THE PIANO MAN

In comparison to all the recent news about big-name bands reuniting, particularly The Police, word of Billy Joel's return to making pop music -- his first such effort since 1993 -- hasn't caused that big of a stir out of the gate.

On Tuesday (Jan. 30), the same day the Recording Academy announced that the reunited Police would perform at the Grammy Awards ceremony on Feb. 11, Billboard.com reported that Joel's single "All My Life" would make its premiere Feb. 7 on People.com. It will be available via iTunes starting Feb. 20, and a commercial CD release is expected later, according to Columbia, Joel's longtime label.

In recent years, Joel has dipped his toes into the pool that is pop music, performing his past hits across the United States sans a new album. But this new single, which coincides with the start of another U.S. trek and arrives three days after he's scheduled to sing the national anthem at Super Bowl XLI, could be a sign that he's ready to dive back in.

Given that since '93 Joel has continued to tour playing his back catalog, one gets the sense that he was merely biding his time to re-enter the pop field with new material. (2001's classical-flavored Fantasies and Illusions, Joel's last new work, features songs written by him but performed by Richard Joos.)

If "All My Life" is any good and the reaction to it is positive, the time at which the news broke of his pop return will grow in stature and in memory.

THE START OF SHINS-MANIA?

Garden State, written and directed by Jersey-bred Scrubs star Zach Braff, featured a good soundtrack with songs that were key to specific scenes.

There's one in which Sam (played by Natalie Portman) passes a pair of headphones to Andrew Largeman (Braff) and says of "New Slang" by The Shins, "You gotta hear this one song -- it'll change your life."

Well, since the film's 2004 release, The Shins' profile has changed big-time, and finally there's a new album. Wincing the Night Away (Sub Pop), the Portland, Ore.-band's follow-up to 2003's Chutes Too Narrow, was released Jan. 23.

While Wincing does take a few steps forward, it essentially is cut from the same melodic, slightly melancholy indie-rock cloth as Chutes, so it would seem unlikely that the next step for The Shins would be mainstream hits and superstardom. (Then again, back in 1992, it didn't seem possible that Nirvana, another Northwestern rock band of ordinary looking guys, would break through to the masses, either.)

On Jan. 26, The Shins performed a free show at the Amoeba Music store in Hollywood, Calif. According to NME.com, their appearance attracted hundreds of fans, and many had to be turned away once the store reached its capacity.

Was it the start of Shins-mania or just an aberration? Only time will tell.

WHY RICHARDS ROCKS ON

Rock 'n' roll has its share of unsolved mysteries, and at the top of the list is how Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards keeps on kickin' after years of drinking, smoking and drugging.

In the article "Why Is Keith Richards Still Alive?" that appears in the February issue of Best Life magazine, author/physician Billy Goldberg and writer Mark Leyner mix humor and research in order to get a handle on the seemingly invincible Richards, now 63.

The article cites research published in the Journal of Health Economics that said marriage has a strong, positive effect on longevity. Married since 1983 to Patti Hansen, "his 20-plus wedded years may have counteracted some of his other toxic activities," the article says.

Genes are responsible for about 25 percent of the reason why some people live longer than others, according to the article, citing a study that recently appeared in The American Journal of Medicine. Richards' father died at 85, and his mother is now 90.

Last but not least, the Goldberg/Leyner piece says that happiness has been shown in some studies to increase longevity. With a wife and children, respect from his friends and peers and a catalog of great songs that he co-wrote with Mick Jagger -- as well as fame and fortune -- one can assume that Richards has plenty to be happy about.

Goldberg and Leyner may not have solved the Keith Richards health mystery, but they've made it a bit less puzzling.

REUNION FEVER

That hotly rumored Police reunion is getting close to being a reality, says a Vancouver radio station.

According to a Billboard.com story, CFMI reported Thursday (Jan. 25) that Sting, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland will rehearse for their upcoming tour at Vancouver's Lions Gate Studios.

Details of the Police tour are due next month, but even so, 2007 already is shaping up to be a big year for rock reunions. Crowded House and Rage Against the Machine have both decided to regroup, and both will play at this year's Coachella festival, which is set for April 27-29 in Indigo, Calif. Tickets go on sale Saturday (Jan. 27) via Ticketmaster.

And sources have told Billboard.com that Van Halen, with singer David Lee Roth back in the fold and Wolfgang Van Halen (teenage son of guitarist Eddie Van Halen) taking over for bassist Michael Anthony, will hit the road this summer for an amphitheater tour.

PRODUCTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Those who remember the late 1980s/early 1990s magazine Spy would say it was very much of its time.

Looking back, it turns out Spy had a feel for the future, too.

Once upon a time, Spy ran a hilarious spread in which it imagined how certain actors, athletes and musicians who died young would have fared had they lived. It included a mock billboard with a suit-wearing Jimi Hendrix and an attractive woman hawking a product called Purple Haze wine coolers.

Well, a real Hendrixian beverage will make its debut in April. That's when Beverage Concepts will introduce a nonalcoholic Hendrix drink called Liquid Experience.

Let the "selling out" discussion begin.

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea has said that he's disappointed to see Hendrix's image "cheapened by base advertising." That's an interesting comment considering that Flea and his band appeared years ago in a Nike commercial with tennis star Andre Agassi.

Maybe Flea regrets doing that Nike spot. That said, there are artists changing their minds the opposite way: Once dead-set against such product associations, they're now taking the plunge. That would include John Mellencamp, whose "Our Country" can be heard in a current Chevy campaign on TV.

Given the economy in general, the music industry's struggles and the tight formats of many commercial radio stations, it's understandable why some musicians feel the need to explore any and all avenues for exposure and income.

To a fan, though, such decisions do seem to cheapen the music and the image of the artists -- no matter if they're dead or alive.

LAST ONES STANDING

With the Jan. 19 death of former Mamas and the Papas singer Denny Doherty at age 66 comes the sobering thought that only one of the group's original members -- Michelle Phillips -- remains alive.

For the record, Cass Elliot died in 1974 at age 32, and leader John Phillips passed away in 2001 at age 65.

An even sadder thought is there are other Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acts with only one surviving member from their classic lineups:

THE RAMONES: This hasn't been a good decade for the legendary punk band from Queens: Singer Joey died of lymphoma in 2001 (about a month shy of age 50), original bassist Dee Dee was found dead of an apparent heroin overdose in 2002 (age 49) and guitarist Johnny died of prostate cancer in 2004 (age 55).

From the original lineup, the last one standing is drummer Tommy, who after leaving the band circa 1978 is perhaps best known for producing The Replacements' Tim album. More recently, he joined latter-day Ramone C.J. and other rock notables, including Sonic Youth and The Strokes, in 2004 for a cancer benefit concert in New York.

THE TEMPTATIONS: Paul Williams committed suicide in 1973, two years after leaving the group. Long after they launched their respective solo careers, co-lead singers David Ruffin (drug overdose, age 50) and Eddie Kendricks (lung cancer, age 52) died in 1991 and 1992, respectively. Longtime bass singer Melvin Franklin died following a brain seizure in 1995 at age 52.

And so, the only one left from this great Motown vocal group's early hits lineup (which arguably was its best) is Otis Williams, who still keeps the Temps going, and with some success. Ear-Resistable, released in 2000, won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Album.

Williams and company sang "My Girl" and "The Way You Do the Things You Do" last month at the Kennedy Center Honors in tribute to the writer of those tunes, Smokey Robinson, who was among the 2006 honorees.

JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE: Hendrix was found dead of a drug overdose in 1970 at age 27. Noel Redding, the bassist in the group, died in 2003 at age 57.

That leaves drummer extraordinaire Mitch Mitchell, who will turn 60 this year. He is believed to be living in Europe and essentially retired from music; to hear a latter-day Mitchell performance, check out "Stupid Blues," which can be found on country artist Junior Brown's Long Walk Back album, released in 1998.

Of course, The Beatles are down to two classic members (sorry, Pete Best, you were booted before the world knew about the group), and the same goes for The Who and The Four Tops.

Here's to a healthy 2007 and beyond.

FESTIVALS SPRING ETERNAL

Now that Northeast temperatures finally are in sync with winter, thoughts turn to the South by Southwest (SXSW) music conference in Austin, Texas, the unofficial spring break for the music industry.

Held every March, it's an excellent opportunity for fans and industry folks alike to check out emerging and established artists, as well as attend a variety of panel discussions. This year's keynote speaker will be Pete Townshend, and the full lineup of performers is expected to be announced soon.

Usually by now, showcase slots are filled up. But the "music-only" community known as ReverbNation is giving two acts the chance to play at its official SXSW party on March 16, plus chip in for travel expenses to the Lone Star state.

The contest dates are Feb. 1-20. For more information, click here -- and good luck.

Overlapping with SXSW in Austin is the RedGorilla Music Fest. Launched four years ago as the DreamScapers Artist Showcase, the event will take place from March 14-17. Unlike SXSW, it's free and open to the general public.

Artists interested in showcasing during RedGorilla can click here for more details.

IS THE BLOOM FINALLY OFF THE (AXL) ROSE?

The turnout for two of its concerts late last year suggests that the public is growing tired of the circus that is Guns N' Roses.

In its Boxscore Concert Grosses roundup that ran in the Jan. 13 issue, Billboard reports that the GNR-led bill on Nov. 24, 2006, at Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena had an attendance of 6,757. The capacity for the venue is 21,319.

Things weren't so great, either, on Nov. 13, when GNR (along with Sebastian Bach and Suicide Girls) performed for 5,257 fans at Baltimore's 1st Mariner Arena, which has a capacity of 11,774.

Usually the trend for veteran rock bands is that they continue to draw well on the road even without a current hit single or album -- The Rolling Stones are the best example of this.

Will Axl Rose and company be playing to packed houses once again after the long overdue Chinese Democracy (now expected in March) finally arrives in stores, or will fans stay away from the band's gigs and new music?

With all things Axl, it's hard to predict.

GRACELAND TREATMENT FOR THE GODFATHER OF SOUL?

James Brown always admired Elvis Presley.

And if members of Brown's family have their way, the late Godfather of Soul's Beech Island, S.C., home will become a museum a la the King of Rock 'n' Roll's Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tenn.

This may take awhile, though, and for multiple reasons -- among them that Brown's will makes no mention of a museum, according to a story by Otis R. Taylor Jr. that ran last week in The Herald, a South Carolina newspaper.

But if it does become a museum, there apparently is plenty to see, says author Marc Eliot, who spent time at Brown's 62-acre estate while working on I Feel Good: A Memoir of a Life of Soul.

Eliot was quoted in the aforementioned Taylor story that at Brown's house, "the overall effect was not unlike going to Caesar's Palace" in Las Vegas.

"Not to be disparaging," he added, "but he had a very gaudy rock 'n' roll look."

Anyone who's been to Graceland, particularly the legendary Jungle Room, knows that Presley's place had its gaudiness, too. And gaudy does make for a really good museum.

SOMETHING SMELLS FUNNY

Paula Abdul arguably is the most boring of the three American Idol judges, but nevertheless, Bravo is making a docu-series about her life.

Hey Paula is scheduled to make its debut later this year on the cable network. Naturally, the show will follow Abdul through the upcoming American Idol season (which begins Jan. 16 on Fox).

Now that could be entertaining. Maybe there will be some backstage footage of Abdul telling off Simon Cowell, or clips of her hard at work conjuring up a batch of silly, motherly sounding compliments that she later uses to praise Idol contestants.

The dark side, as it were, of Hey Paula is that it also will follow the development of Abdul's own perfume and cosmetics line. Given this product element, Hey Paula could resemble an infomercial rather than a TV show. Stay tuned.

VISIONS OF THE KING

If he were alive, Elvis Presley would be 72 years old today (Jan. 8).

Of course, there are people who think Presley is among the living. And one such person will pay big bucks if you have proof.

Filmmaker Adam Muskiewicz is offering a whopping $3 million for evidence that Presley is alive. According to the Web site ElvisWanted.com, evidence and leads will be featured in Muskiewicz's film The Truth About Elvis, due in August.

For those living in the real world who are looking for a Presley video fix, there is plenty of genuine footage available now on DVD. Outside of Jailhouse Rock and a few others, his nonconcert movies were mediocre at best, so proceed with caution.

A must-see is Elvis, his legendary 1968 TV comeback special. Sporting killer sideburns and black leather, he never looked or sounded better than he did on that show, playing and joking "in the round" with his backing musicians.

For a satisfying dose of early Presley, check out Elvis: The Ed Sullivan Shows, released last year via Image Entertainment. The three-DVD set features Presley's appearances on the variety show in 1956-57 playing such hits as "Don't Be Cruel," "Love Me Tender" and "Hound Dog."

Among the package's special features is what's been called the first moving film of Presley, shot with a silent 8mm camera during a 1954 gig in Houston. Longtime Presley associate Jerry Schilling calls the color clip a "visual look at the birth of rock 'n' roll as we know it today."

Celebrate two birthdays in one by watching it today.

ROCKIN' IN THE FREE WORLD

Some Eric Clapton fans may not care to hear him play "Cocaine" in concert, but for someone to say he can't perform the song would be ridiculous.

Well, that could happen later this month when Clapton performs in Shanghai, China.

Rolling Stones fans may recall that last spring the band was not permitted to play certain songs in China because of their sexual content -- although the randy "Start Me Up" wasn't nixed and the Stones did play it.

And even though the lyrics to "Cocaine" could be interpreted as either pro- or anti-drug, the song's title ought to be enough for China's conservative czars to order Clapton not to play it.

Anyway, at least Clapton will get to perform in Shanghai. Rapper Jay-Z was denied the chance in October, and the reported reason was the need to protect fans from nasty lyrics.

There's been more than enough music censorship nonsense in America through the years. Let's hope the country's political conservatives don't follow China's lead with regard to what can be performed in concert.

GIMME JAGGER

Money and fame, not to mention a job fronting a great band and respect from his peers -- yep, Mick Jagger pretty much has it all.

In the new ABC sitcom The Knights of Prosperity, six bumbling burglars are after a piece of Jagger's riches -- or as ringleader Eugene Gurkin says, "a few crumbs from his table of much plentifulness."

Here's the gist: Gurkin (played by Donal Logue) and his fellow Knights attempt to rob Jagger's Manhattan apartment. Rolling Stones fans looking to see plenty of Jagger (who is listed as an executive producer) on their TV screens shouldn't get their hopes up, though.

"The commitment Mick made was to do a cameo in the pilot, and after that we would see how it went," co-creator Rob Burnett told The Associated Press.

The Knights of Prosperity will make its premiere at 9 p.m. Jan. 3 on ABC.