05/02/02

Instant Karma's Gonna Get You: While this is being written, Lisa Lopes is being laid to rest, and it's interesting to note the omissions amid the tributes and remembrances following her death.

What's missing is an honest appraisal of her work, as well as an explanation concerning another car accident prior to the one that killed her. Glossed over in the rush to praise her is the fact that, musically, her contribution to TLC was, at best, minimal. She contributed titles more than songs and left the bulk of the creative work to her bandmates, Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. In an interview with the Atlanta Journal Constitution last week, Thomas said that the group will continue as a duo without any noticeable change in sound or strategy. Even her solo album, Supernova, was rejected by Arista and other labels, and has yet to see the light of day in this country. More relevant was Lopes' persona, that of a troubled, image-conscious, headline-grabbing pop star that cleverly conspired and manipulated the public perspective. There's nothing really wrong with it, of course. Entertainers have been doing just that for ages. But what is really alarming is that Lopes and her handlers hushed up a previous Honduran car accident that took the life of a ten-year-old boy. The police were not informed. The boy's family was paid off and Lopes went on her way. There is something disturbingly cavalier in this, and no amount of spin from the Lopes camp can obscure it. Had it not been for Left Eye's own death three weeks later, this event would no doubt remain hidden from scrutiny.

Station To Station: 99X has egg on its face after being denied a permit, so far, to stage Downtown Rocks. Two free concerts in the same part of town on the same night are proving to be way too much of a good thing for the area's residents.

The station's bigwigs hadn't counted on promoter Marcie Allen going to Star 94 and setting up On The Bricks with them after talks with 99X broke down. An industry insider told us, on condition of anonymity, that 99x is livid with this turn of events and would love to push On the Bricks out of town. Downtown Rocks promoter Peter Conlon has boasted of never having been denied a permit and plans to eventually start charging customers, as he dislikes giving something away for nothing. 99X is determined to stick with its Friday night plan, stubbornly refusing to budge, but may not have any choice. KCPR, 99X's publicity firm, did not return a telephone call seeking comment.

99X faces competition in another area also: 96.7 The Buzz , a new local radio station, is making strides with a similar musical format, no pesky on-air "personalities," fewer commercials and some amusing, self-deprecating promo spots. Less attitude and more music. Brilliant.

Finally, definitive proof that there is a God in Heaven: Creed's US tour has been cancelled.

Until next time..