Nancy Sinatra (file)
Photo: Amanda Erlinger

As the presidential election draws near, '60s go-go star Nancy Sinatra is in a bit of a quandary. The daughter of legendary crooner Frank Sinatra wants to do whatever she can to help John Kerry win, yet she doesn't want to alienate her fans, many of whom are conservative Bush supporters. So she maintains two areas on her Web site, one for promotion and the other for political commentary.

"I created the second room because I didn't want visitors coming into these screaming fights we have on there," she said. "I called it 'Flying Plates' based on a song my dad wrote called 'I Wish I Were in Love Again.' "

If Sinatra's conservative fanbase is troubled by her Democratic bias, they'll probably freak when they hear her new album, Nancy Sinatra, which consists of songs written for her by alternative artists including Morrissey, Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Bono and the Edge (U2), Pete Yorn, Jarvis Cocker (Pulp) and Jon Spencer. The idea to pair the 64-year-old Sinatra with hipper, more contemporary musicians came from Sinatra's daughter Amanda, who helped oversee the project.

"When she suggested we do the record that way, she thought I might not go for it," said Sinatra, whose previous collaborations have been with more traditional writers, including Lee Hazlewood and Billy Strange. "But I thought it was a great idea. What was far stranger was taking direction from her. I always used to say to her when she was growing up, 'Look, I'm going to give you your options, and I want you to make the decision.' Now she's using that line on me."

Songs like Calexico's country-surf tune "Burnin' Down the Spark" and Cocker's sweeping, theatrical "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time" are perfect matches for Sinatra's dusky voice, but those with Blues Explosion belter Spencer ("Ain't No Easy Way") and Sonic Youth deconstructionist Moore ("Momma's Boy") might have been complete disasters had Sinatra not known what she was getting herself into.

"Actually, I have loved Sonic Youth for decades," she said. "When Amanda was growing up, I took an interest in all the music she was listening to, and that's how I stayed on people like Sonic Youth. Their songs are strange and dissonant, but if every artist was like every other artist, what would be the point? Gershwin wrote dissonant music, and it's brilliant."

Putting together collaborative efforts can be a logistical nightmare. That wasn't the case with Nancy Sinatra because the musicians she approached were fans of her work and were eager to contribute. Yorn even submitted three songs and let her choose which she wanted ("Don't Mean Nothing"). As accommodating as everyone was, Morrissey went beyond the call of duty, helping Sinatra plan the project, hooking her up with his label, Sanctuary Records, and penning the disc's first single, "Let Me Kiss You."

"He's a wonderful man and a good friend," she said. "He wrote me and said, 'I have a song for you, and if you sing it and we release it as a single, you'll be on the charts for the first time since 1972.' So I said, 'I'm there. Sign me up.' "

The only problematic number on the record was "Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad," an old song written by Bono and the Edge in tribute to Frank Sinatra. Originally, the recording was made with Bono on vocals, but he wanted his voice edited out. Unfortunately, his vocals bled onto the string and horn tracks, forcing those to be eliminated as well. In the end, the song — which features U2's Adam Clayton on bass and Larry Mullen Jr. on drums — came out as a smoky piano-bar number that's as close to Frank as Nancy has ever gotten.

"When it comes to my dad, Bono really manages to capture something magical every time," she said. "But that song was the exception to what I usually do. When I told my dad many years ago I was going into music, he said, 'Stay away from what I do, and you'll be fine.' That was great advice because if I had done big band and jazz stuff, I would have been lost."

• Nancy Sinatra
• Morrissey

JC Chasez, who will promote his solo LP, Schizophrenic, with a spring tour, is pitching Jive Records an interesting idea for the outing. "If we could get a JC/ Justin [Timberlake] tour ... that'd be a pretty good show," he said recently. If that doesn't work out, Chasez would be into hitting the road with his pal BT. ...

The Youngbloodz are teaming with the YMCA to launch a youth basketball league in Atlanta. "The main focus of this league is not just about winning games," Sean Paul and J-Bo said in a statement. "We are hoping to mentor these guys along the way, encouraging them to be productive members of the community by enforcing the principles of teamwork and cooperation." ... The man who tried to con Lil' Kim last June by telling her he knew where her lost jewelry was and would return it for $5,000 in advance and another $20,000 later has been ordered to pay a $500 fine and sentenced to five days in jail. John Acheson, who never knew where Kim's jewelry really was, pleaded guilty in Queens Criminal Court in New York to attempted grand larceny last week in order to avoid a more serious felony grand-larceny charge, which could have carried a four-year jail sentence. Acheson is currently on parole for selling his ex-landlord $47,000 of phony stock. Kim's jewels were stolen June 20 at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport and were later recovered near an airport employee's locker. ...

Damon Dash is set to direct "State Property 2," the sequel to the 2002 movie in which he starred. Production begins this week in New York. The movie, which will again center on characters played by Beanie Sigel and Dash himself, will be released through Lions Gate in 2005. ... Alanis Morissette has complied with radio programmers' request to change the opening line of her new single, "Everything." "I can be an a--hole of the grandest kind" is now "I can be a nightmare of the grandest kind." ... Though Scott Weiland's DUI trial was to start Monday in Los Angeles, it was continued until March 22. The Velvet Revolver singer is charged with driving under the influence of drugs. ...

Slipknot are inviting fans to appear in their video for "Duality," which will be shot in the group's hometown of Des Moines, Iowa, on March 27. "Should be a crazy time, and from the sounds of the video, if you show it will be like watching the band perform live in your house," a post on the band's label's Web site read. The video will be directed by Mark Klasfeld and Tony Petrossian. ... Slipknot/ Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor tied the knot with his fiancée, Scarlett, Thursday at a small ceremony at the Des Moines Botanical Center. At the reception held back at their house, bandmates from both groups, friends and family celebrated with a karaoke machine until 4 a.m. ...

Kid Rock didn't let the crowd that was starting to leave stop him from sitting down and joining a spontaneous jam session at New York restaurant Elaine's on Sunday night. His show wasn't attended by many, but among the few in attendance, celebrating the induction of Rolling Stone editor and publisher Jann Wenner into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, were Mick Jagger, Cameron Crowe, Heart's Nancy Wilson, Bruce Springsteen, Little Steven, Mick Jones, Don Henley, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and actress Leelee Sobieski. ... U2's Bono has contributed the song "Two Shots of Happy, One Shot of Sad" to Nancy Sinatra for inclusion on her upcoming album, To Nancy With Love. Bono originally wrote the tune for her legendary father, Frank, to sing, but he never did. The U2 frontman, however, performed the tune for Frank Sinatra's 80th birthday television celebration in 1995 and released it in 1997 as a B-side of the single "If God Will Send His Angels." To Nancy With Love will also include collaborations with Morrissey, Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker, Jon Spencer and others. ...

In the wake of Urban Outfitters pulling its controversial "Voting Is for Old People" T-shirt from store shelves, Chris Heister from Philadelphia has created a Web site where visitors can make their own "Voting Is for ..." tees (www.votingisforpeople.com). Customized designs can be made in less than 24 hours for about $17 dollars. Some popular slogans so far are "Voting Is for Sexy People," "Voting Is for Rich People" and "Voting Is for Amish People." ... Starbucks will now let coffee drinkers mix their mochas with a little music. On Tuesday, the java franchise will launch a service that will allow customers to create their own mix CDs out of a collection of 250,000 songs. CDs start at $6.95 for the first five songs and $1 for every additional song. The service initially launches in Santa Monica, California, and will ultimately be found in 2,500 franchises nationwide by 2006. ...

The three-CD album and double-DVDs recorded last year at the "46664" AIDS benefit concert in Cape Town, South Africa, will both come out on May 4. The releases feature performances by Beyoncé, Bono, Bob Geldof, Peter Gabriel, Queen, Ms. Dynamite, Eurythmics and many others. ... Sugar Ray are developing a reality show with VH1. "Three roadies go to work with us and we abuse them to death," singer Mark McGrath explained. "They're called 'techs' now, they're not 'roadies' anymore ... and they work 20-hour days. I think that the kids are gonna think they are coming to party with the band, but they're gonna be working. People are gonna go home crying, people are gonna go home with a drinking problem, and people are gonna go home injured. That's my kind of reality show." ...

03.12.2004

Like J. Lo and Jessica Simpson before her, Britney Spears is becoming her own brand by getting into the fragrance, skincare and cosmetics business. Elizabeth Arden announced on Friday (March 12) that the singer would develop and market her own line of products, with personal involvement in all aspects of development. "I love perfume and cosmetics, and am so excited to develop my own line with Elizabeth Arden," Spears said in a statement. She'll first roll out a fragrance, to debut this fall. ...

The Miami Beach Black Host Committee will meet Friday to outline its concerns to the city's mayor and police chief regarding a report that local police are specially monitoring rappers and their associates. The committee, formed by the city's mayor to help improve relations with black residents and visitors, said it was deeply offended by the police's strategy, according to The Miami Herald. ... On Thursday, the judge in the Michael Jackson molestation case ordered that an audiotape with defense interviews with the alleged victim and his family remain sealed, as it could identify areas of defense strategy. The tape was of an interview conducted early last year by an investigator for Jackson's attorney Mark Geragos. However, several videotapes that were deemed "innocuous and unrevealing of defense strategy" will be released. Jackson is due back in court on April 2. ...

New Found Glory are shooting the video for "All Down Hill From Here," the first single from their new album, Catalyst, on Sunday in Los Angeles. Meiert Avis, best known for early U2 and Bruce Springsteen videos, is directing the clip, which will see the band performing in an animated world. Catalyst is due May 18. ... The launch of the Pixies' reunion tour will no longer be in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on April 14 — the first date of the trek is now April 13 in Minneapolis, where the band is currently rehearsing. Tickets for the "secret" show at the Fine Line Music Cafe sold out in four minutes on Thursday, when it became a secret no more. ...

Dan the Automator and Prince Paul have resurrected their Handsome Boy Modeling School and will follow up 1999's So ... How's Your Girl? with a summer album featuring appearances by Pharrell Williams, RZA, Musiq, Jack Johnson, the Deftones and Mike Patton. Meanwhile, the duo will make a rare public appearance during South by Southwest opening for N.E.R.D. on March 20 at the Austin Music Hall. Glassjaw's Daryl Palumbo, who has a project with Dan the Automator called Head Automatica, as well as Encore and Casual will join the School onstage. ... Metallica, Jane's Addiction, Pink and Johnny Cash have all been nominated for 2004 Prism Awards, which are given annually to actors, musicians and comic-book artists who accurately depict the dangers of drug, alcohol and tobacco use. The awards, now in their eighth year, are presented by the Entertainment Industries Council Inc. This year, Jane's Addiction's "Suffer Some" will compete with Pink's "Save My Life" and others for the Music Recording Award, and Metallica's "Frantic," Johnny Cash's "Hurt" and Three Days Grace's "I Hate Everything About You" will be amongst those to duke it out for the Music Video Award. ...

After he is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Monday, Prince will perform a midnight show at Club Black in New York. Tickets are on sale now on his Web site and will be available through Ticketmaster beginning Saturday. ... Every person who attends one of Prince's concerts on his upcoming Musicology tour will get a copy of his new CD of the same name. Those who don't catch him live can download a copy from his NPG Music Club (www.npgmusicclub.com) starting March 29. ...

The Dead drummer Mickey Hart and pedal-steel guitarist extraordinaire Robert Randolph will co-host the 2004 Jammy Awards, which will take place Tuesday at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell and Edie Brickell will join the list of performers, which already includes Steve Winwood, Chris Robinson, Dr. John, Slick Rick, Dickey Betts and others. ... The Dave Matthews Band is in the beginning stages of organizing a July 4 weekend festival in New York after a survey on the band's Web site found fans were most interested in that date and location. Another survey is out now to gather more input. ...

From the Sugarhill Gang to 50 Cent, a new four-CD box set called The Hip-Hop Box will collect the biggest hits and turning points in the 25-year history of hip-hop music. It's due on April 20 from Hip-O Records and includes tracks from Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, Main Source and others. ... Wu-Tang Clan's RZA is attempting to traverse the globe for a brief tour in May. Beginning May 1 in Spain, he'll go on to perform in Athens, Greece; Cairo, Egypt; Rome; Moscow; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Pozen, Poland; wrapping up May 23 at the Istanbul Hip & Hop Festival in Turkey. ...

Fresh from winning Best Comedy Album for Poodle Hat at last month's Grammys, "Weird Al" Yankovic is launching a five-week tour beginning March 24 in Akron, Ohio. The outing wraps up May 2 in Pompano Beach, Florida. ... 311 celebrated 311 Day (March 11) Thursday in New Orleans with a colossal five-hour performance. The band played 68 songs, including rarities like "Juan Bond," "Let the Cards Fall" and "Right Now" and covers of the Clash's "(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais," the Cure's "Love Song" and Led Zeppelin's "D'yer Mak'er." The show, which featured burlesque dancers, stilt walkers and fire eaters, and other events tied into the celebration (including a tailgate and pre-party) were recorded for a DVD due at the end of the year. ...

• JC Chasez
• Justin Timberlake
• *NSYNC
• Youngbloodz
• Slipknot

RZA
Photo: Jason Campbell

With their mutual admiration of all things kung fu, Wu-Tang's RZA and Quentin Tarantino were destined to hook up. The chop-socky-loving odd couple have collaborated on the soundtrack to Tarantino's long-awaited new film, "Kill Bill: Volume 1."

The 17-track album to Tarantino's fourth feature — the first part of which hits theaters on October 10 — will feature an original RZA song alongside the usual mix of Tarantino-picked musical obsessions and oddities when it hits stores September 23, according to the project's publicist.

Kill Bill: Volume 1 mixes Nancy Sinatra's "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)," which plays over the opening credits, with cuts by soul legend Isaac Hayes ("Run Fay Run"), honky tonker Charlie Feathers ("That Certain Female"), soundtrack legend Bernard Herrmann ("Twisted Nerve") and Japanese surf-punk band the 5.6.7.8's ("Woo Hoo"). RZA contributes the original spoken/rapped piece "Ode to Oren Ishii," in which he lays out the plot of the film.

Electronic music forefathers Neu! ("Super 16") are also on the eclectic collection, which revives an old Quincy Jones number ("Ironside") amid several snippets of dialogue and a number of sound-effects tracks that re-create the movie's fight scenes. And, believe it or not, trash culture obsessive Tarantino has also tossed in a song from the master of the pan flute, Zamfir ("The Lonely Shepherd"), which RZA stumbled upon while dining at a Thai restaurant.

RZA's hookup with Tarantino seems a natural fit, considering the Wu-Tang master sharpened his scoring teeth on Jim Jarmusch's 1999 martial arts flick, "Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai." Many of the songs on the soundtrack have previously appeared in classic kung fu flicks, though Tarantino discovered the 5.6.7.8's while browsing in a clothing store in Hong Kong several years ago. Smitten with the band's sound — so smitten, in fact, that they have a cameo in the film — he insisted the clerk sell him the store's copy of the album on the spot.

The film stars Uma Thurman as a former assassin betrayed by her boss, Bill, played by David Carradine. Thurman returns four years after taking a bullet in the head to get revenge on Bill and his arsenal of assassins, including Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen and Darryl Hannah (see "Quentin Tarantino Makes Uma Thurman Dress Like Bruce Lee").

The always high-energy Tarantino, who has not released a film since 1997's "Jackie Brown," wrote a nearly 200-page script for "Kill Bill" and ended up shooting so much footage that he and Miramax head Harvey Weinstein decided to cut the movie in half and release it in two parts (see "Instant Sequel: Tarantino's 'Kill Bill' Chopped Into Two Parts"). The second installment of the film is expected to hit theaters two to six months after "Part 1." The spokesperson said it is not yet clear if there will be a soundtrack album from the film's second part.

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich was working with RZA on the score (see "Metallica's Ulrich Asked To Work With RZA On Tarantino Score"), but his contributions are not expected to appear on the album, according to the spokesperson.

Track listing for Kill Bill: Volume 1:

• Nancy Sinatra - "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"
• Charlie Feathers - "That Certain Female"
• Luis Bacalov - "The Grand Duel - (Parte Prima)"
• Bernard Herrmann - "Twisted Nerve"
• "Queen of the Crime Council" - dialogue excerpt from film featuring Lucy Liu and Julie Dreyfus
• RZA - "Ode to Oren Ishii"
• Isaac Hayes - "Run Fay Run"
• Al Hirt - "Green Hornet"
• Tomoyasu Hotei - "Battle Without Honor or Humanity"
• Santa Esmeralda - "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"
• The 5.6.7.8's - "Woo Hoo"
• RZA/Charles Bernstein - "Crane"/"White Lightning"
• Meiko Kaji - "The Flower of Carnage"
• Zamfir - "The Lonely Shepherd"
• "You're My Wicked Life" - dialogue excerpt from film featuring David Carradine, Julie Dreyfus and Uma Thurman
• Quincy Jones - "Ironside" excerpt
• Neu! - "Super 16" excerpt

• RZA
• Isaac Hayes
• Nancy Sinatra