By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
January 3, 1997
Kudos to Cool Beans – “Chicago’s best unknown band” (their words, not mine). The quartet gets a big break Monday when NBC plays a few cuts from Cool Beans’ CD “Days in the Sun” in a made-for-TV movie, “The Secret.” It airs at 8 p.m. on WMAQ-Channel 5 and sounds juicy and cheesy. The plot? Well, a cheerleader suspects that her cheating boyfriend is a murderer and puts herself in peril to prove it! The cast includes Soleil Moon Frye (“Punky Brewster”), whom the band didn’t get to meet. Maybe when they’re bigger stars. . . .
EYE CANDY: The Lost Lennon Interviews (Adams Media Corporation, $12.95) is a collection of transcripts – including the last one John Lennon ever did. The book also features 32 pages of photos of Lennon taken during his days with the Beatles and with his wife, Yoko Ono. . . . Beatles fans with Internet access can check out the “Ticket to Ride” site, which includes press conference excerpts, interviews with each Fab Four member and DJ Ken Douglas’ tour anecdotes after spending 10 days in 1966 with the Beatles. The site is http://www.iguide.com/music . . . VH1 has introduced a new show called “Pop-Up Video” that airs at 5:30 p.m. Saturdays. It’s informative but annoying. Let’s say you’re watching U2’s “One” video – the version where the lads are dressed in drag. During the video, a news item will “pop up” on screen explaining why the band members decided to slap on rouge and mascara (answer: to demonstrate that there is a masculine and feminine side to us all). . . . Billboard columnist Timothy White’s latest book, Music to My Ears (Henry Holt, $27.50), is a fascinating collection of interviews with artists such as P.J. Harvey, Bruce Springsteen, Joan Osborne and Chrissie Hynde. . . . And it’s official: Rock’s prettiest couple has split up. No Doubt’s Gwen Stefani and Bush’s Gavin Rossdale – the Gwyneth and Brad of the music world – have ended their 10-month relationship. But they’re still good enough friends to exchange little presents. During a recent visit to Chicago, Stefani wore a black sweater with black and white striped sleeves – exactly the kind that Rossdale favors. “Oh, it’s funny that you mention that,” Stefani said. “It was a gift from Gavin.” So there you go . . . E-mail comments to jaehakim@suntimes.com
