Tribute madness heats up as five upcoming new CDs bow down in salute with intriguing possibilities. Magna Carta Records is set for the March 15 release of Subdivisions: A Tribute to Rush, with performances by Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, Jani Lane of Warrant, Alex Skolnick of Testament, Kip Winger of Winger, Robert Berry of Ambrosia, Andreas Kisser of Sepultura, and master bassist Stu Hamm. Roxy Music gets the cover caress with Roxy Re-Modeled on the Basic Lux imprint on March 22, featuring an international litany of chill out and dance music artists from Madison Park and GoldLust to Abstract Foundation and Sunday People. The theatrical madness of Alice Cooper gets the nod on the Magic K Records' release, Welcome to the Nightmare: An All-Star Salute to Alice Cooper, at the end of this month. Hosting a Metal-friendly cast with Ronnie James Dio and Iced Earth, the CD features a handful of cool pairings, including Slash with Roger Daltrey and Glen Hughes with Paul Gilbert. Black Sabbath adds another cover compilation in their honor from Temporary Residence Records in April, titled Everything Comes and Goes. Highlights include contributions from Matmos, the Chris Harvey Trio, Racebannon, and an acoustic take on "Iron Man" by Four Tet. Also due in April is Friends and Lovers: Songs of Bread from Badman Records, featuring Cake, Paula Frazer, Holy Sons, Josh Rouse and more. ... The history of the Vancouver, British Columbia Punk Rock scene is revisited next week as Sudden Death Records reissues the 1979 vinyl release, Vancouver Complication, on CD for the first time. With all proceeds benefiting the Vancouver Food Bank, the 15-track collection is a time capsule of the vibrant scene that produced D.O.A., the Subhumans, BIZ and Pointed Sticks.

Television Alert
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes 3 Doors Down Wednesday, Lang Lang Thursday and Fantasia Monday. The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Amos Lee Wednesday. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson lets loose Unwritten Law Friday. And Jimmy Kimmel Live boasts Silvertide Friday and The O'Jays Tuesday.

New Releases Coming Tuesday
and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change ...

50 Cent ­ The Massacre (Aftermath) with guests Lloyd Banks and Eminem; Ak-Momo ­ Return to N.Y. (Hidden Agenda); The Amazing Pilots ­ Hello My Captor (Undertow); Nic Armstrong & the Thieves ­ The Greatest White Liar (New West) featuring covers of Chuck Berry's "I Want To Be Your Driver" and Lieber & Butler's "Down Home Girl," made famous by The Rolling Stones in 1965; Ash ­ Meltdown (Record Collection) domestic release of this gold UK hit from last year, featuring the song "Clones" from the new Lucas Arts videogame, "Republic Commando"; Black Label Society ­ Mafia (Artemis); The Boomtown Rats ­ Live at Hammersmith Odeon 1978 (Eagle Vision) DVD; Devil In a Woodpile ­ In Your Lonesome Town (Bloodshot) featuring a must-hear version of Led Zeppelin's "Bron-Y-Aur-Stomp"; DJ Revolution ­ The ABC's of High Fidelity (On the Corner) new from the radio co-host of The Wakeup Show; Evens ­ Evens (Dischord) new from Ian MacKaye of Fugazi and Amy Farina of the Warmers; Reeves Gabrels ­ Rockonica (Favored Nations) new six-string mastery from the Tin Machine guitarist and in-demand session player; Jay Geils ­ Jay Geils Plays Jazz (Stony Plain) new direction from the J. Geils Band guitarist, featuring covers of Roland Kirk's "Funk Underneath" and Bill Doggett's "Honey Boy"; Roger Glover ­ Mask (Lemon) first time on CD; Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion ­ Exploration (New West) with guests from The Jayhawks and Son Volt; Joey Image ­ Hell Bent for Horror Business (Cleopatra) collection of tracks by the former Misfits drummer; Kaddisfly ­ Buy Our Intention, We'll Buy You a Unicorn (Hopeless) second album of passionate intensity from Oregon; Kasabian ­ Kasabian (RCA) big buzz on the domestic issue of this UK smash CD, reminiscent of Oasis swagger and Stone Roses swirl; The Kills ­ No Wow (RCA); Jimmy LaFave ­ Blue Nightfall (Red House) pensive Americana from this Texas singer/songwriter who recently organized a Woody Guthrie tribute tour; Mando Diao ­ Hurricane Bar (Mute) killer second album of Swedish Rock influenced by 1960s British invasion and overdriven Blues, enhanced with three videos; Mirrors ­ Green Dream (Birdman) first time on CD for this lost album from Greg Ashley of Gris Gris; moe. ­ Warts & All Vol. IV (Fatboy) three-CD set featuring their cover of Jimmy Cliff's "Harder They Come"; Monade ­ A Few Steps More (Too Pure) new from Stereolab vocalist Laetitia Sadier; Paint It Black ­ Paradise (Jade Tree) second album featuring members of Good Riddance, Lifetime and Kid Dynamite; Pigeon John ­ Sings the Blues (Basement) excellent, clever melodic Rap from the self-proclaimed "Hip Hop geek"; Sam Prekop ­ Who's Your New Professor? (Thrill Jockey) second solo album from the founder of The Sea and Cake; Duke Robillard and Ronnie Earl ­ The Duke Meets the Earl (Stony Plain) featuring guest Jimmy McGriff on the mighty Hammond B3, and covers of songs by Magic Sam, Walter Price and B.B. King; Snow Machine ­ Snow Machine (Daemon); Sonicflood ­ This Generation (Epic); Bill Ward ­ When the Bough Breaks (Dead Line) CD reissue of this lost solo album by the Black Sabbath drummer; Various Artists ­ I Heard It On NPR: Singers, Songs & Sessions (NPR) the fifth CD in this series of intimate recordings from Studio 4A, this time featuring The Jayhawks, Duncan Sheik, Calexico and Natalie Merchant; Various Artists ­ Revive the Soul (Revive the Soul) two-CD set of Downtempo and electronic Lounge featuring The Herbalizer, Kid Koala, Blue States, Funki Porcini and more.

John James can be found via cyberspace at yeahyeah@cinci.rr.com