Pop; SLEEVE NOTES

Any appearance by Royal Trux is going to fall outside the parameters of normal rock'n'roll behaviour, but it looks like they'll surpass even themselves this weekend at the Reading Festival. Singer and guitarist Neil Haggerty has a chronic fear of flying, and it was too late to organize another jaunt on QE2. So Haggerty recruited Dave Pajo (Slint, Tortoise, Aerial M, etc) for his role, and put the new line-up through their paces at the band's remote Virginia ranch while shouting directions from a comfy armchair. Young boys will be glad to know that Trux's Jennifer Herrema, an ex-Calvin Klein model, holds no fear of flying.

Flushed with the success of their Apollo fragrance, Lynx are throwing a free party underneath the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire, which will be beamed direct to the Mir space station. Run DMC (above) headline, with Space and Republica also playing live, while DJs Carl Cox, Danny Rampling and Judge Jules will be spinning until 6am. For a chance to win a pair of tickets to this 2,000-capacity event, call the Lynx competition number on 0845-600 0260.

Another free event is Radio 1FM's massive party in a special marquee for 10,000 people in Cardiff on 13 September. Ash, Robbie Williams, the Divine Comedy and Shirehorses are names confirmed so far. The hotline number is 08700-100100 (only operative on Fridays when 1FM plays an Ash song) though tickets are available from other sources including the Radio 1FM bus, which is touring the country, and from this week's issue of Melody Maker.

Tim Perry