Pop: Sleeve Notes

MORE SAD news about ex-Smiths frontman and gladioli- toter, Morrissey (left). The floppy-coiffed maverick is appealing against a decision made in 1996 in favour of the band's drummer, Mike Joyce. Joyce filed for 25 per cent of the band's songwriting royalties and, with bassist Andy Rourke, won a long court battle. Morrissey claimed that this finding was partly the result of "an unjust and gratuitous attack" made by the judge during the trial. In his summing up, Judge Weeks described Mozzer as "devious, truculent and unreliable". What can he have meant?

ON A less murky note, Alanis Morissette is all set to release her new album. Last week, she performed half of the songs in front of a mere 1500 customers, nothing like the hundreds of thousands who will line up before midnight next Monday to purchase Supposed Former Infatuations Junkie (Maverick).

QUEEN LATIFAH, who this month released the Marvin Gaye re-working, "Paper", is digging her nails into another "serious" project. The larger-than-life rapper/actress will star as a jazz singer opposite Danny DeVito and Holly Hunter in the upcoming film, Living Out Loud. She will also sing three tracks on the movie's soundtrack. Meanwhile, Gold Circle Entertainment has entered the film music business with the formation of Compass III Records, a new label dedicated to film scores and soundtracks.

EX-SPICE GIRL, Geri Halliwell, has enlisted the help of Spice Girls songwriting collaborators Absolute for her first solo project. EMI Records last week confirmed it had signed a long-term deal with the singer and a single and album are due in the first half of next year. Geri revealed on CNN's Larry King Show last week: "I don't think I could go back to the Spice Girls, although you can never say never." Another girl band to hit splitsville is Kenickie, who called it a day at their 15 October gig at London's Astoria. Singer Lauren ended the gig with: "We were Kenickie, a bunch of fuckwits!"