Rock News: Music's high and low notes

SPIN COMPARES EMINEM TO LENNON

Spin Magazine tries to make a case for Eminem as his generation's version of John Lennon in its upcoming Eminem cover story. The case? Lennon and Eminem were both subjects of pickets and protests. They both wrote songs about troubled relationships with their mothers. They both wrote about their strange public lives with their wives. They both wrote about how much they loved their kids.

Few other pop musicians since Lennon have found a way to render their private psychodramas into compelling art as effectively as Eminem, Spin maintains. The dyspeptic rapper approves of the comparison.

"I would rather have that than Elvis," Eminem philosophizes in the piece. "I hope I don't ever get killed by a fan like that, though."

Of course, he could always opt for being his generation's Kurt Cobain. One glaring omission from the Spin story was a lack of explanation for Eminem's irrational fear of Triumph, the insult comic dog.

JAGUARES UNPLUGGED

Rock Espanol pioneers Jaguares, fresh from the success of their cross-cultural breakthrough Revolución Tour with Morrissey, have a new album, "El Primer Instinto" (BMG U.S. Latin), and appear on the cover of the debut issue of Rolling Stone Mexico. The album earned "Hot Shot Debut" status on Billboard's Top Latin Albums Chart with its debut at No. 2.

"El Primer Instinto (The First Instinct)" features acoustic versions of the band's best-known material and two new pieces, "No Importa (It Doesn't Matter)" and "Arriesgate (Take A Risk)." The first U.S. single from the album is "Te Lo Pido, Por Favor (I Ask You, Please)," a re-working of the Juan Gabriel classic. The inspiration for including the track was sparked by a tribute concert last year in which Juan Gabriel and numerous Latin superstars -- such as Jaguares, Ana Gabriel, Alejandro Fernandez and Alejandra Guzmán -- each performed a Juan Gabriel song.

Jaguares also invited numerous guest musicians to join them on "El Primer Instinto." Los Lobos' David Hidalgo appears on "La Llorona (The Weeping Woman)" and "La Vida No Es Igual (Life Is Not The Same)." Jimmy "Z" Zavala -- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Eurythmics, Slash's Snakepit, Rita Coolidge -- plays harmonica on "Te Lo Pido, Por Favor" and saxophone on "Imagíname (Imagine Me)" and "Viento (Wind)."

RIVERDANCE CHIOR IN U.S. DEBUT

The American debut of the Anuna holiday show will take place Dec. 16 at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York. The troupe, which includes 16 singers and five dancers, is the original Riverdance Choir. Anuna was founded in 1987 by Dublin composer Michael McGlynn to explore and redefine the music of the ancient Celts. The group's name derives from the Irish concept of An Uaithne, which collectively describes the three ancient types of Celtic music: Suantraí (lullaby), Geantraí (happy song) and Goltraí (lament). Under the direction of McGlynn, the group has produced 10 studio albums and has performed with Elvis Costello, Sting, Michael Crawford, the Chieftains, Jeff Buckley, Sinéad O'Connor and Andrea Corr. The performance will feature music from the new album, "Winter Songs," scheduled for release Nov. 19.

SPRINGSTEEN CANCELS TEXAS SHOW

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band canceled a date in Austin, Texas, that was scheduled for Wednesday. It has not yet been rescheduled. Band member Clarence Clemons (saxophone) underwent successful eye surgery for a detached retina Tuesday.

THACKERY AND BENOIT AT BOTTOM LINE

Jimmy Thackery and Tab Benoit rocked New York's The Bottom Line Tuesday night as part of the duo's "Whiskey Store" tour. After a blues instrumental, Benoit sang the title tune, followed by Thackery's rendition of Bob Dylan's "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat." The two guitarists continued to blaze away through a set highlighted by the slow blues "Nice and Warm" and the syncopated "Away, Away Too Long."