Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe ERIC CLAPTON Legendary British guitarist Eric Clapton has married the 25-year-old American mother of his baby daughter. Advertisement The London newspaper The Sun reports Clapton, 56, tied the knot with Melia McEnery, from Columbus, Ohio, in a low-key ceremony at a church near his home in Surrey, southern England, on New Year's Day. Guests were told they were attending the christening of the couple's six-month-old daughter Julie Rose. But after the baptism, Clapton and McEnery were called forward by the vicar and exchanged wedding vows. The ceremony took place at St. Mary Magdelen church at Ripley, where Clapton's son, Conor, four, is buried. He died after falling from a window in a skyscraper apartment in New York 11 years ago and is immortalised in Clapton's song "Tears in Heaven." Clapton was married for nine years to Patti Boyd, the ex-wife of former Beatle George Harrison. They divorced in 1988. Advertisement Clapton met McEnery, a graphic artist, on a trip to Los Angeles. MARIAH CAREY The New York Post reports Virgin Records has agreed to buy out Mariah Carey's $100 million, five-album contract for $50 million. The newspaper says Carey celebrated the news in Aspen, Colo., where she and her boyfriend, Luis Miguel, spent Christmas. ROY ORBISON Roy Orbison's widow has filed a more than $10 million lawsuit against a Tennessee television production company, claiming documentary makers failed to make required payments to her and misrepresented their connections to television networks and cable outlets. Barbara Orbison's lawsuit, filed in Davidson County, Tenn., Circuit Court, says Barbara and Gregory Hall produced two documentaries that aired on television and were released on home video. It claims the Halls did not make the payments required under their contract and did not provide an accounting of earnings they made from the productions. The lawsuit seeks to block the Halls from finishing a documentary on Barbara Orbison's life. Orbison's estate sued Sony Music Entertainment in 1998 seeking $12 million in royalties for use of his recordings. That lawsuit is still pending in federal district court. Barbara Orbison also went to court last year against Napster, claiming more than one million copyright violations involving Orbison's songs. Advertisement MARVIN GAYE'S BROTHER Frankie Gaye -- the younger brother of R&B singer Marvin Gaye -- died in Los Angeles last Friday after suffering a heart attack. He was 60. Ralph Tee, author of the book "Soul Music Who's Who," says Gaye's experiences during the Vietnam War influenced Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" album in 1971. (The above three items thanks to UPI's Mike Cooper in Atlanta) WEEZER Weezer has begun work on its next album, tentatively due in stores this spring. Billboard.com reports demo versions of 13 new songs -- including "Porcupine," "Dope Nose," "Sandwiches Time," and "December" -- are available in MP3 form on Weezer's official Web site. Earlier reports acknowledged that the band has written more than 30 new songs since the release of their latest, self-titled album, which was released last June and has been certified platinum. The band has set aside March for touring Europe, with stints in Portugal, Spain, and the U.K. in the works. Three of the Spanish dates (March 13, 15-16) will be package shows put on by telephone company Moviestar, featuring headliners the Cranberries, Dover, and a local band in addition to Weezer. In May, the group will hit Japan for an 11-date stretch. Advertisement Weezer's upcoming international tour dates: March 10-11: Portugal (city/venue TBA) March 12: Spain (city/venue TBA) March 13: Madrid (Plaza de Toros Vista Alegre) March 14: Spain (city/venue TBA) March 15: Barcelona (Palau Sant Jordi) March 16: San Sebastian, Spain (Plaza de Toros de Illumbe) May 14-15: Japan (city/venue TBA) May 16: Tokyo (Budokan) May 17: Sendai, Japan (Zepp) May 19: Hiroshima, Japan (Quattro) May 20: Fukuoka, Japan (Zepp) May 22-23: Osaka, Japan (Zepp) May 25: Nagoya, Japan (Kousei Nenkin Hall) May 26-27: Tokyo (Zepp) 'N SYNC Now that they've taken over planet Earth, 'N Sync is prepared to blow up in a galaxy far, far away. MTV News reports a few of the 'N Sync guys will appear in "Star Wars -- Episode II: Attack of the Clones," according to a spokesperson from Lucasfilm. The spokesperson didn't know specifically which members have cameos in the movie, which will be the fifth "Star Wars" release from creator George Lucas. The guys will be seen for a fleeting moment in a "big scene with lots of extras." The group members, who are all "Star Wars" fans, had asked the new film's producer, Rick McCallum, for bit parts. "Star Wars -- Episode II: Attack of the Clones," which stars Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen, hits theaters May 16. Advertisement NO GOOD Miami-based rappers No Good played host just before Christmas to members of the No.1 college football team in the country, the Miami Hurricanes. Members of the rap group were joined in a Miami recording studio by three of the players -- defensive back Edward Reed, wide receiver Jason Geathers and running back Willis (The Deuce) McGahee -- to record a custom version of No Good's song "Ballin' Boy." It includes the special chorus: "Hurricane Ballin' Boys, what you know 'bout the Miami boys, what you know 'bout the Ballin' Boys." The song has been adopted by the 'Canes as the team's "fight song," and has been played in the locker room to get the players psyched up before a game. "The Hurricanes got involved with No Good after hearing 'Ballin' Boy' being played at local concerts," said Reed. "We loved the song but couldn't find it at record stores. We got one of the club's DJs to introduce us to the group, and the next thing you know, we're recording with them!" The team faces the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Thursday's Rose Bowl game in Pasadena, Calif., for the NCAA title. "We like to think of our song as 'championship inspiration,'" said No Good's Derrick Hill. "As long as they have our 'Ballin' Boy' blasting in their locker room, Miami is taking home the trophy." Advertisement No Good is currently in the studio with the Black Mob Group production team recording their debut album set for release on ARTISTdirect Records in 2002.
