ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL: What is going...

ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL: What is going on these days with Emerson, Lake & Palmer anyway? First, the band resurfaced as a new, improved ELP (with Cozy Powell sitting in for Palmer). Then the dinosaur supergroup was supposedly reuniting with its original personnel. More recently, rumors were flying that Greg Lake would be replaced with ex-Asia member John Wetton, a report denied by everyone involved. Now, here’s the latest: The new lineup is Emerson, Palmer and young bassist/songwriter Robert Berry, which we assume means the group could go by the initials EBP--which does have a nice ring to it. But here’s a much more complicated question. Which label will sign the band? Atlantic (which released the original ELP albums) or PolyGram, which had the ELP (as in Powell) version of the group. Thoroughly confused now? (Aren’t we all?). . . .

The original members of Big Brother & the Holding Company, Janis Joplin’s first back-up band, have reunited with a new vocalist, Oakland’s Michelle Bastian. Fittingly enough, the band’s first appearance will be Aug. 29, at the Fillmore Auditorium.