AND NOW HERE’S THE NEWS: Do Bay...

AND NOW HERE’S THE NEWS: Do Bay Area audiences have a shoe fetish or what? Earlier this year we reported that Billy Idol got hit in the chops by several pairs of Nike high-tops during his San Francisco concert. Now it’s Whitesnake’s David Coverdale who is ticked off after getting pelted by a volley of sneakers at a recent show in Oakland. One actually smacked him in the mouth at the very end of the band’s “Still of the Night” finale. Coverdale has complained that he’ll perform behind chicken-wire if the band ever comes back. We have a feeling this means that any Whitesnake adidas-endorsement deals may be put on hold--and if any Bay Area fans can explain what mysterious forces are behind these sneaker fusilades, we’d love to hear from them. . . . Talk about a revolting development!: We hear the Who (who are un-retiring less than five years after the band’s alleged official farewell tour) are planning a concert swing with the reconstituted Lynyrd Skynyrd. . . . On hand for Tom Waits’ recent New York shows: Bono and the Edge, David Byrne, Elvis Costello and the Beastie’s Mike D. . . . And Run-DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis” is really making the rounds this holiday season. It’s on the star-studded “A Very Special Christmas” album, but you can also find it on a new Xmas rap collection called (what else?) “Christmas Rap.” Due out this week from Profile Records, it also features “Ghetto Santa” by Spyder-D, “Christmas in the City” by King Sun-D Moet, “Let the Jingle Bells Rock” by Sweet Tee and “Chillin’ with Santa” by Derek B.