Ricky Redux

Rick Nelson--who went to rock ‘n’ roll heaven on New Year’s Eve, 1985--will be the subject of “Teen Idol: The Rick Nelson Story” (tentative title), a bio to hit bookstores next year. “It will be sensitive-- not sensationalized,” said author Philip Bashe, who stressed that the hardcover book--from Simon & Schuster--”will not be an investigative attack.”

Said Bashe: “I’ll be telling the story of a man who was unappreciated as a seminal rock ‘n’ roll artist. At the time he peaked, no one in rock ‘n’ roll was being taken seriously.”

Bashe, who has interviewed “about 132 people who knew and worked with Rick--and I’m still not done,” said his tome will clarify the events leading to Nelson’s death.

“Everyone seems to think that Rick Nelson died of drugs. What he died of was a plane crash, caused by a faulty gasoline heater.” About the traces of drugs found in Nelson’s bloodstream: “My book will get into that too. But I can’t divulge details at this time.”

Bashe said he’s working with “the blessing” of Greg McDonald, Nelson’s manager for the last 10 years of his life, but mom Harriet Nelson so far isn’t participating. “But I’ve got queries out to other family members,” the author added.