SMALL FACES: Both Bonnie Raitt and Elvis...

SMALL FACES: Both Bonnie Raitt and Elvis Costello are helping out with R&B; great Charles Brown’s next album, which will be released in the spring. Raitt just recorded a duet of “Someone to Love,” a song Brown wrote for her, while Costello sent Brown a new song, “I Wonder How She Knows,” written specially for the singer. . . .

The Jesus and Mary Chain has joined the likes of Paul Simon among those to have songs banned by the BBC--but not for mentioning a commercial product, like Simon’s “Kodachrome.” The song “Reverence” was banned from the BBC-TV show “Top of the Pops” for containing such lines as “I wanna die just like Jesus Christ . . ./I wanna die just like J.F.K.,” which a BBC spokesman deemed “not suitable for a program watched by children.” . . .

Curt Smith has left Tears for Fears and is working on a solo album. Partner Roland Orzabal will continue to record as Tears for Fears, and will also begin work on a new album soon. The toothy duo’s greatest hits have been collected on an album due in stores March 17, with one new track, “Laid So Low.”