SMALL FACES: With surprise permission from the...

SMALL FACES: With surprise permission from the Jimi Hendrix estate, the Beastie Boys are releasing a version of their tribute “Jimi James,” complete with samples of several Hendrix songs. The track will be a bonus on a CD single featuring the previously released version of the song in which the Beasties recorded substitute, Hendrix-less backing tracks. The single is due in stores next week. . . .

Talking Heads/Tom Tom Club rhythm section Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz have produced the Happy Mondays’ new album, which will be released in the fall. Look for a new one from the Mondays’ fellow Manchesterites, Inspiral Carpets, about the same time. . . .

Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Alex Chilton, Bruce Cockburn, Sarah McLachlan and the Cowboy Junkies are among the artists featured in live performances on “The Best of Mountain Stage, Volume 3,” the latest album culled from the public radio series. . . .

Rap pioneers Run-DMC--remember them?--aren’t dead yet, though they were written off after their 1990 album “Back From Hell” sold only 400,000 copies. They’re recording a new album, using such hot producers as Pete Rock and Johnny Z, who worked on the fast-rising N2Deep album. Negotiations are in the works for the Runners to do a cut with Living Colour. . . .

Meanwhile, add N.W.A.’s MC Ren to the list of rappers--including Ice Cube, Ice-T and LL Cool J--who’ve gone into acting. He’s landed a co-starring role in New Line Cinema’s “Menace to Society,” a tale about some more boyz from the hood. . . .

R&B; belter Martha Wash, who sang on the C+C Music Factory’s multi-platinum debut album, is working on her long-awaited solo album, due in October on RCA. She’s the one who screamed “Everybody dance now” on the hit single “Gonna Make You Sweat” and later claimed in a lawsuit (settled out of court) that she did more than background singing. Don’t look for any C+C alums to guest star on this album. . . .

Any day now, expect a big press conference by PolyGram Records announcing the details of its contract with Lionel Richie, whose defection from Motown Records was leaked prematurely a few weeks ago.