SMALL FACES: Epic Records is releasing a...

SMALL FACES: Epic Records is releasing a live album from the late Stevie Ray Vaughan in October. The collection is culled from performances recorded over most of the guitarslinger’s career. . . . Another Texas rock legend, ZZ Top, is back in its little ol’ studio, starting work on its next album--the first under its new mega-million-dollar deal with RCA. . . .

Former Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers is overseeing a tribute album to late bluesman Muddy Waters. The lineup is still in the works, though Jason Bonham has already signed on to drum on the tracks. . . .

With percussionist Bobby LaKind suffering from inoperable cancer, members of the Doobie Brothers are gathering in concert for what may be the final times for shows Oct. 18 at the Greek Theatre and Oct. 19 at the Bay Area’s Concord Pavilion. The shows--featuring such key members of the several Doobie lineups as Michael McDonald, Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston--will benefit the Bobby LaKind Children’s Fund. . . .

Rhino Records, which has released series anthologizing bad ‘70s pop and good ‘70s soul, is now taking on the punk/new wave explosion with a nine-volume series titled “D.I.Y.” The first five will be released in January. . . . Nelson is in the studio recording its second album. Twins Matthew and Gunnar Nelson are producing the record themselves. . . .

Another pop offspring, Jed Leiber, the son of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame songwriter Jerry Leiber, has teamed with Jeff Beck on movie soundtrack work. They’ve even recorded two Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller songs: “Hound Dog” (heard in “Honeymoon in Vegas”) and “Love Potion Number Nine” (for the upcoming movie of the same name). Beck and Leiber have also finished the score for the film “Frankie’s Place,” due in theaters in January. . . . --S.H.

AND FINALLY: The most unlikely pop combination of the year may well be the techno-dance teaming of actor Robert Downey Jr. with the late Charlie Chaplin. Downey, who is playing the Little Tramp in the film-bio “Chaplin,” has recorded an electro-dance version of Chaplin’s sweet “Smile.” The song will be on the film’s soundtrack album, being released in November.