POP/ROCK - June 9, 1993

His Royal Symbol: Prince celebrated his 35th birthday on Monday by announcing that he’s changed his name to (symbol). The unpronounceable symbol, a combination of male and female indicators, also served as the title of the Minneapolis pop star’s most recent album. The name change, along with word that he is splitting from his band, the New Power Generation, comes on the heels of his declaration that he was “retiring” from the recording studio, though vaults full of unreleased songs are expected to provide material for future albums.

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Country Awards: Vince Gill and Alan Jackson swept the TNN Music City News Country Awards Monday night, with Jackson being named entertainer of the year. Gill won four awards including top album and single for “I Still Believe in You,” Instrumentalist of the Year, and the Minnie Pearl award for humanitarian and community contributions. In addition to entertainer of the year, Jackson was named top male artist and his “Midnight in Montgomery” was named best video. The show, televised over the Nashville Network from the Grand Ole Opry House, was dotted with homages to country star Conway Twitty, 59, who died Saturday. Other winners included Reba McEntire, female artist of the year; Doug Stone, star of tomorrow; Brooks and Dunn, top vocal duo; Sawyer Brown, best vocal band; and pioneer singer Kitty Wells, the living legend award.

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Groundbreaking: The Who’s Pete Townshend played air guitar on his shovel and legendary rocker Chuck Berry flashed his famous footwork as they helped break ground for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland on Monday. They joined other inductees, music industry executives and politicians as music, fireworks and speeches marked the long-delayed launch of the $84-million project. Townshend said the museum will help answer the question, “What is this thing called rock ‘n’ roll?” which he summed up as “a real living, breathing religion.” The hall, which has had its construction slowed through changes in the construction site, its executive board and the price tag, is designed by architect I.M. Pei and is scheduled for completion in June, 1995.

THE ARTS

Americas’ Dancers: Dance luminaries from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean will meet at New York’s Lincoln Center today and Thursday for the World Dance Alliance’s first General Assembly of the Western Hemisphere. Attendees will address topics including audience development, fund-raising, artist exchanges and the preservation of folk and indigenous dance forms. Among the choreographers and company heads expected at the “Meeting of the Americas”: Merce Cunningham, Judith Jamison, Peter Martins, Paul Taylor and Alejandro Cuadra.

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Gnu News: Citing the current economy and a desire to “move on,” Jeff Seymour, artistic director of the award-winning Gnu Theatre, has announced that the 8 1/2-year-old theater will close June 30, and the building will be converted back to a one-room commercial space. The North Hollywood theater’s critical successes have included “Best Wishes,” “El Salvador,” “American Buffalo” and the current “Cold Storage,” which will have its final performance June 20. Seymour plans to open a sound stage in a North Hollywood warehouse to shoot a movie, but said he’ll return to live theater eventually.

WORLD NEWS

Chinese Star Power: China is going Hollywood. The Beijing Star Co., the first agency set up to help movie stars, pop sensations and other media personalities deal with the downside of fame, will help performers “avoid too many commercial disturbances so they can concentrate on their professions, help them shape their public images and safeguard their reputations and legal interests.” Most Chinese celebrities currently sign business deals through informal intermediaries, leaving them defenseless if contracts are broken or publicity turns sour. The media spotlight has sharpened on China’s growing crop of stars thanks to tabloid journals and newspapers devoted to reporting juicy and often untrue stories.

QUICK TAKES

Film star Eddie Murphy has assembled a group of musicians and has been rehearsing in New York City for a performance at Switzerland’s world-renowned Montreux Jazz Festival in July. Murphy will play guitar for the band, called Psychedelic Psoul. . . . Filmmaker John Singleton (“Boyz N the Hood” and the upcoming “Poetic Justice”) will receive the 11th annual Upton Sinclair Award from the Liberty Hill Foundation today. Also being recognized for their achievements and commitment to social change are Warren Olney, host of the KCRW radio program “Which Way, L.A.?,” and Patrick Lippert, executive director of the music industry voter registration effort “Rock the Vote.”

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Quotable: “They work without creativity and fill the screen with simple scenes of sex and violence.” --Actress Lauren Bacall, discussing the U.S. film industry while accepting the Golde n Dolphin award from Portugal’s Troia Film Festival.