WELCOME TO AMERICA: There’s lots of doubt...

WELCOME TO AMERICA: There’s lots of doubt whether Blur can be as big a hit in America as it is in England, but singer Damon Albarn wasn’t expecting as harsh a greeting as he got before the recent opening show of the band’s U.S. tour. As he walked toward the Washington club Black Cat, a car drew up alongside him and one of four youths inside produced what appeared to be a gun, pointed it at Albarn’s head and loudly shouted, “Bang!” Albarn was shaken but unharmed.

* The row over Oasis’ Noel Gallagher saying that he wished Albarn and Blur bandmate Alex James would “catch AIDS and die” continues. While welcoming Gallagher’s subsequent apology, British AIDS charity the Terrence Higgins Trust has demanded that the band donate the proceeds from its Nov. 4-5 London concerts at Earl’s Court to the cause. At press time, Oasis had not responded to the request.