POP EYE

SMALL FACES: Babyface has written and performed a new song, “You Were There,” for the upcoming movie “Simon Birch,” starring Ashley Judd. The singer has also made a video for the song, re-creating scenes from the film, mostly set in the ‘50s and ‘60s. . . .

“Divas Live,” a home video and album from the recent VH1 show featuring Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Aretha Franklin and Shania Twain, will be released by Epic Records on Oct. 6. . . .

A live album from the Furthur Festival debut of the Other Ones--anchored by surviving members of the Grateful Dead--will be released in October via the mail-order Grateful Dead Records. Sales through stores will probably come next spring. Rumors of a fall Other Ones tour, though, are untrue, with the members committed to various other projects. . . .

Twisted Sister is reuniting to do a song for “Strangeland,” the movie thriller written by and starring the group’s leader, Dee Snider. The film and album, also featuring several Twisted Sister songs performed by young bands, are both due in October. . . .

“Two Pages,” a double CD by British dance music group 4hero, is one of the 11 nominees for Britain’s prestigious Mercury Music Prize, and will be released in the U.S. on Oct. 6 by the English label Talking Loud via Mercury Records--the same channels as last year’s winner by Roni Size. The other prize nominees are albums from the Verve, Massive Attack, Gomez, Propellerheads, Asian Dub Foundation, Cornershop, Pulp, pop singer Robbie Williams, folk performer Eliza Carthy and jazz artist John Surman. . . .

Option, the highly respected, L.A.-based alternative music bimonthly, is going on hiatus after 14 years of publication. Founder-publisher Scott Becker says he plans to take some time to rethink both the magazine’s finances and its format in the face of intensified competition from the Internet. . . .

Reggae’s Wailing Souls have recorded “Psychedelic Souls,” with versions of ‘60s songs including the Who’s “My Generation,” Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” and Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone.” It’s due Sept. 15.