By John M. James

Back in the 1970s there was a popular comic book title called What If?, altering the story lines of larger-than-life superheroes in fantasy alternate realities, playfully and mystically toying with the possibilities of "What if Spiderman joined the Fantastic Four?" and so on. Flash forward to ground zero, baby, and reality? Pshaw! VH-1 is putting such an iconoclastic treatment to the songwriting partnership that blew the lid off music and pop culture as we will forever know it, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Looking at the advertisements for the "fictional drama," Two of Us, that premieres Feb. 1, I can't decide whether I'm utterly fascinated or repulsed. The film is from the hand of Michael Lindsay-Hogg, who was also behind the nicely done Let It Be documentary, and stars Aidan Quinn as McCartney and Jared Harris (bespectacled and clad in the classic NYC sleeveless T-shirt) as Lennon, finding the pair reuniting six years after the breakup of The Beatles. My mind skips to two flickering images: Exactly what must Paul McCartney think of such a thing? And will this only further confuse today's teens who might still be asking, "Was Paul McCartney in a band before Wings?" ... File this in the "I think I'll call mine Stinker-chu" department: Lookout Records has laid the one-cheek sneak in letting out the word that a bevy of their artists -- like Dr. Frank -- are currently stopping in the studio to drop contributory tracks to an upcoming Punk-E-Mon, uh, Pokémon tribute album ... It sounds like Spinal Tap for the sugar-sweet boy band craze: On Feb. 15, TVT Records is issuing the soundtrack to the inspired spoof 2gether, soon to be an MTV original film. The creepy reality of the suave stereotyped roles these acts strut -- the "rebel," "heartthrob," "cutie," "shy one," and "older brother" -- are knee slappin' enough, but the thought of songs like "U+Me=Us (Calculus)" and the rival boy-band Whoa!'s hit "Rub One Out" makes me wanna pee myself. ... On Tuesday the Hypnotic label releases a two-CD set from Out of Phase, a Pink Floyd obsessed group that bridges Psychedelic Rock and electronic music. They've bitten off a good chunk to chew on, as their new The Wall 2000 covers the original classic in its entirety.

Television Alert
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno welcomes Chris Cornell on Friday and Sixpence None the Richer on Monday. The Late Show with David Letterman hosts Jimmy Buffett and Will Smith on Thursday and John Hiatt on Friday. Late Night with Conan O'Brien has Cafe Tacuba on Tuesday. And members of The Smashing Pumpkins are scheduled to appear on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher on Monday.

Releases Coming Tuesday
And like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change... Bernard Butler - Friends and Lovers (Columbia) second solo album from this Suede guitarist; Tha Eastsidaz - Snoop Dogg Presents (Dogg House/TVT) more homework for the spelling challenged with guests Kurrupt, Jayo Felony and Dr. Dre; The Fall - Marshall Suite (Artful/Ryko) all new from this prolific Post Punk brainchild of Mark E. Smith; Michael Penn - MP4 (Days Since a Lost Time Incident) (Epic) with wife Aimee Mann and Grant Lee Phillips; Sparklehorse - Distorted Ghost (Odeon) EP of six new and previously unreleased tracks; Steely Dan - Gaucho (MCA) newly remastered with new liner notes; String Cheese Incident - Carnival 99 (Sci-Fidelity) monster cult favorite known for their live performances like those selected for this two-CD set.

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