Lauryn Hill Is Going Her Own ‘Unplugged’ Way

Do you want your favorite artists to follow up their hits or follow their muses?

Lauryn Hill, it seems, has done the latter with her upcoming “MTV Unplugged” album.

It’s not the usual “Unplugged” approach of altered versions of familiar song, but instead two CDs of new material. The songs, sung by Hill accompanied only by her guitar, are highly personal, emotional and in some cases topically inspired. Some run as long as eight minutes.

It’s the first new collection from Hill since her 1998 solo debut “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”--a huge commercial hit that won the former member of the Fugees six Grammys, including album of the year. Her “Unplugged” CD is certainly an unconventional way to follow such a successful and acclaimed album.

Not surprisingly, executives at Columbia Records, which will probably release the album in May, hope fans and radio programmers won’t be looking for “Miseducation Part II.”

“This ‘Unplugged’ album stands on its own,” Columbia spokesman Miguel Baguer says. “It’s a work of art that’s incredibly deep. We’re completely behind it, but we don’t need hype behind this. It’s such a powerful album that it speaks for itself. ‘Miseducation’ was groundbreaking, and this is groundbreaking.”

But can it be a hit on the level of “Miseducation”? There are no plans for a commercial single or video (other than the MTV show’s clips). And Hill is probably going to do only limited live performances related to the release.

“We’re so used to the formula where there has to be a first single and a second single and so on,” Baguer says. “This is not like that. This is bringing music back to basically just her and the listener. That’s something that goes beyond standard formulas.”

Dorsey Fuller, music director of L.A. urban radio station KKBT-FM (100.3), believes that it may be enough to satisfy Hill’s fans.

“I heard some of the songs, and Lauryn is in touch with people’s feelings and emotions, and as long as you can tap into that, you’ll have success,” Fuller says. “That’s been the key for her, and based on what I saw and heard, I don’t think she’s lost that.

“But with an acoustic presentation, you have to pick the right song [for radio]. And I do think people will be looking for a full-blown project from her in the near future.”

As for a full-blown studio album, Hill continues to write and record, but no plans have been set for a release.

THE MYSTERIANS: Hill is not the only major act with a long-awaited project that has question marks attached.

The king of the bunch may well be Guns N’ Roses, with Axl Rose having been working with other musicians for several years on what is planned as the first album of new, original material since 1991’s “Use Your Illusion” paired releases. Although past reports of impending completion have not been fulfilled, word inside Interscope Records is that the project is starting to jell and that the album could be released before the end of the year.

Other enigmas:

* The Rage Against the Machine camp. A great deal of curiosity surrounds the new band formed after singer Zack de la Rocha left. The three remaining members and former Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell are said to have largely finished recording with producer Rick Rubin, with plans for a spring release. But the official word from Epic Records is that as of now, there is no completed album, no release date and not even a name for the band.

De la Rocha, meanwhile, has been working on material for his solo debut with various producers and collaborators, including Dan the Automator (Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School) and the hot El P (of New York’s indie hip-hop act Cannibal Ox). But it remains unclear what material will be on the album and when it may be completed.

* Metallica. The band is working with producer Bob Rock on its first album of new material since 1996’s “Load,” but no replacement has been found for bassist Jason Newsted, who left amid some rancor last year. The word from Elektra Records is that it’s possible the album could be released this year but not likely.

* Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band. Several E Streeters have confirmed that recording sessions have been held in New Jersey and Atlanta for what will be Springsteen’s first album of new material since 1995’s “The Ghost of Tom Joad” and the first with his old band since 1987’s “Tunnel of Love.” In an interview with a Swedish radio station, saxophonist Clarence Clemons said of the album, “I think it’s gonna be a more soulful, R&B;, rock ‘n’ roll, modern-sounding kind of album.” But he had no sense of when it would be done and released.

* Beck. His 1999 “Midnite Vultures” was a bit of a commercial disappointment, and the eclectic artist seemed to be uncertain of which directions to pursue next. But he’s now working with producer Nigel Godrich (who did Beck’s 1998, song-oriented “Mutations”) and has also worked on tracks with Dan the Automator. There’s no telling what the record will turn out to be, but that’s normal for a Beck project. A fall release is possible.

IN THE PINK: Music business layoffs are reaching record numbers--EMI is expected to let go as many as 1,000 people in the latest shrinkage. But someone’s reaching out to the unemployed masses. The annual EAT’M conference (Emerging Artists and Technology in Music), to be held Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas, is offering a “pink slip discount” on its registration fee for out-of-work staffers. With the regular cost set at $795 until May 3 and $995 after, anyone currently frozen out of the work force can get full access to all the panels, technology workshops and band showcases for just $200.

“In order to help these people network and think on their feet, we wanted to bring them here,” conference founder Lisa Tenner says. “We thought it would be helpful to industry professionals who want to meet people and schmooze.”

SMALL FACES: Fresh off the gospel Grammy win for “Spirit of the Century,” the Blind Boys of Alabama have recorded a follow-up album with backing from New Jersey “sacred steel” phenom Robert Randolph and his Family Band. Ben Harper, who had a song featured on “Spirit,” plays guitar on several tracks for the new one and joins the Blind Boys in singing “People Get Ready.” No release date has been set....

In his current incarnation as a star club and rave DJ, Boy George has signed a North American record deal with Moonshine Music. A mix album, tentatively titled “A Night Out With Boy George,” is due June 25.... Moonshine is also behind the third annual Planet of the Drums tour, with top U.S. drum-and-bass DJs AK1200, Dara and Dieselboy. Dates for the six-week tour will be announced soon....

Vince Neil has set his sixth annual Skylar Neil Memorial Golf Tournament for May 2 at the Malibu Country Club. Honoring the Motley Crue singer’s daughter, who died from stomach cancer in 1995 at age 4, the event benefits the Neil Bogart Memorial Fund, which helps with children’s cancer, leukemia and AIDS research. The past tournaments have raised a total of $500,000.... After making two albums for TVT Records, lo-fi icon Guided by Voices has returned to its old home, Matador Records, with a new album due June 18. The band is currently on tour in Europe co-headlining with the Strokes.

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Steve Hochman is a regular contributor to Calendar.