Of course Everclear controller Art Alexakis denies the assault charges made against him and his band stemming from an altercation that took place at a Coca-Cola-sponsored concert July 31 in Austin, TX. Following an ugly scuffle that involved a thrown cup of water, cursing, and spitting, a 17-year-old girl claims she was assaulted by touring guitarist Brian Lehfeldt (formerly of Sweaty Nipples) and Alexakis as she was being ejected from the venue. It's My Party requested a word with the accused, but instead got a faxed statement issued through the publicity department at Capitol Records saying the woman, several witnesses, and Everclear were interviewed by police, who determined that "no injury had occurred to the woman and that there had been no wrong doing on Everclear's behalf." However, the girl has since hired a lawyer and, according to Austin Police public information officer Toni Chovanetz, arrest warrants have been issued for Lehfeldt and Alexakis. The rumor mills will undoubtedly spin out of control as many Northwesterners recall a night in Portland when Everclear didn't make its show at LaLuna because Alexakis had been thrown in the pokey for allegedly battering his girlfriend. The incident indirectly led to an excessively blowjobby Spin magazine cover story, which directly led to Hazel's fine song "Magazine Man." A Portland source tells me that Lehfeldt's "anger-problem" is no secret, and that the rest of Everclear is furious with their hired hand. Aside from touring, Lehfeldt is currently working with members of Grotus, Village Idiot, and Thresher on a project called Crooked Things, which my source says has caught the powerful ear of Rob Zombie.

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Club DV8 -- one of the city's few all-ages venues -- was raided last weekend after its owners failed to pay a $100,000 judgment to a woman who was raped in the club in 1994. According to local attorney Yvonne Ward, the then-teenage girl filed suit against Entertainment Unlimited (the company name for club owners Keith Olsen and Ron Santi) after the rapist was convicted, claiming that the club's dark, unsupervised areas created a dangerous environment. A judge agreed. Apparently, the club did not. So, last Friday (Aug 13), Seattle police executed a "till tap," seizing nearly $10,000 from the club's cash registers and safe. According to Ward, the SPD came back for more on the following Monday, breaking into DV8 and removing all moveable property -- sound equipment, computers, furniture, etc. -- as well as some guns that were in the safe. Ward, who is representing the rape victim, called DV8 "a tragedy waiting to happen," and says she feels fine about ridding the already deficient all-ages scene of another venue: "There is this false sense of security created by the club. Kids walk into the place thinking they'll be protected, and that is definitely not the case." Entertainment Unlimited had not returned calls from It's My Party by press time.

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Last week saw the release of the new Music for Our Mother Ocean benefit CD, on which Pearl Jam contributes a track called "The Whale Song." PJ singer Eddie Vedder will also sing two songs -- "Heart to Hang Onto" and "Magic Bus" -- on the upcoming Pete Townsend CD benefitting the Maryville School for Abused Children, due out on September 21. In case you were wondering what that dull thud was just now, it was the sound of a certain goatee-stroking Englishman falling to the ground in exasperation.

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You gotta admire Paul Allen's determination. If the guy can build the World's Greatest Recording Studio just so his fave party band AC/DC can drop by, he sure as hell can squire Mick Jagger's recent ex-wife (and Old Navy Tech Vest huckster) Jerry Hall about the seas on one of his expensive water toys in hopes of broadening his rock 'n' roll cred. All right, I tried to admire him, but this bit of gossip reported on the New York Post's Page Six makes me squirm. My apologies.

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Bjork was spotted downtown with son in tow shopping for toys. She told my Sugarcubes-lovin' source she'll be in Seattle for a while, but won't be doing any surprise club gigs.

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I wonder if Duran Duran might be Bumbershoot's top secret Wild Card performer this year. They'll be playing in Portland on Sun Sept 5, but no dates are listed for Seattle....