SPIN CYCLE: Spin, which is either the...

SPIN CYCLE: Spin, which is either the world’s second-greatest or second-worst rock magazine, depending on your point of view, is back in business again. The December issue (coyly labeled a “collector’s edition”) costs $2.50 and should hit the stands this week.

Pop Eye obtained an advance copy and--as usual--you can expect the unexpected. The good stuff includes Scott Cohen’s savvy appreciation of obscure soul great James Carr; hilarious interviews with Mojo Nixon and wacko-actor Crispin Glover (highlighted by a transcript of his now-legendary 19th nervous breakdown on “Late Night With David Letterman”) and a heartbreaking account of the decline and death of bass wizard Jaco Pastorius who, in the last year of his life, was hustling a record contract from the pay phone in the psychiatric ward at Bellevue.

The articles you can miss include Vic Garbarini’s overly worshipful interview with Sting and an incredibly dreary interview-monologue from (Pretty Boy) George Michael. Still, Spin seems to have regained some of its spunk--and lost much of its weakness for woozy, hip-crazed happy talk--which we’d call a step in the right rock direction.