As long as the right people are involved, there`s nothing wrong with Traveling Wilburys Syndrome, where a bunch of diverse artists do something they just want to do. Mark Knopfler`s Notting Hillbillies, for instance, made an album of fine, relaxed country music.
But John Mellencamp says we probably shouldn`t expect that many tunes from the semi-scruffy, semi-spontaneous and more than semi-promising outfit that did a track for his upcoming ”Falling From Grace” movie, due to open in February, with the soundtrack out Feb. 18.
The Buzzin` Cousins, they call themselves, and besides Mellencamp, they include Dwight Yoakam, John Prine, Joe Ely and James McMurtry-son of Larry McMurtry, who wrote the ”Grace” screenplay.
Their song is ”Suzanne,” which will be released to country radio, and Mellencamp says no matter how it does, that will likely be it.
”I wouldn`t expect an album or anything,” he says. ”It really was a one-shot deal.”
And the name? ”We wanted to spoof the Wilburys. Why not?”