SMALL FACES: With her planned film role...

SMALL FACES: With her planned film role as Janis Joplin now on hold, Melissa Etheridge is set to start work on a new studio album, with sessions expected to begin next month. Etheridge is writing new songs for the album, which could be out as early as September, with a tour likely to follow. . . .

Ani DiFranco has produced a new album by singer-songwriter Dan Bern, due in April from the WORK Group label. . . . Sarah McLachlan will tape an episode of VH1’s “Storytellers” series Jan. 29 in Los Angeles, with new Grammy goddess Paula Cole guesting. . . .

The five episodes of Mike Douglas’ daytime talk show incongruously co-hosted by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in February 1972 are being packaged into a five-tape home video set by Rhino Video, with an accompanying book, due in stores April 21. Among the highlights are Lennon and Ono jamming with Little Richard on the final show. . . .

British electronic trio Morcheeba’s second album, “Big Calm,” is due March 17, shortly after the expected February birth of singer Sky’s second child. Among the guests on the album are DJ Swamp (who worked on Beck’s “Odelay”) and rapper Jason Furlough (of the New York hip-hop group New Kingdom). . . .

“Rage 78:98,” a film on the history and evolution of the West Coast punk scene, is in production with archival and new footage involving X, the Circle Jerks, Black Flag and Dead Kennedys, among others. It’s being co-directed by Michael Bishop (a musician who performed around L.A. as John Q. Public) and Scott Jacoby.

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CORRECTION: Fiona Apple’s “Tidal,” listed in last week’s Pop Eye as a potential best album Grammy nominee, was in fact not eligible. The album was released before the opening of the 1997 eligibility period.