Celebrity bloggers can be engaging, if their blogs are free - and they punctuate

Some musicians just aren't into sharing.

Do you look at Axl Rose and think, now there's a guy who really loves his fans?

Or even Bob Dylan, who surely appreciates the people who have given him a career spanning five decades but still exudes an aloof professionalism? I'm on stage to play, not to talk and not even to make eye contact, you could almost hear him mumble.

And look at Ringo Starr. A few months ago, he told his fans to stop bugging him when he announced he would no longer sign memorabilia. Peace and love, indeed.

But then there are a slew of other artists who won't shut up. Who want to share every detail of their lives, personal and professional. Who use their Web sites as marketing tools not only to push their latest releases and alert fans of new tour dates, but also to establish a bond with those who adore them without the interference of any filters, like record company PR reps.

Some, such as Pete Wentz, are of the Facebook generation, a group so self-absorbed that they truly believe other people care how they are feeling or what they are doing every second of the day.

Others, such as Annie Lennox, want to stimulate discussions about politics and world peace.

Blogging isn't a new routine for many musicians. Moby and Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor have been connecting online with fans for years. John Mayer has been doing it through the course of at least two high-profile girlfriends, who were the topics of some cryptic postings once those relationships flamed out.

Even if you don't listen to or don't like some of these artists, you have to respect their willingness to put a little piece of themselves out there at no cost to the fan.

Counter their openness with Pete Townshend. Sure, you can find out what Pete thinks about his recently received Kennedy Center Honor, but it will cost you for full access to his blog on The Who's Web site. Of course, for the $50 annual fee, you'll also get a T-shirt and early access to tickets, should the band go on tour that year.

Ditto U2, whose Web site (www.u2.com) contains chunks of interesting content for free. But, if you want "exclusive access" to tour photos and nightly tour reports (things that Wentz posts on his blog), pony up $45. Along with your new "access," you'll also get a CD, T-shirt and a personalized @u2.com e-mail address. OK, that last one is cool. But not $45 cool.

First rule of blogging: If you're going to commit to a blog, you've got to give people a reason to visit it if not daily, then at least weekly.

Here's a look at some artists who are doing it right:

• Kanye West (www.kanyeuniversecity.com/blog/) -- Scroll down the page and you'll be treated to a hodgepodge of video clips of his friend John Legend; of vests and jackets West endorses; a link to new music from the Decemberists, which West deemed "Really Dooope!!"; and other miscellaneous photos that provide some insight into the rapper's wacky brain.

• Annie Lennox (www.annielennox.com) -- Sometimes she poses a goofy question about gardening ("Anybody out there actually know how to grow vegetables?" she wondered last month), and sometimes she wants to engage in intelligent dialogue about world issues and her pet causes, such as the situation in Gaza.

But the triumph of Lennox's blog is that it showcases her wicked sense of humor (her diatribe on squirrels is particularly great) and humanizes an intense singer who could otherwise be mistaken for a frosty artiste.

• John Mayer (www.johnmayer.com/blog) Right now, most of the blog is cluttered with scads of photos of holiday cakes baked by fans (Mayer held a contest and bestowed two winners with guitars), but when he's in a chatty mood, Mayer's voice is loud, lucid, frequently acidic and funny and occasionally dusted with pretension.

• Moby (www.moby.com/journal) -- Moby, the shy, witty electronica artist, is a great storyteller, even when recounting something as simple as his train ride from New York's Penn Station to D.C. (Not flying? Who is he, Joe Biden?).

Moby's diary-style writing is engaging and relatable, whether he's ranting about former President George W. Bush or lamenting the loss of beloved Los Angeles radio station Indie 103.7. Wish he would capitalize those i's, though.

• Pete Wentz (http://petewentz.com) -- When Wentz and wife Ashlee Simpson-Wentz decided it was time to unveil their newborn son with the unfortunate name (Bronx Mowgli) to the world last month, they didn't turn to People or US Weekly or OK!, even though decent sums of money were reported offered for the honor of the kid's debut.

Instead, the couple posted a sweet picture of themselves with their baby on Wentz's blog.

The lack of capitalization and paragraphs (there's that Facebook generation again) will give you a migraine, but give Wentz credit for not only discussing rock-star frivolity but also for asking fans what they think of the situation in Gaza. Seriously.