Lenny Kravitz Goes Retro, Again

November 3 -- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) — When retro-rocker Lenny Kravitz released his first album 11 years ago, he was better known as the husband of Lisa Bonet, comely co-star of The Cosby Show.

After five albums and two Grammy Awards, he has managed to carve out his own identity as a musician, albeit one who proudly proclaims his classic rock influences.

Now with the holiday shopping season approaching, Virgin Records has released a hits compilation featuring one new tune, "Again," and 14 old tracks. Greatest Hits debuted at No. 2 on the latest U.S. album charts, a career best for Kravitz, selling an impressive 163,000 copies.

"It's not Lenny's Favorite Tracks or obscure things," Kravitz, a tad underwhelmed by the release, said in a recent interview with Reuters. "It wasn't my idea. I just never would have thought of putting out a greatest-hits record, at all, in general."

But it at least offered him the opportunity to make a video for "Again," in which he bares his buttocks and finds himself torn between actress Gina Gershon and Tommy Hilfiger model Theresa Lourenco.

After splitting with Bonet in 1991 — the couple has an 11-year-old daughter, Zoe — Kravitz has been linked with a prodigious number of glamorous women, including Vanessa Paradis, Kate Hudson, Kylie Minogue, and Natalie Imbruglia. He's currently seeing a model half his age.

Us Weekly magazine recently ran a picture of Kravitz, 36, and Devon Aoki, daughter of Benihana restaurant chain mogul Rocky Aoki, smooching on a New York street, and reported that she was 17.

"She's 18," Kravitz corrects. "Of course it makes me look bad."

New Album Next Year

At any rate, Kravitz has other things on his mind.

He has cut several tracks for his next album, which should be ready by the end of 2001. "Again" was one of those tracks, but he decided to release it separately, deciding it didn't fit in with the album's tone. As with all his albums, Kravitz is producing himself and playing most of the instruments.