American Notes MAGAZINES

Rock star Jon Bon Jovi grins impishly on the cover of the November Spin, but he was scarcely noticed when the music magazine came out last week. All the attention focused on a novel promotion -- a free condom attached to an inside page. It was meant to encourage safe sex, Spin said, but some retailers flinched.

Waldenbooks, Lucky supermarkets and Walgreen drugstores banned the issue. The Southland Corp. kept it out of 4,200 7-Eleven stores because, a spokeswoman said, it was "beyond the bounds of good taste." Yet most 7- Eleven stores sell condoms all the time, displaying them right on the aisles.