Madonna will executive produce a romantic comedy called "She Rocks," which is being described as "Working Girl" set in the music industry. Amanda Peet ("Identity") will star and Amie Steir, who wrote the screenplay, will direct. ...

System of a Down guitarist Daron Malakian and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith will take part in the 45th annual Hollywood Stars baseball game at Dodger Stadium on August 9. Tyrese will likely also play ball, a publicist for the event said. Nick Lachey has been invited to play as well, and his wife, Jessica Simpson, has been asked to sing the national anthem at the event, which will be followed by a game between the Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs. ... Serj Tankian of System of a Down, Lou Reed, Dan the Automator, the X-ecutioners and El-P are among the artists contributing tracks to Bird Up: The Charlie Parker Remix Project, due October 21. Tankian remixed the jazz legend's "Bird of Paradise," with new lyrics and vocals. ...

AFI's self-titled 7-inch has been re-pressed on limited-edition yellow vinyl by Adeline Records, the Bay Area label co-owned by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong that originally released the EP in 1998. ... California punks Death by Stereo were forced to cancel a handful of shows after guitarist Dan Palmer sprained his wrist at the gym. Palmer is under doctor's orders to stay away from his guitar for the next few weeks, but the injury is not expected to affect the band's upcoming tour with Thursday, according to a post on Epitaph Records' Web site. ...

Erik Braunn, the guitar player on Iron Butterfly's 17-minute-long rock classic "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," died Friday of cardiac arrest in Los Angeles. He was 18 when he replaced original Butterfly guitarist Danny Weis. Braunn played on two studio records, including the platinum In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, which came out in 1968. ... A Hatebreed concert in Providence, Rhode Island, erupted in violence on Thursday when two crowd members started fighting over a girl and one stabbed the other in the stomach with a penknife. The stabber fled, but was caught outside of the club. The victim was treated at the club and was not seriously hurt. ...

07.25.2003

Scott Weiland appeared in a Burbank, California, court on Friday (July 25) to request his case be diverted to a drug court program, where his possession charges could be dismissed upon completion of the program. Eligibility is typically based on possession for personal use, not for sale, among other factors. The Stone Temple Pilots/Velvet Revolver singer will next appear in a Pasadena court on August 15 to find out if he qualifies. ...

50 Cent's G-Unit will release their debut album on November 4. Lloyd Banks and Young Buck have joined 50 for recording sessions that will be combined with verses logged by Tony Yayo before he was jailed. ... Jessica Simpson and Justin Guarini will perform at the Miss Teen USA pageant August 12 in Palm Springs. Brooke Burns and Mario Lopez are hosting. ...

Christina Aguilera has invited one of her biggest fans, 13-year-old cancer victim Kayla Sansone, backstage when the Justified and Stripped tour hits her hometown of Pittsburgh on July 28. The visit — as well as a $1,000 donation to the Kayla Sansone fund — was coordinated in conjunction with a charity softball tournament. ...

Fans willing to pay $30-$100 per ticket can help Michael Jackson celebrate his 45th birthday on August 30 at Los Angeles' Orpheum theatre. The American Michael Jackson fan club will host the bash, which Jackson is scheduled to appear at. A raffle winner will get either one of the singer's fedoras or a trip to his Neverland Valley Ranch. ... Not to be outdone, Mick Jagger will celebrate his 60th with friends on July 26, then stage a somewhat larger celebration with 60,000 fans the following day when the Rolling Stones' Licks World Tour reaches Prague's Letna Park. ...

As his onetime soul mate, Angelina Jolie, unleashes her "Tomb Raider" sequel, Billy Bob Thornton is kicking off a tour. Getting his start with Humble Pie and Ted Nugent, Thorton's trek begins Friday (July 25) in Las Vegas and ends September 7 at Farm Aid in Columbus, Ohio. His new album, The Edge of the World, is due September 23. ...

Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow, Jakob Dylan, Willie Nelson and producer T-Bone Burnett ("O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack) are among the former subjects who appear on Rolling Stone photographer Mark Seliger's band's new album. Rusty Truck's debut, Broken Promises, is due September 23. ...

Prog-rock pioneers Rush will release a triple-CD live album and a two-disc DVD, both called Rush in Rio, on September 23. The sets, recorded November 23 on the final date of the band's tour behind Vapor Trials, will feature all 28 songs from the show, including "Tom Sawyer," "YYZ," "Limelight" and "One Little Victory." ...

• Madonna
• System of a Down
• AFI
• Iron Butterfly
• The X-Ecutioners

In August, Rhino Records will be staging a three-day "RetroFest" in the Los Angeles area that will feature live performances from artists spanning the '60s to the '80s.

A label spokesperson confirms that the acts booked to date include Berlin, Missing Persons, the Turtles, the Ohio Players, Iron Butterfly, Mitch Ryder, the Sugarhill Gang, Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods (remember "Billy, Don't Be A Hero?"), former teen idol Tony DeFranco, "Monster Mash"-er Bobby "Boris" Pickett, soul-pop singer Al Wilson, and The Archies' Ron Dante.

The event is scheduled for the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium from August 13-15. The timeline will regress from '80s new wave on Friday to funk, soul, and disco on Saturday to rock and pop from the '60s and '70s on Sunday.

Rhino has established a toll-free hotline at 1-877-GO-RETRO (467-3876) for ongoing updates.

• Iron Butterfly
• Missing Persons
• The Sugarhill Gang