On May 28, look for the long-threatened publication Gene Simmons' Tongue to be sitting on magazine shelves next to your favorite music rags. Earlier this year, the Kiss bassist said the mag will feature a letter column called "Tongue Lashings," the overseas section "Foreign Tongue," the food guide "Forked Tongue" and the gossip section "Tongue in Cheek." ... Bob Dylan will star as an imprisoned blues musician whose manager helps him make a jailbreak to perform one last show in the upcoming movie "Masked and Anonymous." Dylan's first major acting role in 15 years will be directed by "Seinfeld" producer/director Larry Charles. ...

Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted and former Black Crowes guitarist Audley Freed will augment Gov't Mule's lineup for five dates, beginning April 17 in New York City and ending April 21 in Madison, Wisconsin. The trek, launching April 11 in Atlanta, supports The Deep End Volume 1, Gov't Mule's latest album and first since the August 2000 death of bassist Allen Woody that features guest bassists Flea, Bootsy Collins, Mike Watt and John Entwistle, among others. ... Deep Purple, the Scorpions and Ronnie James Dio will play 38 U.S. dates, beginning May 1 in San Diego and ending August 4 in Los Angeles. Deep Purple are touring with new keyboardist Don Airey, who replaced founding member Jon Lord last month. ... The thinking girl's girl group, Sleater-Kinney, are in the studio working on the follow-up album to 2000's All Hands on the Bad One. The still-untitled album is slated for an August release. ...

04.03.02

It was a dual celebration for Ashanti Tuesday night in New York — she ushered in the release of her self-titled debut and toasted her sister's 13th birthday. Among those popping bottles and shaking it up on the dancefloor at the Embassy were Ja Rule, Queen Pen, DJ Envy and Murder Inc. CEO Irv Gotti
(click for

[article id="1453253"]photo of the event[/article].)

Pink, Papa Roach, Kid Rock, Train, Shakira, Nas and X-ecutioners are among the artists paying respect to Aerosmith on the second installment of mtvICON, scheduled for broadcast April 17. In addition to testimonials from last year's ICON, Janet Jackson, Fred Durst, Method Man, Sum41, Ja Rule and Nelly will stage a video recreation of the Aerosmith's classic collaboration with Run-DMC, "Walk This Way." ...

Fabolous plans to hit the studio within a month's time to begin work on his new LP, tentatively titled Street Dreams, and he said that August is the earliest the album could conceivably drop. In the meantime, the Brooklynite is contemplating shooting a third video from Ghetto Fabolous, "Trade It All," with Jagged Edge. ... Tommy Lee went all out for his video for "Hold Me Down," the first single off his solo album, Never a Dull Moment, due May 21. The clip, directed by Dean Karr (3 Doors Down, Dave Matthews Band), features Lee frolicking among members of Cirque Du Soleil. ...

Marilyn Manson will display some of his paintings at an art exhibition at the Tamara Bane Gallery in Los Angeles in August, the rocker said on his official Web site, where some of his work is available to view. Manson also said that he will play a character named "Christina" in a movie called "Party Monster," which is set in the late '80s and based on a true story about a party organizer who announces on television that he killed his drug dealer and roommate. ... Ten Years and Running, a greatest-hits album from MxPx, will be released on May 21, a month before the band heads out on the Warped Tour. The collection includes two new tracks and new version of their classic "Punk Rawk Show." ...

Roberta Flack will join India.Arie in a performance of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" during a concert special for the Oxygen network called "India.Arie Up Close and Personal," scheduled to tape Thursday at the New York City nightclub Exit. The show will air May 3. ...Stevie Wonder will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award and Garth Brooks will receive the Hitmaker Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards dinner June 13 in New York City. Previously announced inductees this year include Michael Jackson, Sting and recent Oscar winner Randy Newman.