Staind have nearly wrapped sessions for their follow-up to 2001's Break

the Cycle, with guitarist Mike Mushok the only one yet to complete his

parts. Writing on the band's official site, Mushok said, "We are looking at

putting 12 or 13 songs on the record, I would imagine. We really just need to

finish it and see how all the songs feel." …

Jay-Z may have been too focused on finishing his next album to attend his own shindig, but that didn't stop the cast of the HBO series "The Wire," Mya and DJs Clue and Envy from celebrating the fall collection of Rocawear Tuesday night at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City. Jay's partners Dame Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke were on hand to welcome everyone. …

LL Cool J will co-star with Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell and Michelle Rodriguez in "S.W.A.T.," a thriller that begins shooting in Los Angeles on October 19, according to Variety. LL has also signed on to voice Piki in the upcoming "Rugrats Meet the Wild Thornberrys." …

Despite some bids that came in around the $43 million mark, the Washington state childhood home of Kurt Cobain failed to sell on its eBay auction, which closed on Sunday. Owners Ed and Jennifer McKee said that none of the offers -- not even those close to the asking price of $200,000 -- were from serious bidders. The Oregon couple, who bought the house for $42,000, next plan to list the home as straight real estate. ...

P.O.D.'s sophomore album, Satellite, was certified triple platinum by the RIAA for U.S. sales in excess of 3 million units. The album first earned platinum

certification a month after its release in October 2001. … U2's Bono is scheduled to appear on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Friday to discuss his campaign to alleviate the AIDS crisis in Africa and poverty

around the world. The show will examine his charitable efforts as well as how

U2 have inspired their fans to get involved in the causes close to Bono's heart. …

Some of hip-hop's founding fathers, including Grand Master Caz, the Chief Rocker Busy Bee, DJ Grand Wizard Theodore and Rock Steady Crew member Crazy Legs, will come together on September 20 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking film "Wild Style." The ceremony will happen at New York's East River Park, which was featured two decades ago in the movie's outdoor party scene finale. A screening of the film, which will be shown for the first time on 35mm film, will follow the soiree. … British artist Ms. Dynamite received the prestigious 2002 Panasonic Mercury Music Prize, beating out the likes of David Bowie, the Doves and Roots Manuva. Ms. Dynamite takes home a £20,000 prize, which she plans to donate to charity. …

9.17.02

After Jonathan Davis is through telling his fans that Pop Sux! on Korn's upcoming tour of the same name, the horror-obsessed singer is planning to demonstrate that the vampire Lestat does so, too -- only in an entirely different way. The band's spokesperson said that Davis and guitarist Munky intend to hit the road with other musicians to perform songs Davis wrote for "The Queen of the Damned" that were sung by author Anne Rice's fictitious protagonist in the film. Dates for the tour have yet to be sorted out, but the stage show promises lots of leather, in a fetish-ball kind of way. ...

When Triumph the Insult Comic Dog drops his debut LP, hopefully some fans won't take its title literally. Despite it coming straight from the pooch's puss, the album's title will be Come Poop With Me, according to Warner Bros. Records, and not Songs in the Key of Poop as was previously reported. A release date remains undetermined. ... C-Murder, who was set to start his second-degree murder trial Tuesday (September 17), has been granted a continuance. The rapper, whose real name is Corey Miller, will stand trial October 7, according to the Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, court. ...

Russell Simmons is going to the D.O.C.'s neck of the woods next month. According to a spokesperson for the media mogul, Simmons, D.O.C., Minister Benjamin Muhammad and Dallas Mayor Pro-Tem Don Hill will be among those in Dallas for the third Hip-Hop Summit on October 12. Previous summits were held in New York and California to discuss issues in the music industry; this one will focus on voter registration among young people. ... The Vines have climbed near the top of the heap for the 16th annual ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) awards with five nominations, including Best Group, Single of the Year, Best New Artist and Best Rock

Album. Also garnering multiple nominations for the awards show, which takes

place October 15, are Silverchair, Kasey Chambers and Kylie Minogue, each with six nods. ...

Kid Rock will bring some hip-hop attitude to this year's Farm Aid

benefit concert, scheduled for Saturday at the Post-Gazette

Pavilion in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania. Also appearing at the event are founders

Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp, as well as Dave Matthews, Gillian Welch, the Drive-By Truckers and Kenny Wayne Shepherd with Double Trouble. ? Following a run on this summer's Warped Tour, Reel Big Fish will return to the road beginning September 20 in Portland, Oregon, with a month-long headlining trek to support their fourth album, Cheer Up. The Starting Line and the Kicks will serve as openers. ...

After fainting in her Stockholm home last Wednesday, Marie

Fredriksson, 44, singer of Swedish pop group Roxette, was hospitalized and

found to have a brain tumor, according to a statement

from her management. While it has not yet been determined what treatment the

singer will receive, the group has canceled a European tour slated to promote

its latest single, "A Thing About You." ... Actress LaWanda Page, known to at least three generations of TV viewers as Aunt Esther on the 1970s sitcom "Sanford and Son," succumbed to diabetes on Saturday. The actress, who can still be seen flinging her purse at Redd Foxx in syndication, was 81. ...

Kelly Rowland's solo LP, Simply Deep, which includes production work by Brandy's husband, Robert Smith, is now due October 22 instead of September 24. Rowland plans to follow-up "Dilemma," her #1 collaboration with Nelly, with a single called "Stole." ...