Pink has selected Jake Scott (No Doubt, Soundgarden) to direct her next video, for "God Is a DJ." "It's a fun song, it's a dance song," Pink said Wednesday. "To me, it's just about alchemy, turning sh-- into gold, using what you have and doing the best you can with it. Nothing's set yet, but I know it's going to be fun. I like Jake Scott, I like his vibe, I like his ideas." ... Meanwhile, Pink will perform at Motorola's fifth anniversary Toys for Tots benefit party on December 4 in Los Angeles. Last year's star-studded event featured Missy Elliott, with a surprise appearance by Ludacris. ...

The Murder Inc. camp met up Wednesday night in Queens, New York, for the filming of Ashanti's "Rain on Me" remix video. Irv Gotti directed the clip, which also features Ja Rule and Charli Baltimore. ... At 10 p.m. ET on Thursday (November 13), 72 radio stations around the country will premiere Let It Be ... Naked, which is the Beatles' 1970 album stripped of Phil Spector's lush wall-of-sound production. Immediately following, Sheryl Crow, Fred Durst and Billy Joel will contribute to a live panel discussion about the album. Let It Be ... Naked hits stores November 18. ...

Within days of word spreading that he had renal-cell cancer, Chic and Power Station drummer Tony Thompson has died. He was 48. The drummer, who had also worked with David Bowie, Debbie Harry and Madonna, passed Wednesday at 1:30 a.m. He is survived by his wife, Patrice; his 13-year-old son, Jensen; and his 11-year-old daughter, Jazlyn. His family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to www.tonythompsonfund.com. A tribute concert is scheduled for December 16 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Beverly Hills, California. Acts remain to be announced. ... Besides looking to expand her children's-book series into possible animated films, Madonna is launching a line of products centered on her first title, "The English Roses." She signed a marketing and licensing deal with Signatures Network, it was announced Thursday, to target pre-tween readers with toys, clothing, accessories, cosmetics, stationary and room decor. "I am thrilled at the opportunity to translate 'The Roses' to real life in a beautiful range from dolls to apparel," Madonna said in a statement. ...

Cypress Hill are donating a portion of ticket proceeds from this weekend's Smoke Out festival to a Southern California chapter of the Red Cross to aid those in the Inland Empire area who lost their homes in the recent wildfires. "It's important that we do whatever we can to help those who have been affected by the fires, especially in San Bernardino," rapper B-Real said in a statement. "We really want to take this opportunity to reach out and show our support." Newly added to the sixth annual Smoke Out are Dog Faced Gods and DJs C-Minus, Green Lantern and Starscream. The concert takes place at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino on Sunday. ... The Cure's four-disc box set, The Cure: Join the Dots: B-Sides and Rarities, 1978-2001 (The Fiction Years), due January 27, includes the songs "Another Journey by Train," "Sugar Girl," and a cover of David Bowie's "Young Americans," as well as a track-by-track breakdown from frontman Robert Smith and bassist Simon Gallup. ...

Daft Punk have teamed with renowned Japanese manga artist Leiji Matsumoto for an animated music DVD, Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, due December 2. The video will tell the story of four musicians from another galaxy who are kidnapped by an evil manager to become the biggest band in the world. ... Forget the chocolates and flowers this February 14, because nothing says "I love you" like death metal. Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme's side project with Jesse "The Devil" Hughes, Eagles of Death Metal, will drop their debut album, Peace, Love, Death Metal, on Valentine's Day. The LP will be released via a joint deal between Homme's Rekord Rekords and Ant Acid, a newly formed label created by Ipecac Records co-founder Greg Werckman. A previously unreleased Screaming Trees album is also expected to surface from the label next year. ...

Just when you think you’ve heard it all from Henry Rollins, 76 more minutes from four and a half years ago will echo back on "Live at Luna Park," a DVD of his two-month weekly speaking performances at the West Hollywood, California, nightclub. The disc, due February 10, features Rollins' rants and the 20-minute bonus "Rollins Vs. Iggy Pop," Henry's futile attempt to match the in-concert energy of the Stooges frontman. ... Prosecution of online pirates isn't just a U.S. record-industry hobby. In Australia, two students who helped operate the Napster-like MP3WMAland are facing stiff fines, while a third, the site's founder, is looking at jail time. Charles Ng, 20, pleaded guilty Monday to 22 charges of distributing and aiding and abetting the distribution of copyrighted materials, and faces up to five years in jail. ...

Country singer Wynonna Judd was arrested for driving under the influence Thursday morning in Nashville. Judd was clocked driving 47 miles per hour when the speed limit was 30. Her Breathalyzer test registered more than twice the legal limit, according to the arrest report. Judd appeared in court, posted $500 bond and was released. ...

11.12.2003

Want to know what the next dual singles from Outkast's Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below will be? Well, you might actually have a say in the matter. On their Web site, the Dirty South duo are asking fans to vote on one of four possible second singles from both Big Boi and Andre 3000's discs. The choices for Big Boi are "Church," "Unhappy," "Bowtie" and "Reset"; Andre's are "Behold a Lady," "Roses," "Prototype" and "Spread." ...

You can now stuff Duff in your Christmas stocking. The makers of a line of Simpsons dolls, Playmates Toys, is creating three Hilary Duff models -- Rock Star Hilary, TV Star Hilary and Movie Star Hilary. The dolls are set to hit toy shelves just in time for the holiday season. ... Alicia Keys will join Mary J. Blige, Outkast, Ludacris and Chingy on the performance roster for the Vibe Awards. The show, which airs November 21, will also feature newly announced presenters Snoop Dogg, Quentin Tarantino, RZA, Pharrell Williams and Sean Patrick Thomas, among others. ...

Metallica frontman James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich will play rebel teenage dragons in an episode of an upcoming cartoon from Walt Disney Television Animation. The series, "Disney's Dave the Barbarian," will focus on an iconoclastic medieval family that must protect itself from a variety of kooky monsters and villains. The show is scheduled to premiere in January. ... The guys of Radiohead will be living up to their name when they helm a week of programming on the BBC's 6 Music channel during the holidays. They'll sift through the station's music and interview archives to dictate all the programming from December 22-28. ... Already available in Europe, the avant-garde score for the British documentary "Bodysong," written and recorded by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood and engineer Graeme Stewart, will find its way to U.S. shores on February 24 through Capitol Records. ...

Pearl Jam's first single in over a year, "Man of the Hour," which they premiered live last month, can be heard through Real Networks' Rhapsody music service as well as on the band's official online fan club, the Ten Club (www.pearljam.com), before it surfaces at traditional radio. The song will be featured on the soundtrack to Tim Burton's upcoming film "Big Fish," due out in December. ... As Madonna's second children's book, "Mr. Peabody's Apples," hits stores, her third is already under way. "Yakov and the Seven Thieves" -- like the previous two books -- has a moral lesson, this time about renouncing wicked ways and embracing good behavior. The plot centers around a cobbler named Yakov who is looking to find a cure for his dying son and enlists the help of the aforementioned seven thieves. It's due out March 15. Two more books by the pop diva are due in June and September. Meanwhile, Madonna hopes to make a film based on her first children's book, "The English Roses," and would like to voice the part of the fairy godmother, she told "Extra." ...

Cheeky Brit-poppers Oasis will return to the studio in early 2004 with electronic musicians Tim Holmes and Richard Fearless (a.k.a. Death in Vegas) producing. Singer Liam Gallagher contributed guest vocals to the Death in Vegas song "Scorpio Rising" from the 2003 album of the same name. Oasis guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher has said the band has 13 new songs to bring into the studio. ... "Uncle" Luke Campbell sure does love the ladies. So much so that the former 2 Live Crew leader is helping clothing designer Team Fergo with a new line of women's jersey dresses that will feature the logos and styles of 11 NCAA women's sports teams. A line of "Uncle Luke" winter jackets will also be launched in time for the cold weather. ...

Singer Macy Gray will play Memphis soul singer Carla Thomas in an episode of NBC's "American Dreams" scheduled to air in January. Gray taped the episode, in which she sings Thomas' 1966 hit "B-A-B-Y," on Wednesday. ... Libertines singer/guitarist Carl Barat needed two facial operations last week after a bathroom accident. Barat was stepping out of the bathtub when he slipped on the floor, causing his face to smash into the sink. He was rushed to a hospital in Hereford, Wales, where he was diagnosed with a busted cheekbone and a damaged tear duct. Barat is expected to fully recover. The band was in Wales working on material for its second album. ...

'Twas the week before Christmas and all through the States, a tour bus was stirring with three Eve 6 bandmates. In continued support of It's All in Your Head, Eve 6's 27-date headlining tour is set to begin November 11 in Dallas and end December 20, in Poughkeepsie, New York. Eve 6 will be spreading extra holiday cheer by giving fans who sign up for the band's mailing list at the merch table the chance to win a signed Gibson guitar and sing Eve 6's latest single, "At Least We're Dreaming," onstage with the group. ...