Pink is writing material for her new album with Rancid's Tim Armstrong. "They wrote like nine or 10 songs and they're all ridiculously good," Rob Aston, the rapper in Armstrong's side project the Transplants, said backstage at Saturday's KROQ Weenie Roast. When asked about the collaboration, Pink said, "I don't tell who I'm working with yet. We're friends." ...

Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro joined Christina Aguilera at Los Angeles' Staples Center Tuesday for their Stripped collaboration, "Fighter." After the shirtless rocker left the stage, Aguilera gushed, segueing into the next song, "Speaking of what a girl wants, Dave Navarro is so hot. I used to sleep with his Rolling Stone cover underneath my pillow." ... Jennifer Lopez leads the list of contenders for the 2003 Teen Choice Awards with 12 nominations, followed by 50 Cent with eight. Justin Timberlake and Eminem will vie for seven awards each at the Los Angeles ceremony, which will be broadcast live on August 8. ...

DJs Grandmaster Flash, Funkmaster Flex, DJ Premier and Kid Capri will lead an all-star tribute to Jam Master Jay at Tuesday's BET Awards, which will be broadcast live from Hollywood. 50 Cent, Beyoncé Knowles, Missy Elliott, Ashanti, R. Kelly, Snoop Dogg and Lil' Kim are also performing. ... In other Grandmaster Flash news, the DJ is co-writing an autobiography and has signed up to be a spokesperson for American Eagle Outfitters and Pro-Keds footwear. ...

Mourn not for AC/DC guitarist Angus Young. A report on the daily music newsletter Unlimited Media that Young died last Thursday is most inaccurate. It's unclear where the rumor came from, but the group is on the road and scheduled to play shows in Germany on Friday and Sunday. ... Before the first bomb bursts in air, Kelly Clarkson will kick off the telecast portion of the annual Macy's Fourth of July fireworks spectacular, to air on NBC at 9 p.m. ET. Sheryl Crow, John Mellencamp and Beyoncé Knowles will also perform at the event, which will be hosted by Carson Daly. ...

Westsiiide! Activision has tapped Ice Cube, Mack 10, E-40 and others to lay tracks for the new game "True Crime: Streets of L.A." Described as a California-flavored version of "Grand Theft Auto," the game features a replica of all 250 square miles of Los Angeles, through which players have to fight, drive and shoot. ... Mariah Carey has something precious she'd like to share with a young fan: the gift of music. Last Thursday, the singer donated an autographed microphone with the words "Love Always, Mariah" emblazoned on it to VH1's Save the Music auction. The auction, underway now on eBay.com, is designed to raise money to help schools continue to create music programs and music education. ...

Nas and Jagged Edge will appear in a PSA campaign to get guns off the streets of Connecticut as part of the Bush administration's Project Safe Neighborhoods. Billboards on transit buses ask people to call 211 if they have questions about firearms. ... Goodie Mob's Big Gipp will release his solo debut, Mutant Mind Frame, on July 22. Guests on the album include E-40 and Outkast's Big Boi on "Ham Sandwiches and Coupe De Villes," 8Ball and MJG on "All Over Your Body" and Sleepy Brown on the first single, "Steppin' Out." ...

3LW will be the official spokesmodels for a new clothing line called Southpole Juniors. Meanwhile, the girls have been requested by the South African Board of Tourism to perform in the country, which they will do once finished touring with LL Cool J in August. ... It looks like Prince has had a little too much time to think between the December 2001 release of his last album, The Rainbow Children, and now. On Thursday, the purple crusader will release the new studio concept album N.E.W.S. through his NPG Music Club Web site. The multi-directional album features four 14-minute songs, "North," "South," "East" and "West." ...

To commemorate their 20th anniversary, Christian hair-metal band Stryper are reuniting for a summer tour. Meanwhile singer/guitarist Michael Sweet plans to release two solo records: one of rock songs and the other filled with hymns. ... Sum 41's Deryck Whibley was onboard to catch a first listen of labelmate Andrew W.K.'s new LP, due September 9, on a boat cruise around New York Tuesday. Also digging the "party till you puke" vibe -- doubly nauseous thanks to the turbulent waters -- were Zwan guitarist Matt Sweeney and indie-rock funnyman David Cross. ... Weezer have covered Green Day's "Worry Rock," off 1997's Nimrod, for an audio homage to the Bay Area trio. A Different Shade of Green, which also features contributions from underground rockers Knockout, Inspection 12 and Rudiger, will be available July 22 at Hot Topic stores, and in other retail outlets shortly thereafter. ...

After seven years, electronic chill-out trio Morcheeba will release their first greatest-hits set, Parts of the Process, July 1. The 18-track LP includes two new songs, "Can't Stand It" and the single "What's Your Name," featuring Big Daddy Kane. ... Electronica has always perceived itself as a futuristic medium, but DJ Paul Oakenfold has been looking for inspiration by going back in time. The techno artist has remixed the Elvis Presley song "Rubberneckin'," which was originally featured in his 1969 movie "Change of Habit." The track was later released as the B-side to the 1970 single "Don't Cry Daddy." The computer-fueled "Rubberneckin' " will come out in September. ...

Early MTV staple Dexy's Midnight Runners, best known for their #1 1983 hit, "Come On Eileen," are reuniting 17 years after breaking up. A tour of the U.K. set for October and November promises hits as well as new songs plucked from a greatest-hits album they plan on releasing there in September. ... Los Angeles rockers H Is Orange are auctioning off a personalized song on eBay. The highest bidder will have a song about him or her on the band's next album. ... Crash Radio will perform on the BMX Movie Tour this summer, a trek that will feature the premiere of the BMX film "Reincarnation." The outing begins July 21 in New York and ends August 3 in Portland, Oregon. ...

06.17.03

Ruben Studdard will make a cameo appearance in "Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed," due next spring. The "American Idol" winner takes a stage with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Linda Cardellini in the movie, which also stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Matthew Lillard, Alicia Silverstone and Seth Green. ...

Chingy takes his Midwest swing from St. Louis to the dirty South for his new remix of "Right Thurr." The newest member of Ludacris' Disturbing Tha Peace family teamed with Miami's Trina and Atlanta's Jermaine Dupri for the new song. ... The latest installment of the Reggae Gold compilation series hits stores on Tuesday (June 17), and features collaborations from Shaggy and Will Smith on the remix to "Hey Sexy Lady" and Wayne Wonder and LL Cool J on the remix to "No Letting Go." Sean Paul, who started to blow because of the inclusion of his "Gimme the Light" on Reggae Gold 2002, is also featured on the new compilation, on the remix to Busta Rhymes' "Make It Clap." ...

Green Day drummer Tre Cool has a bone to pick with you. Recently he underwent knee surgery, and after the procedure, he joked on the band's Web site that he would give away a removed bone chip to a fan. When fans e-mailed him back to find out how they could procure the chunk, Cool responded with an actual proposition. "Hey you little freaky weirdoes," he said in an audio message, "I never thought anybody would really want my bone chip, but I did [offer]." Contestants hungering for Tre's bone must write a haiku and post it on the message board on the Green Day site. "I alone will judge," said Cool. "Good luck bastards." ...

Take Them On, On Your Own, the new album from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, is due September 2, preceded by first single "Stop." A North American tour is set for July 5 in Toronto through July 24 in San Francisco. ... The Polyphonic Spree, Tripping Daisy singer Tim DeLaughter's 23-member group, are re-releasing their 2002 debut, The Beginning Stages Of ... with four bonus tracks through a new deal with Hollywood Records. The group, which just shot a video for "Light & Day," will release their second album in early 2004. ...

David Bowie had better trade in some Bowie bonds for traveler's checks. To coincide with his forthcoming album, Reality, due in October, Bowie plans to set out on his first world tour in eight years. The chameleon of rock will visit 17 countries in seven months. ... Lou Reed's place in music will be cemented June 24, when the former Velvet Underground frontman's handprints are placed on the Hollywood RockWalk. Reed's mitt imprints will lie alongside those of Johnny Cash, Brian Wilson, the Ramones and others who've made significant contributions to rock. ...

Los Angeles' All Tomorrow's Parties festival, which was rescheduled from June to September 26-28 due to slow ticket sales, will include many of the same bands originally lined up by curator Matt Groening, including ... And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, Boredoms, Breeders, Buffalo Daughter, !!!, Fantômas, the Melvins, Mogwai, Throwing Muses, Wire and Yo La Tengo. ... Australian rockers You Am I will release their sixth album, Deliverance, on August 19. The effort follows 2001's Dress Me Slowly. ...

Whitesnake, Warrant, Kip Winger and Slaughter are joining forces for the Rock Never Stops Tour, which kicks off July 11 in Manchester, New Hampshire. The 27-date outing wraps up August 24 in Hamilton, Ontario. ... Still without a permanent drummer after the departure of Ken Jay, Static-X are working on their third album, Shadow Zone, which is slated for an early fall release. A Perfect Circle's Josh Freese is manning the kit in the studio for the follow-up to 2001's Machine. ... Slipknot bassist Paul Gray will be amongst the artists contributing to the Death tribute album, which should be released in early 2004. The tribute record is being coordinated by ex-Death and Testament guitarist James Murphy, CKY guitarist Deron Miller, former Malevolent Creation drummer Dave Culross and ex-Malevolent Creation singer Brett Hoffman. ...

The first major-label offering from My Morning Jacket, It Still Moves, will be released in August. The disc was produced by frontman Jim James and will include the songs "Dancefloor," "Golden," "Masterplan" and "One Big Holiday." ... New Jersey screamo faves Thursday will issue their new album, War All the Time, on September 16. The album is the follow-up to 2001's Full Collapse. ...