A lot of people were talking about the long-awaited return of Sly Stone at last week's Grammys in L.A. Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas was actually onstage with Stone, and even Will could hardly believe it was happening. "There are no words to describe it. I could say it was surreal, but surreal is nothing," said Will. "I was like, 'Damn, this is crazy! I'm, like, right onstage with the dude. This is not real, this is a dream.'" As for Stone's abrupt on-air departure, mid-tribute, Will thinks it was a perfect ending. "The only person that could walk off the stage during a tribute is Sly. That was just like, 'Whatever with all you gangsters, whatever with all you rock & roll stars. I am the ultimate.' That was the hottest." Sly was also on the mind of ZZ Top axeman Billy Gibbons, at Sony/BMG's Grammy after-party at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Gibbons -- who watched the ceremony telecast from his dressing room at Jimmy Kimmel Live, where he was performing that night -- said Stone's appearance was "astounding." "It was intense. He was on it," said Gibbons. "Then Sly just went, 'See you.'" . . .

Another guest at the Sony/BMG soiree was Audioslave's Tom Morello, whose favorite Grammy-night performances came from Paul McCartney ("Helter Skelter") and Grammy-sweepers U2. Said Morello, "They rocked it pretty hard." But for L.A. rockers Whitestarr, the real star was a certain American Idol. "I thought Kelly Clarkson tore the fucking house down," frontman Cisco Adler said. "She can really sing her ass off." With their rowdy debut LP, Luv Machine, finally dropping in May, maybe we'll see Whitestarr play the broadcast next year? Said Adler, "Hopefully, this is our year." If they do make it back to the awards ceremony, they have their 2007 plan of attack down: "We showed up late and we left early. That's the best Grammy tip." . . .

Someone must've tipped off R&B newcomer Chris Brown as to where the best post-Grammy parties were, because he made it to the Roosevelt. But just the day before, the sixteen-year-old was still in the dark. "Nobody's told me [where to go] yet," said a grinning Brown. "They're afraid I'll try to sneak in." Mission accomplished, Chris . . .

We caught up with Barry Manilow in rehearsals for the hottest pre-Grammy party: Clive Davis' annual bash. These are special times for Manilow, who, after a nearly three-decade absence from the album chart, returned to the top this month with The Greatest Songs of the Fifties. The crooner confessed to a real jones for the Number One spot. "I'm keeping my everything crossed," he admitted. Ironically, Manilow wasn't sold on the album concept when Davis first pitched him. "I didn't get it at first. But as soon as the band started playing, I said, 'Oh, that's it!'" . . .

But at Davis' bash, despite the stellar roster of special performers -- Jamie Foxx, Clarkson and Manilow -- some guests had L.A.'s other industry on their minds. We caught up with Carlos Santana as he talked about his favorite films of last year, Crash and Hustle and Flow -- both Oscar nominees (and both, incidentally, co-starring rapper Ludacris). Rob Thomas, also a film buff, saw an opportunity and turned to the guitar legend: "We should start our own show. Like Ebert and Roeper." Hey, with the growing guest roster on Santana's albums these days, we're sure he could get half the A-list musicians in town to discuss their Oscar bets . . .