Apr 06, 2006 5:44 PM

From the Revolver to the Crue

VELVET REVOLVER will collaborate with hip-hop producer PHARRELL WILLIAMS for the follow-up to their 2004 debut, Contraband. The supergroup -- including frontman SCOTT WEILAND and former GUNS N' ROSES members SLASH and DUFF McKAGAN -- has been in the studio since March. Meanwhile, Weiland is also teaming with Pharrell for a track called "Happy," set to appear on Weiland's next solo album.

Pras Tries to Make It on a Dollar

FUGEES member PRAS MICHEL has been living on the streets of Los Angeles on a dollar-a-day budget for the documentary, First Night, tracing his own eyewitness account of poverty and homelessness. "You have to hustle, steal, shoplift or prostitute yourself," the Grammy-winning rapper told the New York Daily News of what he witnessed on the street. Pras, who slept in the rain and chose to panhandle for cash, said it took him seven hours of begging to earn eight dollars. The rapper hopes to screen the film, his debut, at September's Toronto Film Festival.

Alicia Keys Visits Kenyan Clinic

Grammy-winning R&B singer and pianist ALICIA KEYS is currently in Kenya following-up on charity contributions for Keep A Child Alive, an organization that works with HIV patients in Africa. Keys traveled to the coastal town of Mombassa where she visited a pediatric HIV clinic and saw firsthand how the charity's money was being distributed and used. While Keys avoided reporters, a doctor at the hospital revealed that she had been purchasing and directly sending anti-retroviral drugs there since 2004.

Chilis Bring "Arcadium" Exclusive to iTunes

Fans can now get "Dani California," the first single off the RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS' new album Stadium Arcadium, when they pre-order the album through iTunes. Access to Arcadium's full track list won't be available until May 9th, when the album hits stores. Additional pre-order material includes an iTunes exclusive audio interview, a mini-documentary of the making of "Dani California," a digital booklet and a special ticket pre-sale code for the band's late summer trek.

Futureheads Bring the "News"

U.K. indie rockers the FUTUREHEADS' sophomore album, News and Tributes, will arrive in the U.S. on June 13th. In addition to twelve original tracks recorded over six weeks with producer BEN HILLIER (BLUR, DEPECHE MODE), the first run of the band's LP will also feature three previously released tracks, "Area," "Help Us Out" and "We Cannot Loose," from their Area EP. News and Tributes' first single will be "Skip to the End." Select U.S. performances are scheduled for summer, including a July 29th stop at Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival.

Busta, LL Change the Date

The release of BUSTA RHYMES' new album, The Big Bang -- boasting guest appearances from MARY J. BLIGE, MISSY ELLIOTT, DMX, STEVIE WONDER, LUDACRIS and LLOYD BANKS -- has been moved to May 16th. The album, the follow-up to 2002's It Ain't Safe No More, was originally scheduled for release this week. Bang's second single, "I Love My Bitch," featuring KELIS and BLACK EYED PEAS MC WILL.I.AM, hits radio later this month . . . In other record release changes, LL COOL J's twelfth effort, Todd Smith (after the rapper's birth name), will now hit stores April 11th, two weeks earlier than initially planned. JENNIFER LOPEZ guests on "Control Myself," the first single off the self-titled release.

Metal Mayhem Hits the Tour Circuit

AS I LAY DYING, GWAR, TRIVIUM, IN FLAMES and CANNIBAL CORPSE are among the acts on the bill for Sounds of the Underground tour. The second edition of the traveling hardcore metal festival will make stops in twenty-seven locales, starting with Cleveland on July 8th . . . In other traveling metal circus news, the kick-off date of the eleventh Ozzfest -- featuring headliners SYSTEM OF A DOWN and DISTURBED -- has been changed to June 29th at the White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington. OZZY OSBOURNE will only play ten of the tour's dates.

Mariah Jumps Into the Fragrance Game

MARIAH CAREY will create her own line of perfumes, in a venture with Elizabeth Arden Inc. The first scent will hit stores in spring of 2007. Carey, whose line of accessories, Glamorized, is sold in Claire's boutique stores across the U.S., joins BRITNEY SPEARS (Curious, Fantasy), JENNIFER LOPEZ (J.Lo, Still), JESSICA SIMPSON (Taste) and DIDDY (Unforgivable) in the list of pop stars with their own perfumes.

Idol, Backstreet Boy Score With Christians

American Idol CARRIE UNDERWOOD and BACKSTREET BOY BRIAN LITTRELL were among the winners at Wednesday's 37th Annual Gospel Association Music Awards, a.k.a. the Dove Awards. The night's biggest winner CHRIS TOMLIN, whose album Arriving, has sold over half a million copies, took home five Dove trophies, including Artist of the Year. Underwood's hit single, "Jesus Take the Wheel," was honored with the Dove for Country Song of the Year, while Littrell's cover of Michael English's "In Christ Alone" won for Best Recorded Inspirational Song. ALISON KRAUSS AND UNION STATION also took home the Best Bluegrass award for "Living Prayer," off the Grammy-winning album Lonely Runs Both Ways.

Crue Fan Subs for Tommy Lee

Due to tendonitis in his wrist, MOTLEY CRUE drummer TOMMY LEE took a break from drumming duties at the metal band's Carnival of Sins tour stop last night in Alberta, Canada. Subbing for Lee was longtime fan HARVEY WARREN, a Starbucks employee whose band BROKEN TOYZ plays Crue covers on a regular basis. Lee hopes to return for the remaining dates of the tour this Friday.

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