Though Josh Freese has worked for many accomplished musicians during his career -- most recently, he's worked with Devo, Weezer and the Vandals -- the talented drummer uses one of the tracks on his new solo album, 'Since 1972,' to pay tribute to his favorite former employer, ex-Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg. On the song 'Blood on Your Knuckles,' Freese honors his peer/hero in both melody and lyrics, sliding in a nod to the Replacements' classic 'Bastards of Young' with the lines, "We don't ever wanna miss the guy from Minneapolis/Take one big step and he's missing the whole first rung."

"That's where I come from, that's who I grew up lovin'. He's my favorite, without a doubt," Freese tells Spinner. Despite having known Westerberg since the start of his solo career in the early '90s, Freese -- whose resume also includes stints with the likes of Nine Inch Nails, Avril Lavigne and Guns N' Roses, among dozens of others -- admits to still getting starstruck on the track, singing the lines "Calls me every Christmas day/I never know quite just what to say/going 15 years of kinda sorta being my friend."

The Eagles donned suits and hit Los Angeles' Century Plaza Hotel on Friday, affording a rare opportunity to see the biggest-selling American band in history in a hotel ballroom. For this benefit to fight Multiple Sclerosis, the band looked to match the tone of the evening. "We wanted to do songs that were positive and full of hope," Don Henley said from the stage. "But we realized we don't have very many of them."

They managed to find a few optimistic songs from their repertoire to engage the star-studded crowd, which included Dustin Hoffman, Jewel, Kim Kardashian, Amanda Bynes and Avril Lavigne, who told Spinner she came out to support host Nancy Davis, the L.A. woman who's put the Race to Erase MS event on for the past 16 years after being diagnosed with the disease herself. A sing-along version of 'Take it to the Limit' even got a few couples dancing in between the dinner tables.

"One of my favorite girls [was blond]. So we were like, 'you have to have brown hair.' You're not going to see another blonde on stage." --Avril Lavigne

In a recent interview, the notoriously cocky singer explained why she can be the only golden girl on her tour.

"I have a look that girls want to copy."
-- Avril Lavigne

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• Missy Elliott is offering fans an opportunity to name her upcoming album via her official website, www.missy-elliott.com. Submissions are due by February 20, and a winner will be announced on March 2. The contest winner will receive credit on the album cover and a $500 Adidas gift card.

• Celine Dion leads the nominations for the 2008 Juno Awards with six, including Album of the Year for her latest effort, 'Taking Chances.' Meanwhile, Feist, Michael Buble and Avril Lavigne follow close behind, each earning five nods apiece. The awards -- Canada's equivalent to the Grammys -- take place on April 6.

• Public Enemy will perform their classic album, 'It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back,' in May as part of All Tomorrow's Parties 'Dont Look Back' series. The veteran rappers will play three dates -- May 23, 26 and 27 -- in London, Manchester and Glasgow, respectively.

• Tapes 'n Tapes will launch a North American tour in support of their forthcoming album, 'Walk It Off,' on April 10 in Minneapolis, just two days after the album hits shelves. The five-week jaunt is set to wrap on May 17 in Denver.

"If you want a piece of this business, you have to be able to deal with it. You can't complain about the pressures, the paparazzi, the madness because that's the job."

- Avril Lavigne, April 2007

Avril Lavigne may or may not be pregnant. That one's all yours, Canada. [Just Jared]

Anthony Kiedis is a rock star and he'll wear Crocs if he wants to. So will Rosie O'Donnell. But that's another story. [Dlisted]

More fallen Idols. [PopEater]

Fergie likens herself to the late Princess Diana. Only royalty don't piss themselves in public. [NME]

Missy Elliott has "pockets more bigger than a stripper's booty cheeks." Yeah, we don't know, either. [NewNowNext]

Zac Efron's kissing tips. No word on whether or not he removes his lipstick first. [Oh No They Didn't]

Madonna's got nothing on Cat Power. [BrooklynVegan]