The Flaming Lips [ tickets ] issue a new EP on Nov. 18 titled "Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell."

The seven-track set features two remixes of the title track, a remix of "Do You Realize," three new recordings and the Christmas song "A Chance at Christmas (Say It Isn't So)."

R&B star Usher [ tickets ] plans to release his next album, "Confessions," in the first quarter of 2004, according to a press release. He is collaborating on the album with The Neptunes; Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis; Vidal & Dre of Touch Of Jazz; and Rich Harrison (who produced Beyonce's "Crazy in Love").

Martie Maguire of the Dixie Chicks [ tickets ] reportedly told the German magazine Spiegel that her group doesn't "feel part of the country scene any longer, it can't be our home any more."

Maguire reportedly expressed disappointment that more country acts didn't come to her group's defense after lead singer Natalie Maines criticized U.S. President George W. Bush's Iraq policy.

"A few weeks ago, Merle Haggard said a couple of nice words about us, but that was it," Maguire said. "The support we got came from others, like Bruce Springsteen. ... So we now consider ourselves part of the big rock-and-roll family."

Britney Spears [ tickets ], Metallica, Alan Jackson, Ashanti and Hilary Duff are scheduled to appear at this year's American Music Awards ceremony, which takes place on Nov. 16.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office has declared the February shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson at the home of producer Phil Spector [ tickets ] a homicide.

Clarkson died of a single gunshot wound to the head, and another person fired the gun, the coroner found.

Spector has denied shooting Clarkson, and suggested in an Esquire magazine interview that she shot herself. He remains free on $1 million bail.