Honoring a connection much more savory than...

Honoring a connection much more savory than Charles Manson, Axl Rose has been tabbed to give the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction speech in January for his longtime hero Elton John. . . .

Run-DMC is shooting a video in L.A. for a remixed version of its 1992 holiday song “Christmas Is.” The original track was on the collection “A Very Special Christmas 2” and the new version will be released to coincide with a new animated ad campaign produced by the “Simpsons” team for the album and its 1987 predecessor. The two albums have raised more than $30 million for the Special Olympics. . . .

Nick Cave has recorded the title track for the movie “Faraway, So Close,” Wim Wenders’ sequel to “Wings of Desire.” The soundtrack album, due Jan. 11, also features songs by U2, Lou Reed, Jane Siberry and Laurie Anderson, all of whom also contributed music for Wenders’ last film, “Until the End of the World.” . . .

Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall and k.d. lang have been added to the lineup for the Princess Diana charity concert for AIDS organizations Dec. 1 at London’s Wembley Arena, headlined by George Michael. The three are expected to perform a special encore together. . . .

A single, still to be chosen, is due in December to preview the upcoming album by New Kids on the--oops!--we mean NKOTB, as the growing Kids now want to be called. The album, “Face the Music,” however, has been pushed back to February while producers Teddy Riley and Narada Michael Walden finish mixing it. . . .

L.A. band Life Sex and Death--the one fronted by the vagrant-like oddball known simply as Stanley--has undergone some personnel changes and is talking to ex-Ratt guitarist Warren DiMartini about coming on board.