SMALL FACES

English electronica iconoclast Tricky teamed with the Red Hot Chili Peppers on a song that will be on Tricky’s next album, due in June. Other guests are being lined up for the album, which is his first for Hollywood Records. . . .

Director-actor Billy Bob Thornton’s heading into a recording studio this week to start work on an album, with country star Marty Stuart serving as collaborator and producer. Stuart did most of the music for Thornton’s current film, “All the Pretty Horses,” which earned the musician (and partners Kristin Wilkinson and Larry Paxton) a best original score nomination for tonight’s Golden Globe awards. . . .

Tom Waits has produced “Wicked Grin,” an album by veteran blues performer John Hammond made up almost entirely of Waits’ songs, including two written specially for the project. Musicians on the sessions include blues harp player Charlie Musselwhite and keyboardist Augie Meyers of the Sir Douglas Quintet and Texas Tornadoes. It’s due March 13 from Virgin’s Point Blank label. . . .

XTC’s Andy Partridge, having been sent CDs of the band the Apples in Stereo by singer (and XTC fan) Robert Schneider, liked what he heard so much that he called Schneider, and now the two are co-writing songs for a Schneider solo album, due in the spring. Meanwhile, Partridge and partner Colin Moulding plan to spend this year writing songs for a 2002 XTC album.