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Rock News: Music's high and low notes

By PENNY NELSON BARTHOLOMEW, United Press International
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HARPER, FARRELL AND POP

Rumors that Ben Harper, Perry Farrell, and Iggy Pop have been dropped from the Virgin label have been greatly exaggerated, according to the record company.

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In a statement Monday, Matt Serletic, chairman and CEO of Virgin Records America said the three musicians "remain active members of the label's roster." According to the label, Farrell and Harper are currently in the process of recording new material for upcoming albums while Pop is writing for his next release.

"The Virgin Records Family remains committed to the success of these artists," added Serletic.

EMI, Virgin's parent company, is in the midst of restructuring and rumors circulated last week that Harper, Farrell and Pop had been dropped.


'NSYNC

The lawsuit filed against 'NSync by the puppeteers from "H.R. Pufnstuf" has gone bye, bye, bye.

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Last week, a federal judge in Los Angeles tossed out the $1 million suit brought by Sid and Marty Krofft Pictures against the boy band over some custom-made puppets, E! Online reports.

According to the lawsuit, filed in November 2000, the Kroffts were contracted to create special 25-foot gigantic puppets of Justin Timberlake, J.C. Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Lance Bass and Joey Fatone Jr. specifically for the group's performance of "Bye Bye Bye" at the 2000 American Music Awards. But the suit claimed the band illegally used photos of the puppets in souvenir programs and backstage passes without the company's permission.

But the judge said liability couldn't be established and so there was no lawsuit.

'NSync is currently on tour in support of their latest CD, "Celebrity."


PAUL WESTERBERG

Did Axl Rose put the brakes on a Replacements reunion tour?

That could account for Paul Westerberg's sudden silence regarding who plays on his new double album, "Stereo/Mono," which hits stores next Tuesday, Allstar News reports.

Last month, Westberg told Rolling Stone magazine that Tommy Stinson, his former partner in the Replacements, makes a guest appearance on the CD. But then a note appeared on an industry gossip Web site, claiming to be from Stinson and saying he hadn't seen Westerberg in four years.

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Stinson has played bass for Guns N' Roses since replacing Duff McKagan in 1998. Frontman Axl Rose is known for dumping bandmates who cross him.

"No comment" is Westerberg's new response to questions about any recent Stinson collaborations. However, he does hint that a very influential someone kiboshed the Replacements reunion he tried assembling in February.

"I think Tommy was advised not to do it, if you can make sense of that," Westerberg told Allstar News. "When I called him, he was anxious and interested in a wild idea like that, and then suddenly had a change of heart. So go figure."

For now, Westerberg has his own tour to focus on -- a string of 10 national in-store performances that launches next Monday in Seattle.

"I figure it's been too long for me to ask people to buy the record and to come pay money to see me play," he said. "So, it's like, if you're willing to buy the record, I'll come and play in the store for free. What kind of deal is that? You can't beat it!"

Westerberg said a proper tour could follow as early as this summer.


WEEN

Ween will delay the recording of its next studio album in favor of touring. The road trip begins Friday in Asheville, N.C., and runs through a June 23 appearance at the Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, Tenn., according to Billboard.com.

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Ween will also drop in May 25 at the Mountain Aire Festival in Calaveras County, Calif.

Mickey "Dean Ween" Melchiondo promises on the duo's official Web site that they'll "try and record the new album before September rolls around." The CD will be Ween's first since it left the Elektra label in late 2000.

Tour dates:

April 19: Asheville, N.C. -- Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

April 20: Greensboro, N.C. -- Dana Auditorium

April 21: North Charleston, S.C. -- the Plex

April 23: Lexington, Ky. -- Kentucky Theater

April 24: Bloomington, Ind. -- Axis

April 25: Iowa City, Iowa -- Univ. of Iowa Main Lounge

April 26: Columbia, Mo. -- Missouri Theater

April 27: Carbondale, Ill. -- Shryock Auditorium

May 3: Haverford, Pa. -- Haverford College

May 5: Princeton, N.J. -- Princeton University

May 25: Calaveras County, Calif. -- Mountain Aire Festival

June 23: Manchester, Tenn. -- Bonnaroo Festival


RUSH

Rush is hitting the "Vapor Trails" trail this summer for the band's first tour since 1997. The tour kicks off June 28 in Hartford, Conn., according to a statement from Atlantic Records quoted by JAM! Music. It's expected to last into the fall.

The tour is in support of the namd's upcoming album, "Vapor Trails," which hits stores May 14.

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Confirmed tour dates:

June 28: Hartford, Conn. -- ctnow.com Meadows Music Centre

June 29: Scranton, Pa. -- Montage Mountain Amphitheatre

July 1: Charlotte, N.C. -- Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

July 3: Virginia Beach, Va. -- Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

July 4: Raleigh, N.C. -- Alltel Pavilion

July 6: Saratoga Springs, N.Y. -- Saratoga Performing Arts Center

July 7:Buffalo, N.Y. -- Darien Lake Performing Arts Center

July 9:Washington, D.C. -- Nissan Pavilion

July 11: Holmdel, N.J. -- PNC Bank Arts Center

July 12: Boston, Mass. -- Tweeter Center

July 14: Philadelphia, Pa. -- Tweeter Center

July 15: Wantagh, N.Y. -- Jones Beach Amphitheatre

July 17: Toronto, Canada -- Molson Amphitheatre

July 19: Milwaukee, Wis. -- Marcus Amphitheater

July 20: Chicago, Ill. -- Tweeter Center

Aug. 1: Kansas City, Kan. -- Sandstone Amphitheatre

Aug. 2: St. Louis, Mo. -- UMB Bank Pavilion

Aug. 4: Cincinnati, Ohio -- Riverbend Music Center

Aug. 6: Pittsburgh, Pa. -- Post-Gazette Pavilion

Aug. 8: Columbus, Ohio -- Polaris Amphitheater

Aug. 9: Indianapolis, Ind. -- Verizon Wireless Music Center

Aug. 11: Detroit, Mich. -- DTE Energy Music Theatre

Aug. 14: Nashville, Tenn. -- AmSouth Amphitheatre

Aug. 16: Houston, Texas -- Woodlands Pavilion

Aug. 17: San Antonio, Texas -- Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

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Aug. 19: Dallas, Texas -- Reunion Arena

Aug. 21: Albuquerque, N.M. -- Journal Pavilion


'WARNING: PARENTAL ADVISORY'

In 1985, Frank Zappa, John Denver and Twisted Sister's Dee Snider appeared together in front of an audience in Washington, D.C. The only thing weirder than that was the audience itself -- a group of U.S. senators.

It was a hearing on censorship, and whether certain songs should be banned.

The VH1 original movie "Warning: Parental Advisory" takes a look at the war on "porn rock" led by Tipper Gore and the P.M.R.C. (Parents Music Resource Center). It premieres this Sunday (at 9 p.m. ET/PT) and stars Jason Priestley as lobbyist Charlie Burner, Mariel Hemingway as Tipper Gore, Griffin Dunne as Frank Zappa and real-life Twisted Sister rocker Dee Snider as himself.

(Web site: vh1.com)

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