Rock News Two: The week in pop music

SPRINGSTEEN ANNOUNCES DATES

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band announced the opening dates of a two-year world tour, which will kick off on Aug. 7 at Continental Airlines Arena in Springsteen's home state of New Jersey. The first leg of the tour will consist of 46 dates running through December. The 46 shows will take place at 46 different venues, ensuring high demand in key markets. Multiple dates in major cities during the summer of 2003 will be announced at a future date. Seven mid-October shows will take place in Europe, with the rest of the dates in North America. The tour will resume at the beginning of 2003 in Europe and Australia. On July 30 Springsteen's first new album with the E Street band in 18 years, "The Rising," will be released.

NELLYVILLE STILL TOPS

"Nellyville" held down the top spot on Billboard's Top 200 for the second week in a row, elbowing aside Eminem's "The Eminem Show," which doggedly held onto second place. St. Louis rapper Nelly's album sold 447,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Nellyville" also holds the top spot on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Nelly's "Hot in Herre" is also No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, and Hot Rap Tracks charts.

MADONNA TO 'DIE ANOTHER DAY'

James Bond is about to meet Madonna on the silver screen. The Material Girl traveled to England this week to shoot her scenes for "Die Another Day," the 20th Bond flick. She plays a fencing instructor in the film. Madonna also sings the title track of the film.

NO OPERATION ON 'THE OSBOURNES'

MTV's "The Osbournes" will not be showing Sharon Osbourne's colon cancer operation when the reality-based television series resumes, the New York Post reported. "Our main concern right now is for Sharon's well-being," an MTV spokesman told the Post. Osbourne, 50, the wife and manager of heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne and executive producer of "The Osbournes," underwent surgery last week at an undisclosed location. A source close to the family told the Post that the show's cameras were not present before, during or after the surgery. Two years ago MTV showed comedian Tom Green having an operation to remove a cancerous testicle.

ENTWISTLE FUNERAL HELD IN ENGLAND

A small private funeral was held last week for Who bassist John Entwistle at St. Edward's church in Stow-On-The-Wold, England. Guitarist Pete Townshend, vocalist Roger Daltrey, and drummer Kenney Jones, who replaced Keith Moon in The Who after his death in 1978, were in attendance. The Who tour, with Pino Palladino replacing Entwistle, resumes July 26 in Mansfield, Mass., and is scheduled to run through Sept. 28 in Toronto. The June 29 show in Irvine, Calif., postponed in the wake of Entwistle's death, has been rescheduled for Sept. 15.

'NSYNC'S FATONE BROADWAY BOUND

While 'NSync is on hiatus, group member Joey Fatone plans to hit the Great White Way as a cast member of the long-running hit "Rent." Fatone, 25, who has acted before and appears in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," will play the part of aspiring filmmaker Mark from Aug. 5 through Dec. 22. The play, set in New York's lower east side and patterned after "La Boheme," follows the struggles of young artists trying to make it in the Big Apple.

STONES TO ROLL ON SIMPSONS

The Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and Keith Richards open their tour Sept. 3 in Boston but their cartoon likenesses will rock out in Springfield with Homer Simpson in November. The Glimmer Twins will appear on the cartoon series in an episode that sends Homer to a rock fantasy camp. Aerosmith, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and U2 all have appeared on previous Simpsons episodes.

ROCKERS LINE UP FOR WHITE TRIBUTE

James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, John Mellencamp and Don Henley all have signed on for a planned memorial concert for Billboard Editor in Chief Tim White, who died of a heart attack at age 50 on June 27. The concert will be a benefit for White's family. He is survived by his wife, Judy Grarlan White, and 10-year-old twin sons Alexander and Christopher. Some of the proceeds also will go to a number of charities supported by White, including autism-related organizations and the United Negro College Fund. "I know that Timothy stood for so many things and it would mean so much to him to know that people loved him so much and wanted to be there for his folk," Crow said. "I think he would get a kick out of a show and in a way, I think he'll be there." A fund for the continuing education of Christopher and Alexander White has been established. Donations may be made to Judy Garlan White, c/o Ipswich Bay Financial Group, 55 Market St., Ste. 208, Ipswich, MA, 01938. In addition, a foundation will be established to benefit a number of White's favorite charities.

NEW YORKER COVERS THE WATERFRONT IN TOUR

She'll play Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island, too. Not to mention Brooklyn and Queens. New York singer-songwriter Mary McBride has announced the first music tour of free venues and locations in New York City's five boroughs. Kicking off the release of her debut CD, "Everything Seemed Alright," (Bogan), McBride and her four-piece band will pound the pavement from Irish bars on Tremont Avenue and Broadway in the Bronx to a Sunday green market in Jackson Heights, Queens; a pizza parlor in Park Slope, Brooklyn; the HIV/AIDS unit at Manhattan's Bellevue Hospital; a string of hipster hangouts in the lower east side; and a karate school turned coffee shop in Staten Island. "I decided to play all five boroughs to both give my fans the opportunity to see us play in free venues where we haven't played in awhile, but also to see what happens when we show up and play music where it is least expected," McBride said. "In some of the locations, we'll even be bringing a sound system so we'll be hauling gear, setting up ourselves, and playing for complete strangers. It's not glamorous but I cannot wait to play for lots of new folks. It'll definitely be a journey. And I think it's going to be a load of fun."

FROM DR. EVIL TO KEITH MOON

Surviving members of The Who have given the OK for comedian Mike Myers of "Austin Powers" fame to play the role of Who drummer Keith Moon, who died in 1978. Myers, whose goofy, rubberlegged portrayal of Austin Powers turned the character into a slapstick cult hero, seems a perfect choice to play the madcap drummer, whose offstage antics are some of the most outrageous anecdotes in rock history. Who singer Roger Daltrey has been entertaining the idea of a Moon film for a long time and has been in serious discussions with Myers about the role. Myers stars in the third Austin Powers film, "Austin Powers in Goldmember," scheduled for a July 26 release.