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Frustrated by the continuing presence of free music on the Internet, the recording industry asked for Congress’ blessing on Thursday to gum up the online networks they blame for slowing their sales. Congress is considering expanded legal protection for record labels who resort to sabotage in their ongoing battle with “peer to peer” networks that allow users to freely trade music, movies and other copyrighted material. The recording industry offered a glimpse into its tactics, which include blocking transfers and flooding the network with dummy songs, and promised a House of Representatives subcommittee that they would not disrupt the Internet… Read more »

Pop star Lance Bass is back at Russia’s cosmonaut center for a new training session, despite being excluded from the crew of a rocket heading to the international space station next month. The ‘N Sync singer, who was ordered to leave the Star City cosmonaut training ground earlier this month after failing to pay for the trip, has returned to the center outside Moscow, said Yuri Nikiforov, general director of Atlas Airspace. “He will not go in October for sure, but he just doesn’t want to interrupt the program,” Nikiforov said by telephone. He spoke after Russia’s Interfax news agency… Read more »

With many superstar acts up to their elbows in solo projects, movie roles, charity work or just on interminable hiatus, we decided to check in with some of them to determine when they might deliver their next albums. Barring gazing into a crystal ball, we did a bit of sleuthing to find out who is doing what, and when fans can expect another album (if at all). ‘NSYNC The scenario: Lance’s space mission trudges on, and Justin’s solo career looks poised to blast off. Joey’s working the Great White Way in “Rent,” Chris is trying his hand at TV work,… Read more »

Just when you thought you’d heard the last of it, it looks like Lance Bass’ space mission might happen after all. A source close to the project told MTV News that Bass will resume training at the Star City facility near Moscow on Wednesday, thanks to a nearly finalized sponsorship deal with Pepsi. To make up for the 10 training days Bass lost since being pulled off his regimen earlier this month he’s going to have to work 16-hour days and weekends. And if that’s not enough to keep him in the running for the October flight, his plan B… Read more »

About 50 Syrian protesters crashed a U.S.-sponsored public rock concert in Damascus on Thursday held in honor of victims of the September 11 attacks, demanding Washington stop its battle cry against Iraq. “Stop the drums of war so we can hear your music,” protesters yelled at the rock memorial, which was attended by around 150 people, including some Americans. The protesters also waved signs and shouted slogans protesting against U.S. support for Israel, accusing the United States of “serving Zionist criminals” and participating in “dirty crimes” against the Palestinian people. President Bush told the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday that… Read more »

Terrorism struck the United States on a Tuesday, the day labels release albums, and that day had its share of potential blockbusters: Jay-Z, Bob Dylan and Mariah Carey were among the artists who released records on September 11, 2001. The first anniversary of the attacks, by contrast, will pass quietly in the nation’s record stores, with no big-name releases hitting shelves this week and retailers predicting that new records will be the furthest thing from fans’ minds. “It just seems to be in bad taste,” said bassist Joe Escalante of veteran punk band the Vandals, who chose a September 17… Read more »

Former allies in the fight against music piracy, Internet access providers and the recording industry, are now headed to court in a dispute over how to target individuals who swap copyrighted material online. The recording industry wants telecommunications giant Verizon Communications to reveal the name of a customer it believes is “a hub for significant music piracy” as it pursues the Internet song-swappers it blames for declining CD sales. Verizon has refused, saying that such a move would violate customer privacy and force Internet providers to serve as the music industry’s online policeman. At issue is a 1998 digital-copyright law… Read more »

Pop star Lance Bass’ dreams of going into space have officially gone “pop!” The Russian Space Agency notified NASA on Monday that the ‘N Sync singer won’t fly to the international space station next month. Bass had hoped to rocket away from Kazakhstan on Oct. 28, boosted by corporate sponsors and a seven-part television documentary. But TV producers failed to raise the estimated $20 million fare, and Russian space officials last week kicked Bass off the upcoming crew. With the launch of the Soyuz rocket just seven weeks away, there’s not enough time to put anyone else on board. Russian… Read more »

Fans don’t have to worry about the Rolling Stones’ 40th-anniversary tour being their final performances. As long as the music sounds good, the legendary band’s keyboard player told The Associated Press, why stop? As for their advancing ages, Chuck Leavell said bluesman B.B. King and “Godfather of Soul” James Brown still perform, and no one thinks twice about whether they should leave the spotlight. Leavell did acknowledge that even singer Mick Jagger has expressed his doubts in the past. While on 1997’s “Bridges to Babylon” tour, Jagger said he never thought people would want to see them 35 years after… Read more »

“American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson may have the magic to put RCA Records back on top. All the major record labels are pulling out their big-gun releases for the fourth quarter in hopes of hitting some high numbers to make up for the year’s extreme sales dip. RCA has been struggling overall because of a weak release schedule. The label has thus far scored hits only with Dave Matthews Band’s “Busted Stuff,” which has sold more than 1.2 million units, and critically acclaimed postpunk band the Strokes, whose “Is This It” has passed the half-million mark. Clarkson’s two-sided single release,… Read more »