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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 »

Maybe it’s an honor to be considered a “cute rock star” in the teen magazines, but for new rock band Default, it’s a license to tease. Singer Dallas Smith has been noted for his looks by magazines like “Teen Beat.” Bassist Dave Benedict said when the other three members of the Canadian-based band found out, they all used the hockey slogan: “Game On!” “We all think it’s a pretty funny,” Benedict told The Associated Press. “He’s Dallas. He’s our buddy. We hang out with him every day. It’s just funny when you see your friend in there under ‘Hot Boys,’… Read more »

Bruce Springsteen grabbed the top of the U.S. pop charts Wednesday with the debut of his somber, Sept. 11-influenced album, “The Rising,” the first all-new recording with his E Street Band since 1984. The critically hailed LP sold about 525,000 copies in its first week in stores, Springsteen’s best album debut in at least a decade, his publicists said as the veteran rocker and his band prepared to launch a world tour at the Continental Airlines Arena in his native New Jersey. Springsteen’s publicity firm, Shore Fire Media, said “The Rising,” released July 30, also was expected to open at… Read more »

Many fans credit Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger and his songs with helping them get through tough times. Tyler Connolly, frontman of Theory of a Deadman, has Kroeger to thank for just about everything. Before Nickelback were rock stars, Connolly was a struggling musician without a band, manager or record deal and with only a pipe dream of ever being recognized outside his hometown of Vancouver, Canada. Then one night at a party Connolly handed a demo tape to Kroeger, which led to an enthusiastic call from the burgeoning musician, who wanted to produce Theory. Kroeger’s contribution didn’t end there. When Alice… Read more »

The first commercial radio station to cybercast its over-the-air playlist is among the first to fall victim to newly imposed royalty rates for online broadcasts. KPIG stopped streaming music online Thursday, ending a near seven-year run on the Internet. According to its own estimates, the small-scale station would have been forced to pay $24,000 in back royalties (or approximately $3,000 per month) from this year alone on an arm of the station that generates little or no revenue on its own. It was purely for the benefit of those who were interested in hearing it. Based in Freedom, California, KPIG’s… Read more »

Since 1997, Rush drummer Neil Peart has been tight-lipped about the tragic deaths of his 19-year-old daughter Selena and wife Jackie, both of whom passed away within a 10-month period. Now he’s pouring out his heart about the pain and hopelessness he endured and the road he took to recovery in his new book, “Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road,” which is being published by Canada’s ECW Press. The book features new prose, text from journal entries and letters to friends, providing a personal and emotional day-by-day account of the 14 dark months that followed his wife’s death, and… Read more »

After months of hedging, the Russian Space Agency has finally decided that Lance Bass has the right stuff. The agency has asked the International Space Station Multilateral Coordination Board for permission to launch the ‘NSYNC singer as early as this fall, according to a letter sent to the nation-partners in the International Space Station. “It’s official, he’s their candidate,” confirmed NASA spokesperson Dwayne Brown on Tuesday (July 16). “We did indeed receive a letter nominating Lance Bass for the October flight.” Also on the Russians’ list for the prospective three-person crew are professional cosmonauts Sergei Zalyotin of Russia and Frank… Read more »

Back from a lengthy European jaunt, Lenny Kravitz will launch his thirty-three-date summer tour tomorrow night in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in support of his latest album, Lenny. Abandoned Pools will open all dates, with Pink playing the middle slot. Pink’s presence on the list had nothing to do with label politics coercing a veteran artist to take out a youngster. “She called me up and said she wanted to be on the tour,” Kravitz says. “And she sent me a pair of panties with her name and my name in rhinestones. It said, ‘Lenny’ and ‘Pink’ with a lightning bolt.… Read more »

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will launch an extensive tour in August to coincide with the release of The Rising, their first studio album together in 18 years. The Boss will again be backed by “Sopranos” co-star Steven Van Zandt (guitar), “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” bandleader Max Weinberg (drums), Roy Bittan (keyboards), Nils Lofgren (guitar), Garry Tallent (bass), Patti Scialfa (vocals, guitar), Danny Federici (keyboards) and legendary sax man Clarence Clemons, for what has been appropriately dubbed The Rising Tour. Despite enjoying success as a solo performer in the nearly 20 years since the E Street Band… Read more »

Despite prolonged major success for Nickelback and projects linked to its frontman, Chad Kroeger, the Canadian rockers don’t look to be slowing down any time soon with promoting its multi-platinum album, Silver Side Up. The group has a new single and accompanying video with the song, “Never Again,” a live DVD in the works, and tour dates now scheduled worldwide through December. Nickelback once again collaborated on both the video and the DVD with Nigel Dick, who directed clips for the band’s two previous singles, “How You Remind Me” and “Too Bad.” Kroeger said that the concept of the DVD… Read more »