Justin Timberlake's "Rock Your Body" video will debut on MTV's "Making the Video" on Thursday. Francis Lawrence, who helmed the singer's Britney revenge fantasy a.k.a. the "Cry Me a River" clip, again called the shots. "Cry Me a River," meanwhile, will be released Tuesday (February 18) as a limited-edition maxi CD, with remixes by Junior Vasquez, Basement Jaxx and Dirty Vegas. ... Another round of presenters has been announced for the now very imminent Grammy Awards. The aforementioned J.T. will hit the stage on Sunday to hand out a gramophone, as will last year's Grammy gobbler Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin, Raphael Saadiq, Peter Gabriel, Rod Stewart and more. ...

The American International Toy Fair is holding court in New York this week, and among the new collectibles with a rock bent is an 11-inch figure of the late punk icon Joey Ramone. The figure, expected to be in stores in spring, portrays the singer in his trademark motorcycle jacket, and features removable sunglasses and a mic stand. ...

Freeway got some hometown love from fellow Philadelphia native Ms. Jade last week when she came down to Free's video shoot for his next single, "Alright." Shot by Terry Heller in the City of Brotherly Love, the clip centers around occupants of a forlorn community. Glenn Lewis also makes a cameo. ... The 17th Annual Soul Train Music Awards has added Jennifer Lopez, a reunited Dru Hill, Chris Rock and actor Orlando Jones to its list of presenters. They join previously announced performers Mariah Carey, LL Cool J, Queen Latifah and Justin Timberlake at the ceremony, which will be telecast live in syndication March 1 at 8 p.m. ET. ...

Lifehouse will embark on a North American tour, beginning March 13 in Arlington, Texas. Not only does the trek mark the band's first since the release of their second album, Stanley Climbfall, it's also their first Stateside jaunt with former Calling guitarist Sean Woolstenhulme, brother of Lifehouse drummer Rick, as a permanent band fixture. ...

The 2003 Bonnaroo Music Festival has chosen the newly crowned Dead, Widespread Panic, James Brown and the Allman Brothers Band, as well as hipster rockers Sonic Youth, Tortoise, and Smokey & Miho (guitarist Smokey Hormel and Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori) to take the stage at the three-day festival, which expects more than 60 acts in all. Bonnaroo takes place June 13 in Manchester, Tennessee. ... Former Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg is working on his second album for Vagrant Records. The follow-up to last year's Mono/Stereo double LP is slated to surface in late summer. ...

02.14.03

A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar, the third album by Dashboard Confessional, is being recorded in a Florida studio with producer Gil Norton (Foo Fighters, Pixies). The follow-up to 2001's The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most is expected to arrive in late spring. ...

While any of the witchy women of the WB's "Charmed" can carry the title of heartbreaker, the guest star of the April 6 episode practically put the word on the map. Pat Benatar will perform her 1979 hit "Heartbreaker" at Piper's club, P3. ...

Australian authorities have discovered 500 stolen reel-to-reel masters of recordings believed to be original studio sessions for Abbey Road and The Beatles. The February 14 raid in Sydney was part of a police investigation that last month uncovered tapes in London and Amsterdam of the sessions that eventually became Let It Be. Those tapes were stolen from Abbey Road Studios over 30 years ago. ... Jewel has revealed on her official Web site that her next album will be dominated by dance music. The singer says she's experimenting with R&B rhythms and electronic music and tells fans to expect "fierce grooves and dance beats and futuristic keyboard and retro '80s synth sounds." She also divulges that the as-yet-untitled album will be produced by Lester Mendez, whom she credits for co-writing most of the new songs as well. ...

Mogwai, in the midst of working on their fourth album, have put their drummer's pacemaker up for sale on eBay. The high bidder, whose cash will be donated to the British Heart Foundation, also gets Martin Bulloch's European pacemaker I.D. card, his hospital wristband, the Japanese version of Mogwai's My Father My King and a vinyl test-pressing of the band's Rock Action. ... Almost two years after his split with the mathematically inclined noisecore band, former Dillinger Escape Plan vocalist Dimitri Minikakis has reemerged with Tokyo, who are currently completing demo recordings and will make their live debut April 6 at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia. ...

Following the premiere of the first untitled video from their third album, ( ), at last month's Sundance Film Festival, Icelandic sound-sculpters Sigur Ros will embark on a North American tour that kicks off with a sold-out March 15 show in Boston. The 18-date outing winds down April 8 in Oakland, California. ... Former member of Powell Peralta's legendary Bones Brigade pro-skate team, Tommy Guerrero, is putting the finishing touches on his second album, Soul Food Taqueria. The follow-up to 2000's A Little Bit of Something displays elements of anti-folk, hip-hop, jazz, blues and funk, among other elements, and is expected to drop in May. ...

• Justin Timberlake
• Jennifer Lopez
• Alicia Keys
• The Ramones
• Joey Ramone

Cee-Lo
Photo: Arista

The movie may be as anticipated as "Spider-Man," but the soundtrack? Not so sure. Nevertheless, John Williams' "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" score hits shelves this week.

From the files of When Band Members Regroup/Go Solo, the Kickovers — a group made up of ex-Weezer bassist Mikey Welsh and former Mighty Mighty Bosstones guitarist Nate Albert — issue their first album, Osaka, this week, while closet freak and Goodie Mob member Cee-Lo unleashes Cee-Lo Green & His Perfect Imperfections.

Other releases to look out for are Classic Chillout Album, a compilation featuring Moby, Dido and Sade;When I Was Cruel, the umpteenth album from Elvis Costello; and Stereo, the Vagrant debut of ex-Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg. Cornershop generously dole out Handcream for a Generation on their LP, which features Noel Gallagher of Oasis, and Badly Drawn Boy returns with the soundtrack LP "About a Boy," his first full-length release since The Hour of Bewilderbeast.

There's also an embarrassment of riches available for Wilco fans, as their long-delayed Yankee Hotel Foxtrot finally hits stores, as does frontman Jeff Tweedy's solo soundtrack LP, "Chelsea Walls." Meanwhile, Jay Bennett, who left the band last year, releases The Palace at 4 A.M., recorded with Edward Burch.

Finally, if it's felt like a long time since the last Michael Bolton release, that's because it has been. Coming back stronger, sexier and more soulful than ever before, the crooner gives fans Only a Woman Like You.

  Out Tuesday, April 23:

• 10cc - Alive in Japan (BMG)
• 12 Stones - 12 Stones (Wind-up)
• Acid House Kings - Mondays Are Like Tuesdays (Hidden Agenda)
• Agiel - Dark Pantheons Again Will Reign (Unique Leader)
• Akwid - 2002 A.D. (Two K Sounds)
• Alfie - A Word in Your Ear (XL/Beggars Banquet)
• Audra - Going to the Theatre (Projekt)
• Autopilot Off - Autopilot Off (EP, Island)
• Susana Baca - Espiritu Vivo (Luaka Bop)
• Badly Drawn Boy - "About a Boy" soundtrack (Artist Direct)
  Read about it ... About A Badly Drawn Boy: Singer/Songwriter Does Soundtrack
• Philip Bailey - Soul on Jazz (Heads Up)
• Jay Bennett & Edward Burch - The Palace at 4 A.M. (Undertow)
• Big Moe - Purple World (Wreckshop)
  Read about it ... DJ Screw Protege Big Moe Spills 'Purple Stuff'
• Black Tape for a Blue Girl - The Scavenger Bride (Projekt)
• Michael Bolton - Only a Woman Like You (Jive)
• Brute - Nine High a Pallet (Velocette)
• Carbon Leaf - Ether-Electrified Porch Music (Constant Ivy)
• Cee-Lo - Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections (Arista)
  Read about it ... Cee-Lo Is Water And A Wig-Wearing 'Closet Freak' On Solo Debut
• Kenny Chesney - No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems (BNA)
• Tom Clark & the High Action Boys - Cross-Eyed & Bow-Legged (Blacksmith)
• W.C. Clark - From Austin With Soul (Alligator)
• Cornershop Handcream for a Generation (Wiija/Beggars Banquet)
  Read about it ... Gump-Like Cornershop Learn Lessons From 'Rocky' On New LP
• Elvis Costello - When I Was Cruel (Island)
• Damon and Naomi - Song to the Siren (two CDs) (Sub Pop)
• Death Threat - For God & Government (Triple Crown)
• Deeds of the Flesh - Inbreeding the Anthropophagi (Unique Leader)
• Kevin Denney – Kevin Denney (Lyric Street)
• The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Medicated Magic (Ropeadope/Atlantic)
• Dishwalla - Opaline (Immergent)
• Florence Dore - Perfect City (Slewfoot)
• Earth, Wind & Fire - That's the Way of the World: Alive in '75 (Legacy)
• Mark Eitzel - Music for Courage & Confidence (New West)
• Entety - Cadaveric Necrogrind (World War III)
• Cor Fijneman - Mesmer 1 (Razor & Tie)
• John Forte - I, John (Kinetic)
• Frost - Still Up in This S#*T! (In the Paint)
• Gada - Addictive Lifestyle (Nuff Nuff)
• Gay Dad - Transmission (Thirsty Ear)
• Hate Theory - Hate Theory (World War III)
• Hot Hot Heat - Knock Knock Knock (Sub Pop)
• Jim Hurst - Second Son (Pinecastle)
• Insight - Updated Software V.2.5 (Landspeed)
• Bert Jansch - Dazzling Stranger: Anthology (Castle America)
• Jerry Joseph & the Jackmormons - Conscious Contact (Terminus)
• Joeski & Onoinz - Nu-York Nite Life (NRK)
• K's Choice - Almost Happy (Sony)
• Nik Kershaw - To Be Frank (Koch)
• The Kickovers - Osaka (Fenway)
• King Kong - Big Bang (Drag City)
• Greg Long - Balance (Shadow)
• Joe Lovano - Viva Caruso (Blue Note)
• Luna - Romantica (Jetset)
• Lupine Howl - Vaporizer EP (Beggars Banquet)
• Mad Happy - Feel Good Music for the Broke Middle Classes (Bar None)
• John Martyn - Patterns in the Rain: Anthology (Castle America)
• The Meat Purveyors - All Relationships Are Doomed to Fail (Bloodshot)
• Kylie Minogue - Hits + (Arista)
• Mae Moore - It's a Funny World (Paras Group)
• Mortal Decay - Forensic (Unique Leader)
• Peter Murphy - Dust (Metropolis)
• Non-Phixion - Future Is Now (Landspeed)
• NRBQ - NRBQ Live From Mountain Stage (Black Pumpkin)
• The Octopus Project - Identification Parade (Peekaboo)
• Organic Grooves - 4 (Codek)
• Oxymoron - Best Before 2000 (GMM)
• Oxymoron - Feed the Breed (GMM)
• Eddie Palmieri - La Perfecta II (Concord Picante)
• Palomar - Palomar II (Self Starter Foundation)
• Pet Shop Boys - Release (Sanctuary)
  Read about it ... Pet Shop Boys 'In Love' With Gay Eminem Character
• Gary Primich - Dog House Music (Antone's)
• Primus - Frizzle Fry (reissue, Prawn Song)
• Primus - Suck on This (reissue, Prawn Song)
• The Promise Ring - Woodwater (Anti/Epitaph)
• Rae & Christian - Mixer Presents Rewind (Razor & Tie)
• Racer X - Snowball of Doom (Shrapnel)
• Toshi Reagon - Toshi (Razor & Tie)
• Reid Speed - Resonance (Breakbeat Science)
• Will Rigby - Paradoxaholic (Diesel Only)
• RL - RL:Ements (J Records)
• Rovo - Tonic 2001 (Tzadik)
• Savatage - Dungeons Are Calling (Metal Blade)
• Daryle Singletary - That's Why I Sing This Way (Audium)
• Charlie Sizemore - The Story Is ... The Songs of Tom T. Hall (Rebel)
• Sloan - Pretty Together (RCA)
• Darden Smith - Sunflower (Dualtone)
• Sneaker Pimps - Bloodsport (Tommy Boy)
• Soul Hooligan - Music Like Dirt (Maverick)
• Stevens Sisters - Little by Little (Rounder)
• Step Kings - 3 the Hard Way (We Put Out)
• Curtis Stigers - Secret Heart (Concord Jazz)
• Still Breathing - September (Solid State)
• Stir Crazy - Stir Crazy (Global Ent.)
• Simon Stokes - Honky (Uppercut/Disgruntled)
• The Stranglers - Live in Concert (Castle America)
• Strike Boys - Grapefruit Flavoured Green Tea Time (Stereo Deluxe)
• Strung Out - An American Paradox (Fat Wreck Chords)
• Tall Paul - Back & Forth (Moonshine)
• James Talley - Touchstones (Cimarron)
• Templars - Reconquista 1994-1998 (GMM)
• Toy Dolls - We're Mad! The Anthology (Castle America)
• Tuatara - Cinemathique (Fast Horse)
• Jeff Tweedy - "Chelsea Walls" soundtrack (Rykodisc)
• Unwed Sailor - Firecracker EP (Constant Ivy)
• Vinyl - Flea Market (Tornado)
• The Walkabouts - Ended Up as a Stranger (Innerspace)
• Waterboys - Waterboys (Chrysalis)
• Wayward Shamans - Alchemy (Fedora)
• Paul Westerberg - Stereo (Vagrant)
• Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (Nonesuch/Atlantic)
  Read about it ... Jeff Tweedy Describes Wilco's Evolution
• John Williams – "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" soundtrack  (Sony Classical)
• Luther Wright and the Wrongs - Rebuild the Wall (Back Porch)
• Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter (reissue, Columbia)
• Frank Zappa - Threesome #1 (Rykodisc)
• Frank Zappa - Threesome #2 (Rykodisc)
• Various artists - "Ansel Adams" soundtrack (Green Linnet)
• Various artists - Because We Care: Benefit for the Children's Hospital of Orange County (Glue Factory/Oglio)
• Various artists - Best of House Vol. 2 (Robin's Ent.)
• Various artists - Classic Chillout Album (Epic)
• Various artists - "Dark Angel" soundtrack (Artemis)
• Various artists - Exposure (Four Foot Eleven)
• Various artists - Full Cycle Live! (Full Cycle)
• Various artists - Glasgow Underground Presents - Explorations in Chill (Paras Group)
• Various artists - Hed Kandi: Disco Heaven (Hed Kandi)
• Various artists - My Favorite Things - A Richard Rodgers Celebration (RCA Victor)
• Various artists - Monster Disco (Razor & Tie)
• Various artists - "The New Guy" soundtrack (Epic)
• Various artists - Progressive Development 01 (Nettwerk)
• Various artists - Stereo Sushi Vol. 2 (Hed Kandi)
• Various artists - Trance: The Progressive Experience (Capitol)
• Various artists - Ultimate After Hours Vol. 2 (Groovilicious)

April 30:

• Blackalicious - Blazing Arrow (MCA)
  Read about it ... Zack De La Rocha Joining Blackalicious On Blazing Arrow
• Donell Jones - Life Goes On (Arista)
• Various artists - "Spider-Man" soundtrack (Columbia)
  Read about it ... 'Spider-Man' Theme To Come Courtesy Of Aerosmith

May 7:

• Grandmaster Flash - Essential Mix (Warner)
  Read about it ... Grandmaster Flash Brings Back '70s, '80s Beats On Essential Mix
• Musiq - Juslisten (Island/Def Jam)
  Read about it ... Musiq Soulchild Croons Conversation Pieces On Juslisen
• Naughty by Nature - Iicons (TVT)
  Read about it ... Naughty By Nature, 3LW Save The Day
• Various artists - Family Values Tour 2001(Elektra)
  Read about it ... Aaron Lewis Assists STP, Linkin Park On Family Values CD

May 14:

• Atticus Fault - Atticus Fault (Island/Def Jam)
• Various artists - Now Presents Urban Hits (Columbia)

May 21:

• Breeders - Title TK (Elektra)
• Tommy Lee - Never a Dull Moment (MCA)
• Raphael Saadiq - Instant Vintage (Universal)

June 4:

• Eminem - The Eminem Show (Interscope)
  Read about it ... The Doc's Diagnosis: Eminem Still Crazy
• Lil' Romeo - Game Time (Universal/No Limit)
  Read about it ... Lil' Romeo Battles His Evil Twin On B-Ball Court

• Cee-Lo
• Wilco
• Elvis Costello
• Paul Westerberg
• Cornershop

Former Replacements frontman and current solo artist Paul Westerberg has captured the making of his latest album, "Suicane Gratifaction," on film and is piecing together a short documentary on the subject.

• Paul Westerberg

Former - Replacements - frontman - turned - solo - singer/songwriter Paul Westerberg plans to deliver his next effort, "Suicaine Gratifaction," next year marking his first release with Capitol Records.

"It's f***ed-up folk music," Westerberg promised in an announcement trumpeting the album's release.

"This is a dark record," Westerberg added. "You'd be hard pressed to find a joke on it, which might be the greatest departure, because there's always at least one joke on my records, but I don't think this one has one."

Speaking about the album's nonsensical title, Westerberg explained, "Over the years, I've come up with words that I guess are incorrect but mean something to me. I don't want to think about it too deeply other than the fact that it seems wrong, and therefore it's attractive to me."

This time out, Westerberg worked in New York, Los Angeles and, of course, his home studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As we first reported in March of this year, Westerberg hooked up with producer Don Was for the album, and also worked with guitarist Mike Campbell, drummer Steve Ferrone, keyboardist Benmont Tench, and bassist Ron Blair of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers for at least a portion of the record (see "Paul Westerberg Records With Heartbreakers").

The album will mark Westerberg's first release since he hooked up with Capitol in the summer of 1997.

• Paul Westerberg

Former Replacements frontman Paul Westerberg has teamed up with various members of Tom Petty's backing band, the Heartbreakers, to lay down a new track for Westerberg's upcoming solo album.

The song, entitled "Whatever Makes You Happy," was recorded in Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell's home studio by producer Don Was and features Campbell, drummer Steve Ferrone and bassist Ron Blair. A source close to Westerberg says that "Happy" will probably be the first single off his as-yet-untitled new album for Capitol Records, which should arrive in stores in the fall.

The track is just the latest in a string of collaborations between Westerberg and the Heartbreakers, dating back to when the Replacements opened for Petty in 1990. Petty later copped the line "rebel without a clue" from the 'Mats' "I'll Be You" for his 1991 song, "Into the Great Wide Open."

"Happy" also marks the auspicious return of Blair, who hadn't played on a track since he left Petty's band in 1982 (but Blair has not replaced Howie Epstein as the Heartbreakers' bassist).

• Tom Petty
• Paul Westerberg

August 12 [14:00 EDT] -- Billboard is reporting that former Replacements mainstay Paul Westerberg has finally inked his deal with Capitol Records. The two entities are thought to have had a verbal commitment for quite some time.

The news comes just as a five song EP under the moniker GrandpaBoy is arriving in stores courtesy of the independent Boston-based Monolyth/Soundproof label. A Grandpaboy single, "Give Me My Money Back," was released in May. The new self-titled CD includes the tracks "Hot Un," "Ain't Done Much," "Psychopharmacology," "Lush and Green," and "Homelesssexual."

Westerberg's name doesn't appear on the records, but none-the-less, Grandpabody's true identity remains, as planned, an ill-kept secret. A video is scheduled for "Hot Un," which should make the identity game all the more fun.

Westerberg walked out of a 12 year relationship with Reprise earlier this year and now his old label is planning a 2-CD Replacements retrospective. The first disk, due October 21, is called "All for Nothing" and includes highlights from the band's four Reprise albums. The second CD is called "Nothing for All" and contains unreleased material, promotional and compilation releases and other rarities.

• Paul Westerberg

June 7, 1996 -- The Replacements may be a part of punk-pop history by now, but band-leader Paul Westerberg is back on the scene with his second solo album, called "Eventually" -- which is out exactly 3 years after his first solo album, "14 Songs." Alison Stewart welcomed him back.

STEWART: Drifting away from his garage guitar past, Paul Westerberg has returned, looking dapper and daring to release a pretty pop record called "Eventually."

PAUL WESTERBERG: I think I would have liked this record when I was in my teens but I would have been afraid to tell everyone that I liked it. But it has that quality of, like, old Carly Simon records or something that... I've always loved that stuff but I had to pretend for a good ten years that that wasn't cool. It was like, ah no. Those records went way to the back of your collection.

ALISON STEWART: So many people describe pop songs. They always put the word "little" or "silly."

WESTERBERG: A silly little pop song.

STEWART: Why be so dismissive of the pop song?

WESTERBERG: It depends where you are. I think in England they have a better perception of what pop is. To me, pop embodies it all. You know, rock and roll is part of pop. I think people are afraid to make a catchy tune.

STEWART: What are the elements of a catchy tune?

WESTERBERG: For me, it gives me goose bumps. I mean, that's how I know if I've got something that's good, and you want to hear it again as soon as it's over. I mean, you ever bought records like that? You listen to one song and its like bang, bang, bang, again and again and again.

STEWART: The Replacements, Westerberg's former band, wrote many of those kind of songs and often played them stoned drunk -- but now at thirty six, Paul's left both the band and booze behind. (To Westerberg) May I ask you about your sobriety?

WESTERBERG: Sure.

STEWART: Did it change the way you wrote?

WESTERBERG: No, but it changed... I was able to tell if I wrote a piece of crap really quick. When you're drunk, you can't tell. You think it's good and you might be drunk the next day when you hear it again, and you might be drunk every day when you record it, and then one day you sober up and six years later... and it's like, "That's no good."

STEWART: Unfortunately, founding member of The Replacements, Bob Stinson never sobered up and died last year of substance abuse. He is remembered in Westerberg's ballad "Good Day." (To Westerberg) Is "Good Day" written about Bob?

WESTERBERG: Well it... Bob helped me finish it. Let's just leave it at that.

STEWART: "Eventually" is Paul Westerberg's best work yet. That according to Paul Westerberg who makes this offer to those listeners who might not agree with him.

WESTERBERG: You're gonna like it. You know, if you like it now, great. If you don't, hang on to it, in five years play it again. It' s like, ya know, if you don't like it by then, I'll come and give you your money back.

• Paul Westerberg