In a move that the band claims is the result of The Astroman Genome Project, the interplanetary surf punks known as Man or Astro-man? have produced clones of themselves to do their dirty work on the road... or so they say.

The band, who were intergalactic when the Beastie Boys were merely "ill," are about to wrap up what they are calling The Man or Astro-man? Clone Tour Alpha, in which "clones" of the band take the stage to stand in for the original Astromen.

This Clone Tour Alpha will demonstrate, for the first time ever, the ability of Man or Astro-man? to successfully generate genetic astroman duplicates in the form of actual matured astroman clones," the band writes on its official website (at www.astroman.com). "These clones will be under the close supervision, and control of the original Astro-men? and will provide a live, real time display of perhaps the most substantial scientific breakthrough in music history.

In reality, the band has deputized musicians to play under the Man or Astro-man? banner on various spots on the tour, which wraps up Monday night in Tusculoosa, Alabama.

Preemptively answering the burning question, "Isn't this just some sort of Man or Astro-man cover band," the group writes, "Absolutely not. This tour is under the complete control and direction of the original genome DNA batch group suppliers know as Man or Astro-man?. The performers on stage are direct DNA derivatives of the Astro-men themselves, and therefore, by definition, are, in fact Astro-men. This tour is a technological tour de force, bringing you all the sights and sounds of Man or Astro-man? as never witnessed before.

So there you have it.