December 24 [10:00 EDT] -- There's definitely trouble in the Black Grape camp -- if there is a Black Grape camp.

The band's handlers have been denying they've broken up, but Britain's Dot Music confirms that the group have called off all their live dates including tours tentatively set for Australian and Japan in January and February, and the large scale Alexandra Palace New Years Eve party. The band's label had previously reassured fans the New Years Eve date would go ahead even though the band had canceled the last show on their UK tour, a show in Doncaster December 7, citing nervous exhaustion on the part of singer Shaun Ryder.

At that time, their spokespeople issued a statement saying that Ryder had collapsed at soundcheck and blamed it on a grueling touring itinerary combined with a heavy shooting schedule for Ryder's part in the upcoming "The Avengers" big screen movie--even though other sources say that movie wrapped up filming months ago. The statement assured their fans that the band would be back on track in time for the New Years Eve extravaganza where they were co-billed with the Chemical Bros., Roni Size and others. Then Black Grape has canceled that date as well. The plug was also pulled on plans to shoot a video for the band's new single that same week.

Stories of a backstage row at Doncaster soon began surfacing. Britain's New Musical Express' online site reported that Ryder "sacked" the members of Black Grape following a massive backstage row. The NME report added that Ryder could not resolve his differences with rapper and co-founder Kermit and that Kermit had left the group to concentrate on his other band, Manbreak. Black Grape consists of core members Ryder (who started the band after he acrimoniously broke up his previous group, Happy Mondays) and rappers Kermit and Carl aka Psycho, as well as Ged Lynch (drums), Wags (guitar), Martin Slattery (keyboards/ sax).

Ryder told the BBC, "I was very upset having to pull the gig in Doncaster but I am absolutely exhausted and have been told to take time off to rest." A spokeswoman for the band told Dot Music that Ryder collapsed with exhaustion and tempers got frayed, but she continued to deny that the band is done. She told the service their next single, Marbles, will be released February 2 in England and that a video will be shot for the song.

Black Grape's second album, "Stupid, Stupid, Stupid," is now out in Europe and is due for an American release January 27. Unofficial group member and studio whiz Danny Saber, whose recent studio projects include Garbage, David Bowie, U2, and the Rolling Stones produced the record.