Fans didn't want to believe Prodigy's Liam Howlett when he announced last year that there would be no more Prodigy albums after 1997's The Fat of the Land, explaining that there was too much pressure on him while he was creating them.| Especially not Keith Flint, who refuted his partner's claim by saying, "I wouldn't be able to get a job doing anything else." Later Howlett recanted -- sort of -- when he told reporters that his quote was just "something I say just to make myself feel more comfortable." But we're beginning to wonder, since Prodigy's spokesperson says that the band doesn't have a new album scheduled for this year. In fact, they haven't been working in Howlett's Essex studio at all. Howlett, however has been busy with other projects, including The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume 1, which was released earlier this month. You can't really call it a Prodigy album, since it's really a tour de force of Howlett's considerable DJ prowess. While Howlett may shun the company of his own bandmates, he has taken on the task of remixing "Supersonic," one of the tracks from Jamiroquai's new album, Synkronized. According to British music industry website Dotmusic, Howlett has added his own flourishes, transforming the song into more of a trance record than even Jay Kaye intended. But Kaye told reporters that he didn't intend to duplicate his earlier efforts, and has left the R&B-infused stuff behind. "I wanted a harder thing because to be fair some of the older tracks are not me." As for Prodigy, they are just winding up their abbreviated world tour, which took them to South Africa, St. Petersburg, Russia, and, lastly, to Bulgaria's Sofia Festivalna Hall on May 1. Their spokesperson says there are no further plans for the band to tour this year, so don't expect to see their cranky visages on any festival stages this summer. The group's Leeroy Thornhill is expected to take part in the Music Industry Soccer Six tournament to be held on May 29 in Stamford Bridge, home of the Chelsea Foot Ball club. Joining him will be Damon Albarn, Robbie Williams, Mick Hucknall and members of Bush and James . . .

Call it dumb luck. Just as Wu-Tang Clan rebel Ol' Dirty Bastard enlists high-powered lawyer Robert Shapiro to defend him against charges of illegally sporting a bulletproof vest, he has an unrelated case dismissed from court. On Monday, April 19, a Los Angeles judge threw out the case against ODB (ne Russell Tyrone Jones) which charged that the rapper threatened to kill a former girlfriend back in November. According to the state prosecutor, the evidence against ODB was insufficient to bring to trial. However, Jones' other cases (including the aforementioned vest issue, a crack-possession charge and another terrorist-threat case from September) seem quite enough to keep the rapper and his legal eagles busy for some time . . .

Get out the AquaNet. Headbangers of the world unite as the Scorpions join Motley Crue on stage at forty-plus venues across the continent on their Maximum Rock tour. Here's the complete itinerary:

June 29: Washington, D.C., Merriweather Post
June 30: Wantagh, N.Y., Jones Beach
July 2: Holmdel, N.J., PNC Bank Arts Center
July 3: Hartford, Conn., The Meadows
July 6: Boston, Tweeter Center
July 7: Philadelphia, E-Center
July 9: Pittsburgh, Starlake Amphitheater
July 10: Indianapolis, Deer Creek Ampitheater
July 11: Columbus, Polaris Ampitheater
July 13: Detroit, Pine Knob
July 14: Cincinnati, Riverbend
July 16: Cadott, Wis., Chippewa Music Festival
July 17: Chicago, the World
July 18: Milwaukee, Alpine Valley Music Festival
July 20: Colorado Springs, World Arena
July 21: Denver, Red Rock Amphitheater
July 23: Rapid City, S.D., Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
July 24: Casper, Wyo., Casper Events Center
July 25: Billings, Mont., Metrapark
July 27: Pocatello, Idaho, Holt Arena
July 28: Boise, Idaho, Idaho City Ampitheater
July 30: Portland, Ore., RG-Theater of the Clouds
July 31: Seattle, the George Ampitheater
August 3: Reno, Nev., Reno Pavillion
August 4: San Francisco, Concord Pavillion
August 6: San Diego, Coors Amphitheater
August 7: Bakersfield, Calif., Centennial Gardens
August 8: Fresno, Calif., Selland Arena
August 10: Salt Lake City, E-Center
August 11: Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay Events Center
August 13: Los Angeles, Universal Amphitheater
August 14: San Bernardino, Calif., Blockbuster Pavilion
August 15: Phoenix, Desert Sky Pavilion
August 17: Albuquerque, N.M., Tingley Coliseum
August 18: El Paso, UTEP
August 20: Dallas, Starplex Amphitheater
August 21: San Antonio, Freeman Coliseum
August 22: Oklahoma City, All Sports Stadium
August 24: Nashville, First American Music Center
August 27: Biloxi, Miss., Mississippi Coast Coliseum
August 28: Little Rock, Ark., Riverfront Amphitheater
August 29: Houston, Woodlands Pavilion . . .

After posting his $15,000 bail (in cash, natch), Sean "Puffy" Combs was free to go home Friday night, April 16, after a long afternoon in police custody. The rap mogul had turned himself in to the NYPD earlier that day and was charged with second-degree assault and criminal mischief for his alleged role in the beating of Interscope Records exec and Nas manager Steve Stoute on April 15. Combs, who faces up to seven years in jail if convicted, is due to appear in court again on June 24. He did not enter a plea and left without commenting to reporters, according to the Associated Press. The rapper reportedly had issues with a scene of him in the Nas video for "Hate Me Now" in which he's nailed to a cross: Combs wanted the scene cut out, but Stoute had already sent the clip to MTV. Stoute told the AP that he did not produce the video, and didn't know why Combs and two other men -- whom police are still looking for -- stormed into his office and punched, kicked and pummeled him with a chair, champagne bottle and phone. According to Saturday's New York Post, Combs was captured on video surveillance entering and exiting the Interscope offices, but a spokesperson at the District Attorney's office could not confirm this. Late Friday afternoon, a spokesperson at Interscope's parent company, Universal Records, said the incident was under investigation, but had no further comment Monday. A call to Combs' lawyer, Jay Goldberg, was not returned by press time. . .

Phil Lesh isn't the only one who has phriends. Even after Trey Anastasio and Page McConnell's grueling three-night stand with the former Grateful Dead bassist, the Phishy duo still had enough life in them to join longtime pal Carlos Santana at the Fillmore on Sunday night (April 18). Phish had opened up for the legendary guitarist in 1994, so Anastasio and McConnell paid back the favor when they joined him on three songs: Marvin Gaye's "Right On," John Coltrane's "Living Space" and Santana's "Everybody's Everything." In other Santana news, the icon was honored last week with the Special Achievement award at the annual American Latino Media Arts ceremony; the guitarist was recognized for both his musical and his many humanitarian accomplishments. Carlos showed his appreciation by performing "Dale Yaleo," a cut form his forthcoming album . . .

Though David Gilmour told the BBC late last November that there is no new album, tour or millennium concert on tap for Pink Floyd, composer Michael Kamen, who worked with Floyd on the 1982 film The Wall and keeps in touch with the band, hinted that Gilmour's pronouncement might have been a bit on the dire side. "I think the answer to that one is just wait," Kamen said. "I see them a lot, but music is not the only thing in their lives. Be patient." Fortunately, it still occupies a special place in Marianne Faithfull's heart. She asked Floyd founding bassist Roger Waters if she might borrow one of their long-lost cuts for her upcoming Vagabond Ways, which will see the light of day on June 14. Apparently still charmed by the throaty beauty, Waters dug into his personal files and came up with "Incarnation of a Flower Child," a song demoed by Pink Floyd in 1968 -- when Syd Barrett was still in the band -- but never recorded. Originally considered for inclusion on the band's Saucerful of Secrets album, the song seems to refer to Barrett's unbalanced emotional state. You decide: "In your little white room with your windows/And three square sedations a day" . . .

HEIDI SHERMAN, RICHARD SKANSE, JAAN UHELSZKI(April 20, 1999)