Billboard Artist Of The Day: Morphene

"What is normally a joyous process, putting out an album for public consumption, is now difficult and bittersweet, because Mark isn't here to do it with us," Conway says. "But we all worked really hard on this record, and Mark would expect us to go on. Mark would want Morphine fans to hear this music."

Bandmate and saxophonist Dana Colley agrees. "Musically, I am positive this will stand up as a great Morphine record. I have no question about that. Whether or not I will be able to enjoy it is another story.

"Mark was smiling when we finished 'Night' last spring and turned it in to DreamWorks," adds Colley. "We wouldn't have gone forward with this project if we weren't certain he was proud of it."

Apparently, DreamWorks -- which will release the set Feb. 1 -- wouldn't have either.

To help preserve the band's legacy, DreamWorks is putting together a documentary on Morphine and the life of Sandman (supervised by the remaining members) that will be serviced to the press and video outlets and be used on official Internet sites.

Between four original albums ("Good," "Cure For Pain," "Yes," and "Like Swimming") and a B-sides collection, Morphine has sold more than 805,000 records, according to SoundScan, and has been building a base at radio and retail.

Triple-A, NPR, and modern rock will be serviced in January with a three-song sampler containing "The Night," "A Good Woman Is Hard To Find," and "I'm Yours, You're Mine." Another track, "Rope On Fire," will be on a Coalition Of Independent Music Stores sampler.

The Internet will be key in promoting the new set, and the band and manager Deborah Klein also intend to use the Web to raise money for the Mark Sandman Music Education Fund, dedicated to promoting innovative and creative approaches to children's music education.

The tribute song "Gone Again Gone" by Moveable Bubble (made up of Colley, Conway, and friends including former Presidents Of The United States Of America vocalist Chris Ballew and musician Billy Beard) will be available Dec. 14 for digital download for $1.99 on www.morphine3.com, and E-tailers such as CDnow and Liquid Audio. The track will not be included on the new album.