TLC - TLC: 'WE'RE NOT REPLACING LEFT EYE'

TLC singers ROZONDA 'CHILLI' THOMAS and TIONNE 'T-BOZ' WATKINS have lashed out at reports they are "replacing" their late bandmate LISA 'LEFT EYE' LOPES as they seek for a new collaborator.

The NO SCRUBS stars were devastated when Lopes was killed in a Honduras car accident in April 2002, only months before they released their last album 3D.

Last month (NOV04) the remaining bandmembers announced they were looking for a singer to join them in concert and to record one track for the R+B group's upcoming greatest hits album. The search is being filmed for American network UPN's reality show R U THE GIRL WITH T-BOZ AND CHILLI?

Lopes's fans raised concerns the two singers were replacing the late star, but Thomas has angrily responded she would never tamper with her friend's memory by suggesting anyone could fill her shoes.

Thomas says, "Nothing has changed. We're not replacing Lisa. We're not looking for a new member.

"We started out with our fans and it's all about our greatest hits. Basically, we are trying to give back to our fans and find one girl and give her a chance of a lifetime, to do one last performance with TLC.

"We kind of call it, like, fan appreciation. We started together and we want to end it together, and that's something that Lisa would have been fond of."