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LOS ANGELES (Aug. 3) - Grammy-winning rapper Kanye West will open the first three dates of the Rolling Stones' fall tour of the United States and Canada, a spokeswoman for the British rockers said Thursday.

West will warm up the crowd at Boston's Gillette Stadium Sept. 20, Halifax, Nova Scotia's Halifax Commons Sept. 23, and New Jersey's Giants Stadium Sept. 25.

Shock rocker Alice Cooper and Canadian power-pop band Sloan will also open in Halifax. The only other confirmed opening act is Three Days Grace, which will play two shows in Regina, SK Oct.6 and Oct. 8.

While an opening slot for the Stones is viewed as a prestigious affair, bands have said the pay is not good, and they are often hamstrung by a myriad of rules imposed by the Stones organization.

Everclear frontman Art Alexakis, whose band opened for the Stones in San Francisco last year, recently told Reuters they were repeatedly warned not to play a Stones song. They went ahead and did an improvised version of "Faraway Eyes" anyway.

The members of Metallica , who also opened the San Francisco dates, were prevented from taking photos in the backstage area, according to a report in their fan club magazine. Stones operatives also nixed a Metallica souvenir t-shirt.

Stones fans can be a tough crowd too. Metallica faced a lot of blank stares for perhaps the first time in their career. But at least they weren't pelted with debris like Prince was in 1981, and Meredith Brooks in 1998.