Foo Fighters, Raconteurs Rock Austin City Limits

Rock'n'roll was the order of the day for the close of Austin City Limits on Sunday (Sept. 28), as Foo Fighters, the Raconteurs, Against Me! and Band Of Horses delivered powerful sets. Foo Fighters lead singer Dave Grohl marveled in the band's first appearance at the event, telling the audience, "You've got something really cool here."

Grohl and company's set spanned its 13-year career, from the early favorite "Monkey Wrench" to the new single "Long Road To Ruin." The group also covered the Mose Allison-penned/the Who-popularized "Young Man Blues" and turned the stage over to drummer Taylor Hawkins for a five-minute solo.

A potential disaster was averted midway through the set while Grohl was introducing his bandmates. A young man darted across the stage, but was abruptly tackled before he could do anything. "He's just a drunken college dork," Grohl quipped. "I've been there."

Earlier in the evening, the Raconteurs were in fine spirits despite Jack White complaining about a back problem. "Steady As She Goes," "Level" and "Hold Up" heated things up quickly, with White and Brendan Benson trading off vocal duties throughout.

Pop-punkers Against Me! drew one the largest afternoon crowds and tore through a blistering 16-song set, raging through quick but powerful versions of "Don't Lose Touch," "Sink, Florida, Sink" and "Thrash Unreal." Meanwhile, Band Of Horses turned what on record sound like serious songs ("The Funeral," "Is There a Ghost") into uplifting guitar anthems, and also excelled on "The Great Salt Lake" and "Ode to LRC."

Fans who weren't in the mood for loud guitars got a dose of more laidback folk with Gillian Welch's set. Alison Krauss joined Welch and guitarist David Rawlings for an a cappella version of "Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby," which they performed on the "O Brother Where Art Thou?" soundtrack. Welch also shined on "Revelator" and "Look At Miss Ohio," while new tunes "Knuckleball Catcher" (inspired by Welch's time living in Boston) and "Sweet Tooth" hinted at her next album.

Meanwhile, the television series that serves as the inspiration for Austin City Limits begins its 34th season next month, and over the weekend, episodes were taped with Gnarls Barkley, Drive-By Truckers, the Swell Season, Erykah Badu and Foo Fighters. R.E.M. gets things rolling on Oct. 4 with an episode taped during South by Southwest.

Web Radio Darling Pandora Breathes Easier, For Now

Who says our elected officials can't get anything done? In addition to hammering out a $700 billion Wall Street bailout deal over the weekend, lawmakers extended a lifeline to Internet radio companies like Pandora, who are trying to lower the fees they're supposed to pay for streaming music rights.

Last night the House passed a bill that essentially gives Pandora and other Webcasters the ability to negotiate with the music business over royalty rates (see press release below). It's expected to clear the Senate in the next few days. Webcasters, led by Pandora's Tim Westergren, have warned that if the bill didn't pass, many of them would end up pulling the plug.

But the bill itself doesn't ensure that Internet radio will survive. Assuming it goes forward, it will simply give Webcasters the ability to continue haggling with the music industry over "performance royalties" -- the fees they're required to music owners each they stream a song. Tim and other Webcasters won't actually tell us what they're willing to pay, except that it's less than what Congress signed off on last year.

And the Internet radio business also has to resolve something that can't get fixed in Washington: How to generate real revenue from their services, since advertisers have so far shied away. If that doesn't happen, it won't matter what how much Internet radio pays the music business: The costs are always going to exceed the revenues.

UPDATE: We're stuck in 2005, says Tim. His full response:

We're going to generate over $20M of revenue in just our 3rd year. I think it's fair to say that we're rapidly solving the monetization issue. Advertisers love the medium, it just takes some time
to break through when you're still growing your comscore numbers.

--------------

Webcasters and Recording Industry Welcome
Passage of H.R. 7084

Bill Would Enable Implementation of Negotiated Agreements

Washington, DC – The House of Representatives last night approved by voice vote must-pass legislation that would benefit all webcasters -- large, small, non-commercial and simulcasters. The Digital Media Association (DiMA), SoundExchange, National Public Radio (NPR) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) all applauded the swift action taken by the House. It now moves to the Senate where supporters are hoping for quick passage.

The legislation (H.R. 7084) sponsored by Reps. Inslee, Berman, Smith, Conyers and Manzullo authorizes SoundExchange, on behalf of copyright owners and performers, to negotiate new royalty agreements for Internet radio through February 15, 2009 with Digital Media Association (DiMA), National Public Radio (NPR) and any other Internet radio service. It will benefit all webcasters, including broadcast simulcasters. This modification to existing law was introduced because Congress will be out of session as discussions between the parties continue, and it enables implementation of an agreement in the event the parties can reach an accord.

“Everyone is grateful to the sponsors of the bill and to Chairman Berman for getting this through the House last night,” said John Simson, Executive Director of SoundExchange. “This bill favors all webcasters and simulcasters – large and small. It paves the way for SoundExchange to use the coming months to pursue helpful solutions that allow all services to focus on business development. And, although there are no agreements yet, I am hopeful.”

Jonathan Potter, Executive Director of DiMA was also encouraged. “This is an important step. Hopefully the Senate will follow suit and we can return, energized, to negotiations.”

“This legislation benefits all music webcasters and excludes none," said Michael Riksen, NPR VP of Policy & Representation. “Passage will facilitate closure of an agreement to enable all public radio stations to continue their public service through the webcasting of music.”

Nothing in this bill affects the scope of sound recording performance rights or any underlying copyright law.

Supporters are hopeful the Senate will take up the bill prior to adjournment and it will be sent to President Bush for his signature. The parties expect negotiations to resume upon enactment of the bill.

Nick Cave To Pen Second Novel

Nearly 20 years since his debut novel, Nick Cave will put pen to paper for a second work of fiction, "The Death of Bunny Munro." Canongate has acquired world rights for the book, due in September 2009.

The book traces the fortunes of one man and his son on a road trip around the south coast of England following the suicide of his wife.

"Nick is one of the great forces in contemporary culture -- not just an outstanding musician and singer, but also a superb writer, be it of lyrics, screenplays, music scores or novels," says Canongate publisher/managing director Jamie Byng. "This novel is going to shock and amaze a lot of people."

Canongate is planning a multimedia launch, with an audiobook narrated by Cave and an e-book launching simultaneously. A signed and numbered limited edition will also be available, as will a special e-book version combining Cave's narration with an original "soundscape".

Cave's previous foray into fiction was 1989's "And the Ass Saw the Angel," which is available in two special editions via Black Spring Press.

In other Cave news, the artist is working with longtime collaborator John Hillcoat on the soundtrack for a forthcoming film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road," which is due out in November.

TV on the Radio: Dancing Choose (Live on the Late Show with David Letterman) (Video)

Hollywood legend Paul Newman has died of cancer at the age of 83

Hollywood legend Paul Newman has died of cancer at the age of 83, his spokeswoman has confirmed.

The blue-eyed star of films like Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid had died at home on Friday surrounded by family and close friends, said Jeff Sanderson.

Newman was nominated for an Oscar 10 times, winning the best actor award in 1987 for The Color Of Money.

His Butch Cassidy co-star Robert Redford led tributes, saying: "I have lost a real friend."

"There is a point where feelings go beyond words," he added.

"My life - and this country - is better for his being in it."

Retired

In May 2007, Newman said he was giving up acting because he could no longer perform to the best of his ability.

"I'm not able to work any more... at the level that I would want to," he told US broadcaster ABC.

"You start to lose your memory, you start to lose your confidence, you start to lose your invention.

"So I think that's pretty much a closed book for me."

Earlier this year, he pulled out of directing a stage production of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men in Connecticut because of unspecified health problems.

Sam Mendes, who directed Newman in 2002's Road To Perdition, said the actor was "an extraordinary man in every respect".

"The thing I remember the most about him is his total lack of ego and his lack of entourage and his lack of hangers-on.

"He demanded to be seen as a working actor and not a movie star."

Broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson, who interviewed Newman for a documentary, said the star had been "a real giant of the cinema".

"He was the link between the great time of Hollywood, the Cary Grant and people like that, and Tom Cruise," he told BBC News.

"He fills the gap between the two, and fills it in a most extraordinary, dominant manner."

Hit films

SELECT FILMOGRAPHY
Cool Hand Luke
The Silver Chalice, 1955
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, 1958
The Hustler, 1961
Hud, 1963
Cool Hand Luke, 1967
Rachel Rachel (director), 1968
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 1969
The Sting, 1973
The Towering Inferno, 1974
Absence of Malice, 1981
The Verdict, 1982
The Color of Money, 1986
Nobody's Fool, 1994
Road to Perdition, 2002
Cars (voice), 2006


Although his handsome looks and piercing blue eyes made him an ideal romantic lead, Newman often played rebels, tough guys and losers.

"I was always a character actor," he once said. "I just looked like Little Red Riding Hood."

He appeared in some 60 movies, including Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, The Hustler, The Sting and Hud.

Along the way, he worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood - including Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Altman, Martin Scorsese, Elizabeth Taylor, Lauren Bacall and Tom Hanks.

He also appeared with his wife, Joanne Woodward, in several films including Long Hot Summer and Paris Blues. The star later directed his wife in movies such as Rachel, Rachel and The Glass Menagerie.

But his most famous screen partner was undoubtedly Robert Redford, his sidekick in both Butch Cassidy and The Sting.

He is survived by his wife, five children, two grandsons and his older brother Arthur. He will truly be missed.

Mission of Burma news and Seattle ticket giveaway!

Mission of Burma are finally hitting the WEST COAST with some VERY special dates celebrating the Definitive Edition reissues of "Signals, Calls, and Marches" and "Vs." out now on Matador Records

Mission Of Burma TOUR DATES:
Here is a detailed list of which albums will be played at which show:

9/27 - SF at Independent - Vs.
9/29 - Portland at Doug Fir - Signals, Calls & Marches
9/30 - Vancouver at Plaza Nightclub - Signals, Calls & Marches
10/1 - Seattle at Neumo's - Vs.

Mission Of Burma's three records for Ace Of Hearts, released in 1981, 1983 and (posthumously) 1985, are landmarks of American underground guitar rock. They are now finally re-released the way they were intended to be heard, meticulously remastered from the original analog tapes by producer and record label honcho Rick Harte. All 3 are available on vinyl for the first time since the 1980s. Both vinyl and CD come with lavish booklets full of interviews and never-before seen photos and ephemera. In addition, 'Signals' includes 2 unreleased tracks from the "Academy Fight Song" single, the original studio version of "Execution" and a completely unheard song called "Devotion." Both vinyl and CD come with bonus DVDs of original concert footage.

Ok, you wanna see Misson of Burma? You live in Seattle, WA?? Well Kingblind and Matador Records have a pair of tickets to giveaway!!! How do you win? EASY.

Just send an email to kingblind(at)gmail.com with MISSION OF BURMA SEATTLE in the subject line and your name and address in the body of the message and we will randomly pick a winner! GOOD LUCK!!!!

TV On The Radio- "Dancing Choose" (Video)

Morrissey and Marr collaborate for Smiths hits and rarities compilation

The pair have both worked on the new release

Former Smiths singer and guitarist Morrissey and Johnny Marr are set to release a compilation of their old band's rarities in November.

Morrissey came up with the title of the compilation – 'The Sound Of The Smiths' – while Marr supervised the mastering of the album.

The album will be available as either a one-disc or two-disc version. The one-disc version contains 23 of the band's singles or would-be singles – including songs such as 'Still Ill' and 'You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby', which were originally intended to be singles but didn't end up getting released as such.

The second disc will contain 22 songs, including rare B-sides and live recordings. Included on the disc are the Troy Tate-produced 'Pretty Girls Make Graves', a cover of James' 'What's The World', and a live version of 'Meat Is Murder', the title track of The Smiths' 1985 UK Number One album.

Both discs will be available to download as well as being released on physical formats.

The full tracklisting of 'The Sound Of The Smiths' will be:

Disc One:

'Hand In Glove'
'This Charming Man'
'What Difference Does It Make? (John Peel Session)'
'Still Ill'
'Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now'
'William, It Was Really Nothing'
'How Soon Is Now? (12-inch vinyl version)'
'Nowhere Fast'
'Shakespeare's Sister'
'Barbarism Begins At Home (seven-inch vinyl version)'
'That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore'
'The Headmaster Ritual'
'The Boy With The Thorn In His Side'
'Bigmouth Strikes Again'
'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out'
'Panic'
'Ask'
'You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby'
'Shoplifters of the World Unite'
'Sheila Take a Bow'
'Girlfriend in a Coma'
'I Started Something I Couldn't Finish'
'Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me'

Disc Two:

'Jeane'
'Handsome Devil (Live)'
'This Charming Man (New York Vocal)'
'Wonderful Woman'
'Back To The Old House'
'These Things Take Time'
'Girl Afraid'
'Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want'
'Stretch Out And Wait'
'Oscillate Wildly'
'Meat Is Murder (Live)'
'Asleep'
'Money Changes Everything'
'The Queen Is Dead'
'Vicar In A Tutu'
'Cemetry Gates'
'Half A Person'
'Sweet And Tender Hooligan'
'Pretty Girls Make Graves (Troy Tate Demo)'
'Stop me If You Think You've Heard This One Before'
'What's The World? (Live)'
'London (Live)'

Girl Talk- Feed the Animals (Album Review)

Girl Talk's iTunes playlist must be a thing of beauty. In 2006, the Pittsburgh DJ - government name Gregg Gillis - released "Night Ripper," a compendious jumble of samples past and present that reawakened the slumbering mash-up technique.

"Feed the Animals," Girl Talk's fourth and latest full-length, out now digitally, is no less all-inclusive. It would take this entire review, plus another one just like it, to list all the artists sampled. Trainspotters, and critics, may feel the need to obsessively catalog every sample here -was that Big Country? - but "Feed the Animals" is better appreciated as a single, cohesive experience.

The album is divided into 12 tracks, but there are no breaks or pauses between songs. "Feed the Animals" is a one-stop party-music shop, dynamic enough for the ravers and familiar enough to serve as comfort food for the rockers.

Summarizing an album that shifts gears approximately every 30 seconds is a unique challenge, but "Feed the Animals" is best described as an attempt to build a solid foundation of '70s hard rock, '80s New Romantics pop, and '90s alt-rock, and to layer choice bits of hip-hop atop it.

Some couplings are brilliant: Dropping a chunk of Jay-Z's "Roc Boys" on Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" is particularly inspired. Others, like Pras's "Ghetto Superstar" and Yo La Tengo's "Autumn Sweater" sound about as good together as you might expect.

Too often, though, the sheer familiarity of Girl Talk's building blocks detracts from his particular accomplishment. Various superstars peddle their wares here, even if only briefly, but the album's DNA is both greater and lesser than its constituent elements.

After mashing the Police, Busta Rhymes, Tag Team, Dexy's Midnight Runners, and a cast of thousands together, "Feed the Animals" emerges from the blender as a solid slab of Baltimore-style electro-rap, mindless booty-based lyrics definitely included.

If you only buy one album this year, you might as well buy this one - it seems to have all the others on it.

"Feed the Animals" is available for download under a "pay what you will" plan at illegalart.net. A CD version of the album was released on Sept. 23

Obits Settle In At Sub Pop

Obits, a new New York band led by Drive Like Jehu/Hot Snakes principal Rick Froberg, has signed with Sub Pop and will release its label debut early next spring.

The group is working with Girls Against Boys' Eli Janney and Geoff Sanoff at Brooklyn's Seaside Lounge studio on the as-yet-untitled effort. Live versions of the songs "Talking to the Dog" and "Widow of My Dreams" can be sampled on Obits' MySpace site.

Froberg is flanked in the group by guitarist/vocalist Sohrab Habibion, bassist Greg Simpson and drummer Scott Gursky. Fans of Jehu and Hot Snakes should feel right at home with the new music, which is powered by dark, garage-y riffs, sturdy grooves and Froberg's unhinged vocals.

"A lot of what we have in this band is what we were kind of looking for," says Froberg, who began playing with the other members after Hot Snakes disbanded in 2006. "I don't know if we really knew it. We wanted a situation where we had the freedom to do whatever we wanted."

Sub Pop signed Obits after it had only played a handful of shows, with Sub Pop GM/A&R Chris Jacobs basing his decision on nothing more than a live bootleg of the first-ever gig. "His previous bands are amongst my very favorite bands ever," he says of Froberg.

To tide fans over before the album, Obits will self-release a 7-inch single, "One Cross Apiece," this fall. The group is also planning some East Coast shows with the Night Marchers, featuring Froberg's longtime collaborator John Reis.

In other Sub Pop news, the label has signed "freak folk" outfit Vetiver, whose label debut is due early next year.

Robert Plant reportedly agrees to Led Zeppelin reunion tour

ROCK legends LED ZEPPELIN are set for a reunion tour after singer ROBERT PLANT finally caved in and agreed to join them.

Guitarist JIMMY PAGE, 64, bassist JOHN PAUL JONES, 62, and drummer JASON BONHAM, 42, had resigned themselves to touring without Plant.

They even rehearsed with stand-in singers — and one American was so impressive they were confident they could hit the road next year without Plant.

That was what finally persuaded him to return.

A source revealed: “The rest of the band had all but given up on Robert joining them, but they were determined to go ahead so had started to seriously explore other avenues.

“When Robert realised the band were serious about doing it without him, it made him think long and hard.

“He realised he couldn’t face the thought of not being involved.

“The band were over the moon when he told them the news.

“They are now forging ahead with the tour plans and they can’t wait to get on the road.”

The tour, set for next summer, follows the massive success of their one-off reunion show at London’s O2 Arena in December.

Led Zep, who have sold more than 300 million albums worldwide, formed in 1968 and split up in 1980 when drummer John Bonham — father of Jason — died aged 32.

Rolling Stone magazine dubbed them the biggest band of the ’70s.

Mark Ryden's Art for Obama

Mark Ryden and Merry Karnowsky are pleased to be offering a new limited edition lithographic poster in honor of the Art For Hope exhibition being held on Wednesday October 1, 2008 from 7 - 10 pm. Reservations will take place between September 23 - September 30, 2008, and are first come, first serve. There will only be 500 posters available.

All proceeds from the Poster will go to the Barack Obama Presidential Campaign.

Poster Description: The Pumpkin President
The poster is printed on heavy weight paper, signed and numbered, and is embossed with the Porterhouse seal in the lower right hand corner. This poster comes with a certificate of authenticity.

Edition Quantity - 500
Poster size - 25" x 33"
Price - $500 + Shipping and Handling

Please click the thumbnails above for a larger view of the poster.

Posters will be limited to one per person and/or address.
The posters will be available exclusively through Merry Karnowsky Gallery’s Art for Hope Exhibition, Los Angeles, CA 323.933.4408

Instructions for reserving a Pumpkin President lithographic poster:
1.) Please email artforhope@att.net
2.) Put 'Mark Ryden' in the 'Subject' field of your email.
3.) Put your full name, email address(s), and best phone number(s) to reach you. (A piece will not be reserved for you without this information).
4.) A gallery representative will then contact you regarding payment/donation details.

If you have questions, please call 323.933.4408. Reservations will close on September 30, 2008. Payment/donation must be received by the end of the day October 1, 2008.

The Pumpkin President Poster will be shipped, or available for pick up in 6 to 8 weeks.

Thank you!
Mark Ryden and Merry Karnowsky

AC/DC slam Apple iTunes

AC/DC have slammed the iTunes music download service.

AC/DC frontman Angus Young, whose band refuse to make their songs available on iTunes, said the boycott was because they didn't want fans simply downloading a few tracks of theirs.

"We don't make singles, we make albums," he told the Telegraph.

"We believe the songs on any of our albums belong together. If we were on iTunes, we know a certain percentage of people would only download two or three songs from the album. We don't think that represents us musically."

Young added that despite pressure from industry figures to make AC/DC's songs available on iTunes, he didn't believe that being part of the site was crucial to success.

"Since iTunes came into existence, we've actually increased our back catalogue sales without being on the site," he said. "We were sternly warned by our management team and our record label that the complete opposite would be the case."

AC/DC are set to release a new album, 'Black Ice', on October 20. It won't be available on iTunes.

Calling brass players: The Walkmen need you!

The Walkmen are advertising for trumpet and trombone players to come forward for their London ULU concert on October 28th.

The New York-based band, who release their fourth album ‘You and Me’ through Fierce Panda on Monday, need numerous paid musicians to play on 5 songs during their set. Those chosen will be provided with sheet music and MP3s of the songs, and should be available for sound check at 12:30pm on the day of the gig, as well as for the show itself.

If you’re interested in applying, email pete@marcata.net with your contact details, including where you’re from and which instrument you are able to play and someone will get in touch.

The gig is part of a 5-date tour of the UK and Ireland as follows:

October
28th London ULU
29th Manchester Academy 3
30th Bristol Thekla
31st Leeds Cockpit

November
1st Glasgow Stereo
2nd Dublin Button Factory

Kevin Shields to resume work on aborted third MBV album

God of noise Kevin Shields has hinted that My Bloody Valentine may complete their aborted third album and/or release some new material at some point.

Following MBV's headline set at ATP New York on September 21st, Shields told the New York Times (here) that he wants to restart work on the band's aborted third album.

He also spoke about those shelved songs: "I realised that all that stuff I was doing in 1996 and 1997 was a lot better than I thought." And said once they're done with that they'll begin work on new material.

17 Years Later Here We Are Entertain Us

It was 17 years ago today, September 24, 1991, Nevermind hit the shelves and changed popular music forever. The story of Spencer Elden, whom you may know as the little baby floating toward a dollar bill on the cover was covered on NPR recently. Butch Vig produced Nevermind, Andy Wallace mixed it. You can watch Vig talk about recroding Nevermind, 'Polly' 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and many of the other songs.

Mogwai's Martin Bulloch hospitalised

Mogwai - the mind-altering Scottish instrumental band, not the furry gremlin - have had to cancel their current touring plans after their drummer Martin Bulloch was rushed to hospital due to complications with his pacemaker. The drummer had only recently had his pacemaker replaced - and the band subsequently tried to auction the old one off on eBay, but it was removed by administrators - and was taken to hospital shortly after the band's set at New York's All Tomorrow's Parties. Perhaps the crushing sonic intensity of a reformed My Bloody Valentine, one of Mogwai's greatest influences, was too much for the stickman?

On the band's official website, Bulloch posted the following comment:

"I was taken into hospital last night almost immediately after the show at ATP. I’ve been having some problems with my pacemaker for the duration of the tour and it unfortunately culminated in me being sent to the emergency room. The doctors there initially thought i would have to have corrective surgery at a larger hospital nearer NYC but i have been given the all clear to travel home on the understanding that i go straight to my cardiologist on arrival back in Scotland."

My Morning Jacket's Jim James to Play Obama Benefit

Contrary to the title of his band's new album, My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James has some pretty decent urges, too. One of those urges is to play a show benefiting Barack Obama's presidential campaign, and that's just what he'll do on October 8.

That night, at Schubas Tavern in Chicago, James will play an all-acoustic set for anyone willing to pay $100 per ticket. Preceding James' performance will be a reception with Obama campaign chief of staff Jim Messina.

To purchase tickets to the event, visit this link right...here.

My Morning Jacket are on the road right now, with dates scheduled through the end of the year.

My Morning Jacket:

09-24 Las Vegas, NV - The Joint Tucson, AZ - The Rialto
09-25 San Diego, CA - SDSU Open Air Theater
09-27 Portland, OR - McMenamins Edgefield Amphitheater
09-28 Seattle, WA - McCaw Hall
10-02 Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theatre
10-03 Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater
10-04 Detroit, MI - Fillmore
10-06 Columbus, OH - LC Pavilion
10-07 Iowa City, IA - University of Iowa Rec Building
10-09 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
10-10 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
10-29 Kilmainham, Ireland - Royal Hospital !
11-01 Brussels, Belgium - Cirque Royale
11-02 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso
11-04 Copenhagen, Denmark - Small Vega
11-05 Oslo, Norway - Sentrum Scene
11-06 Stockholm, Sweden - Berns
11-07 Lund, Sweden - Mejeriet
11-09 Berlin, Germany - Lido
11-10 Frankfurt, Germany - Batschkapp
11-12 London, England - Brixton Academy *
11-13 Manchester, England - Manchester University
11-14 Glasgow, Scotland - ABC
12-31 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden

! with Seasick Steve
* with the Black Keys

Franz Ferdinand complete 'dancey' third album

Franz Ferdinand have completed work on their third album, set for release in early 2009.

The band told BBC News that the album, which will be their first since 2005's 'You Could Have It So Much Better', is dance-influenced but slightly slower than their previous album.

"The last record was fast, furious, frantic, 150 beats per minute," said frontman Alex Kapranos. "It was like a teenager having sex. This one's a bit more assured and a bit friendlier for the dancefloor. It's about 104/105bpm.

"It does sound different, and there are different instruments on the record, different tempos, a different attitude to making it.

"But it's always going to sound like a Franz Ferdinand record when it's the four of us making it. It's very much a dance record again this time."

The band do not have a title or firm release date for the album yet.

My Bloody Valentine Brings The Noise At ATP

Decibel levels ran into the red last night (Sept. 21) as My Bloody Valentine played its first U.S. concert in 16 years to bring the All Tomorrow's Parties festival to an ear-splitting close in Monticello, N.Y.

The recently reunited quartet, led by feedback virtuoso Kevin Shields, pummeled ATP's 3,000 attendees with a feedback-drenched concert at the Kutsher's Country Resort. After a slow start (the band took the stage 45 minutes behind schedule), MBV tore through 90 minutes of ethereal, psychedelic songs, mostly from its landmark 1991 album "Loveless" and its 1988 debut "Isn't Anything."

True to form, Shields, guitarist/vocalist Belinda Butcher, bassist Debbie Googe and drummer Colm O Ciosoig, buried subtle melodies and barely audible vocals under dense, notoriously loud layers of guitar squalor and warbled tape loops. Velvet Underground-inspired images flashed on screens behind the band throughout the show, complimenting the sonic onslaught.

Though earplugs were passed out to fans upon entry into the venue, many in the packed room were seen covering their ears during the endurance-testing set, which peaked with a deafening, 20-minute wall of noise during closer "You Made Me Realise." The band's All Tomorrow's Parties' appearance marked the start of a six-city North American tour.

The set capped off a day of music that featured performances by 14 other underground artists, hand-picked by Shields himself. On the main stage, grunge godfathers Dinosaur Jr., epic instrumentalists Mogwai, indie darlings Yo La Tengo, hip-hop pioneers EPMD and upstate N.Y. locals Mercury Rev treated their audiences to tunes that ran the gamut from swirling guitar symphonies to head-rattling feedback experiments.

ATP's second stage played host to a slew of up-and-coming and well-established indie acts, such as Brian Jonestown Massacre, ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Lilys and Bob Mould, the latter of whom tore into a host of Husker Du songs at the end of his set.

Kanye West to make 'hip-hop meets The Muppets' show

Kanye West is set to write the music for a new comedy show on US television.

West and rapper Rhymefest were the executive producers for the pilot of 'Alligator Boots', and a series might hit screens in America in 2009.

C21media.net reported that the show is being 'billed as "hip-hop meets 'The Muppets'", and will see puppets, celebrity guests and music by West and Rhymefest in each episode.

One of the brains behind 'South Park', Jon Kimmel, is also set to work on the show for Comedy Central in the US.

Kings Of Leon to take M83 on the road

Their ambition might be stadium-size these days, but it's nice to hear Kings Of Leon still have time for the little guys: they're taking underrated shoe-gaze knob twiddler M83 (aka Anthony Gonzalez, plus live band) on tour with them this winter. The venues? Bloody huge. We're talking Wembley and the O2 here folks. Full dates below, including some M83 headline shows. Expect a DiS mixtape from the man soon.

A new single, 'We Own The Sky', is released on December 1. It's backed by a remix from the similarly twinkly Maps plus new track 'Je Vous Hais Petites Filles' and a mix of 'Graveyard Girl' from ParkerLab. You own its parent album, Saturdays=Youth, don't you? No?! You're as mad as a bag of spanners, then.

October (M83 headline)
22 London Scala
24 Dublin Andrews Lane
25 Belfast Speakeasy
26 Glasgow King Tut’s
27 Manchester Ruby Lounge

December (with Kings Of Leon)
1 Brighton Centre
2 Nottingham Trent FM Arena
4 Newcastle Metro Arena
5 Sheffield Arena
7 Glasgow SECC
8 Liverpool Echo Arena
10 Birmingham NIA
11 London O2 Arena
14 Bournemouth BIC
16 Manchester MEN Arena
17 Cardiff International Arena
19 Dublin O2
20 Belfast Odyssey Arena
22 London Wembley Arena

Fujiya & Miyagi- Lightbulbs (Album Review)

Fujiya & Migayi are masters of introversion. Shunning the neon limelight of their electro-pop contemporaries, the Brighton four-piece seem content to keep their understated Krautpop in the shadows, lest an unhushed vocal or unmuted guitar disturb the neighbours. While rarely straying from the motorik template of 2006's superb Transparent Things, Lightbulbs does occasionally make a departure - Sore Thumb's gentle Italo-disco funk is a particularly welcome development, while Goosebumps' oscillating organ is reminiscent of a pop-art Radiohead. Singer David Best again sensibly centres his whispered vocals upon texture rather than melody, with lyrics seemingly selected from a pool of pop-culture references by phonetic potential alone. Opener Knickerbocker sees Hans Christian Andersen, 1970s child-star Lena Zavaroni and Dietrich Knickerbocker all make an appearance - the obvious relish with which Best gets his tongue around each is as hard to resist as the gleeful propulsion of the track itself.
(Matt Bolton)

Rock, Relaxation Reign At All Tomorrow's Parties

Extreme sounds echoed through the halls of Kutsher's Country Resort during the second day of New York's premiere All Tomorrow's Parties festival. From early afternoon to late in the evening, an eclectic lineup of 16 bands -- ranging from German laptop wizards to New England noise terrorists -- performed for the 2,700 guests assembled at the cozy vacation spot in Monticello, N.Y.

ATP's main stage, located in a galaxy-themed concert space inside the resort, played host to the harder-edged artists of the day. Exalted indie musician/producer Steve Albini took a break from running the event's card room to play a crunchy set with his Chicago-based band Shellac, while Recently reunited '90s faves Polvo delivered a powerful mid-day set of angular guitar grooves such as "Celebrate the New Dark Age."

Brooklyn's Les Savy Fav turned the space into an all-out party during its sweaty, high-energy set, which ended with hundreds of fans dancing onstage with the vivacious group. Rhode Island duo Lightning Bolt closed the night by literally performing in the middle of a mosh pit -- the band set up its gear in the audience and pounded fans with a brash, distortion-drenched sound well past 1 a.m.

Things were a bit more tranquil on ATP's second stage. Minnesota trio Low lulled the crowd with a blissful set of mellow, minimal tunes, while bass-and-drums duo Om laced heavy vibes through a mystical, Druid-rock sound. Krautrock trio Harmonia hypnotized fans with experimental electronic soundscapes, while Canadian quintet Thee Silver Mount Zion Orchestra concluded the evening with a collection of epic orchestrated rock songs.

While the music is ATP's obvious draw, its quaint, unique location has provided the event an easy-going summer camp vibe. When not checking out the bands, festival-goers could be found across Kutsher's expansive grounds enjoying rowboat rides on the lake, playing rounds of golf, challenging strangers to games of table tennis, floating in the indoor pool, competing in indie-rock trivia or hitting the dancefloor at one of Kutsher's on-site bars, which features DJs all day long.


The event wraps up today (Sept. 21) with a bill curated by legendary shoegaze band My Bloody Valentine, playing its first U.S. show in 16 years. A wide array of influential indie artists, including Dinosaur Jr., Mogwai, Bob Mould, Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Yo La Tengo, are also scheduled to perform.

Barker, DJ AM Expected To Recover From Crash Burns
The medical director of the burn hospital where former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ AM are being treated says both men are expected to make full recoveries.

The musicians were critically injured in a South Carolina plane crash that killed four people late Friday.

Dr. Fred Mullins said this morning that both men are being treated for second- and third-degree burns at a Georgia hospital. Mullins says recovery from such burns can take as long as a year but notes the men had no other injuries.

Mullins says Barker was burned on his torso and DJ AM, whose real name is Adam Goldstein, was burned on his hands and part of his head. The doctor says both men are still in critical but stable condition.

Led Zep audition for new singer

LED ZEPPELIN frontman ROBERT PLANT is to be given an ultimatum by his bandmates – join us on tour or we’ll replace you.
Zep guitarist JIMMY PAGE, bassist JOHN PAUL JONES and drummer JASON BONHAM have been busy recently rehearsing in West London’s Ritz Studio and using stand-in vocalists.

And one American singer has been so impressive the other band members are confident they could hit the road next year WITHOUT their iconic frontman.

Brummie-born belter Plant has refused to take part in any practice sessions as he is currently committed to his side project with country singer ALISON KRAUSS.

A source said: “Jimmy, Jason and John are determined a tour will go ahead next year.

“They’ve been rehearsing frequently in London and the band is really gelling.

There’s an American guy who has been standing in for Robert regularly and doing a great job.

“Obviously they want the original frontman to join them on the road but he still won’t commit.

“They will be finalising plans for shows over the next couple of months and will tell Robert that if he doesn’t want to be involved they will go ahead without him.”

While fans would be disappointed if Plant was not involved, the shows would still fill arenas worldwide.

The band’s followers are among the most dedicated in rock and would jump at the chance to witness Page, Jones and original drummer JOHN BONHAM’s son Jason tearing through mighty rock classics such as Kashmir and Whole Lotta Love.


I understand Plant’s reluctance to revisit the past but the group’s one-off reunion show at London’s O2 in December was an incredible success.

The only shame was that more fans couldn’t witness it.

In that night’s post-gig euphoria Plant came round to his pals’ plan for more shows. But has since cooled on the idea.

If he does not take part it remains unclear whether the group will be allowed to use the name Led Zeppelin.

A version of classic American rockers THE DOORS, featuring guitarist ROBBY KRIEGER and keyboard player RAY MANZAREK, had to change their name in 2005 after the estate of late lead singer JIM MORRISON objected to them being called THE DOORS OF THE 21st CENTURY.

Just hope the Led Zeppelin rock titans don’t call their group Tin Zeppelin...

Kingblind Downloads

Hello kids, I am off on vacation for the next week so enjoy a collection of free and legal MP3's. All MP3's are from upcoming releases that are coming out this week and next.

Silver Jews - Suffering Jukebox

Boston Spaceships - Go for the Exit (This is Robert Pollard's new band!)

Calexico - Two Silver Trees

Don Chambers - Highwater (featuring Patterson Hood)

Common Market - The Crucible (feat. Geo from Blue Scholars)

The Dead Science - Make Mine Marvel

The Donkeys - Nice Train

Michael Franti & Spearhead - Say Hey (I Love You)

Damien Jurado - Gillian Was a Horse

Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines

Calexico- Carried To Dust (Album Review)

Joey Burns and John Convertino don’t quite explain it this way, but their last album, Garden Ruin was, if not a mistake, at least a misstep. By putting themselves at the mercy of producer JD Foster – the twanging bass in the Bakersfield sound of Dwight Yoakam – the Tucson-based group signed up for a process of genetic modification. They didn’t sound like themselves. Where were the spaghetti-western flourishes, the Ring Of Fire horns, the Link Wray rhythms? They were packed away, hidden beneath a blanket of folk prissiness. It wasn’t bad exactly; there was still poetry in the lyrics, many of them raging against the brutal carelessness of the Bush junta; and in the haunting French language number, Non De Plume, they delivered an unlikely hybrid of a different stripe: the song was like Serge Gainsbourg scoring The Third Man through a fug of Gitanes.

But on the whole, Garden Ruin was a disappointment, particularly after the rich pleasures of Feast Of Wire. Under Foster’s tutelage, they sounded like a folk-rock group searching for an umbrella in an electrical storm. Such politeness was shocking. Calexico weren’t Calexico.
Burns and Convertino talk diplomatically about the lessons they learned with Garden Ruin. It was about streamlining the sound, they argue, and perhaps the duo did need a break from overseeing every aspect of the music. In the meantime, Calexico brought their aesthetic to bear in other ways, collaborating with (among others) Richmond Fontaine and Roger McGuinn, as well as less celebrated acts such as Amparanoia and Spanish guitarist Jairo Zavala’s group Depedro. (Zavala’s guitar adds new colours here.)

The good news is that Carried To Dust marks a return to form. There’s no bold declaration of intent: this is a subtle record which imposes itself slowly. But on the first few listens, it becomes obvious that Burns and Convertino have rediscovered their mojo. The instrumental, Trigger (Revisited) is purest Calexico, a fresh surf of Morricone stylings that is brisk and cinematic. It is A Fistful Of Dollars condensed into three action-packed minutes. Convertino’s bustling rhythms sound like horses galloping through dust, and it’s impossible to listen to the tune without conjuring images of reticent gunslingers in high noon shootouts. When the whistling starts, the mood is complete. You know how I ordered three coffins, Mr Undertaker? Better make it four.

Inspiracion is another sign that we’re back in Calexico country. The group are named after a border town: this Spanish song is located South of the border, down Mexico way. It’s evocative stuff; a plaintive trumpet sounding above a shuffling dance rhythm. The song would fit happily on Ry Cooder’s Chavez Ravine, but it’s not as traditional as it sounds. Take away the horn, and listen instead to the beat: the wheezes and clicks of the tune are closer to Tom Waits than they are to mariachi music. But Calexico employ their weirdness economically. Everything is done in the service of the song, as Amparanoia’s Amparo Sanchez and trumpet player Jacob Valenzuela waltz through a romantic duet that is ripe with regret.

So far, so reassuring. But listen again to the album and it quickly becomes apparent that Calexico have not fallen into their old ways. This is not a retread of Feast of Wire, but a consolidation of their restless spirit. Burns and Convertino may have encouraged the notion of their band as desert troubadours, but they began life as a lounge act playing Dean Martin covers, and have always displayed an interest in travelling off-map. Calexico have always resisted categorisation, but they represent Americana in its broadest sense; as a place where the declamations of film soundtracks collide with the brusque immediacy of traditional folk forms, sometimes wandering onto the lower slopes of jazz.

With such aural invention going on, it’s easy to forget the words, not least because Burns sings them in a manner that is as unobtrusive as his lyrics are sparsely poetic. Carried To Dust is a less obviously polemical record than Garden Ruin, but if Burns is not railing against Bush, he’s still in a dislocated mood, placing stateless refugees – or possibly spies - on barren landscapes in "Two Silver Trees" (inspired, apparently, by the poet Norman Dubie), and going fully post-apocalyptic on "Man Made Lake", which conjures a Twilight Zone world of submerged streets and cellphone trees.
In the press notes for the album, Burns suggests an overarching narrative, based on a character who finds himself without work during the Hollywood writers’ strike, and takes a road trip. That’s certainly the subject of the mysterious Writers’ Minor Holiday, but it would be a stretch to suggest that the concept extends across the whole record.

If anything, the songs come from Burns’ travel journal, not least a trip to South America. He was inspired by a visit to La Chascona, the Santiago home of poet Pablo Neruda, and a restorative visit to Valparaiso.
The Chilean trip surfaces in the opening track, Victor Jara’s Hands - which namechecks the poet murdered by Pinochet, whose name lived on as a symbol of artistic bravery and inspiration – and "House Of Valparaiso" (with Sam Beam on misty backing vocals), which suggests the fearful flight of refugees from an oppressive regime. Both Burns and Convertino are aware that the imagery of the sea washes across Carried To Dust, and Burns uses it in his songs to represent a sense of longing, and the promise of fresh horizons. "Red Blooms", travels furthest, being a wistful reflection on Russian “snowdrops” – those poor souls who fall down drunk in the snow, and aren’t found until spring. If you consider that Burns considers this to be an optimistic image, you’ll appreciate that his worldview still tends towards bleakness.

So, Calexico are back, but this time they’re travelling all over the map. Carried to Dust is a quietly persuasive record. Ironically, its strongest moment comes when they stay closest to home, on the gorgeous country duet "Slowness". Pieta Brown adds a beautifully plaintive vocal to a song which plays out like a perfect moment, fondly remembered.

Bloc Party: Talons (Video)

Tricky - Knowle West Boy (Album Review)

For an album whose title promises to see the one-time Massive Attack member, toast of the chattering music classes and Hollywood debutante return to his roots in the run-down district of Bristol's Knowle West, it's telling how far this record reveals Tricky to have traveled from his early output. Released by the post-Franz Domino label with Tricky assisted at the boards by Bernard Butler and Switch, it's an album made by committee when compared with those early records that saw him crowned as the '90s foremost twisted auteur.

Somewhere between the celebrated "Maxinquaye" and 1998's "Angels With Dirty Faces", the public perception of Tricky shifted from 'dark genius with some cracking tunes' to 'paranoid nut job with none'. Ironically, Portishead have been celebrated for their forays into increasingly intense and foreboding drone where Tricky sent critics running with the bilious motorik gumbo of tracks like "Money Greedy".

As the former spent 11 years studying for one record, Tricky's skill was always an instinctive command of the studio. When the BBC filmed him revisiting his school music class he advised the kids that lessons and theory were "rubbish". The point being that he wasn't bothered by the formal rules that have guided most pop. Instead, he made a virtue of his ignorance, like his beloved Bomb Squad whose production for Public Enemy and Ice Cube discovered radical new sounds by 'doing it all wrong'.

Which brings us to the problem with "Knowle West Boy": it tries too hard to do everything right. And when he's playing by the rules Tricky sounds pedestrian, a holidaying former trip hop star you're likely to stumble across playing the Pyramid Stage on a sunny Sunday afternoon, backed by slick session musicians. "C'Mon Baby" is a predictable romp through the kind of studio rock that's marred much of his output since "Angels…" with just a tantalising flash of the free associative verse that once made him such a disturbing but thrilling performer.

Speaking in tongues of existential dread, you'd imagine, can't be an easy trick to conjure after years of comfortable minor celebrity lived in pristine New York. But there are some triumphs. "Past Mistake" evokes wonderfully odd ballads like "Makes Me Wanna Die" and "Suffocated Love" in which Tricky shadowed-boxed his muttered, whispered words behind his beautiful marionette, Martina. "Coalition", despite lyrical missteps, contains much of the righteous fug of his best music and "Cross To Bear" is an unlikely but hugely enjoyable meeting of '90s Bristol and pastoral British folk.

No doubt "Knowle West Boy" will be greeted as a return to form; the truth is more that it's a concession to formalism. It makes for some pleasingly approachable music but that's not what he'll be remembered for.

REM's signature guitar stolen

REM guitarist Peter Buck's signature guitar has been stolen from the stage after a gig at the Finnair Stadium in Helsinki, Finland, last night (September 9).

The band are appealing for information on the whereabouts of the black Rickenbacker 360 guitar, which Buck has used consistently since the band's debut 1982 EP 'Chronic Town'.

A spokesperson for the group explained that there's a "generous" reward waiting for anyone who can recover the instrument.

"This instrument means a great deal to Peter and to REM. It is our sincere hope that whoever is responsible for the loss, or whoever has information which can help recover the guitar, will come forward to receive a generous reward, no questions asked," they said.

Anyone with any information is urged to email fanclub@remtour.com

The Zune's are coming the Zune's are coming!!

Zune Takes Music Discovery to the Next Level With New Ways to Find and Access Digital Music

Software update will enable Zune users to tag songs and buy music directly from FM radio and download and stream music on the go beginning Sept. 16.

REDMOND, Wash. -- Sept. 8, 2008 -- Zune, Microsoft Corp.'s end-to-end music and entertainment service, again revolutionizes how customers discover and connect to the music they love, where and how they want it. Starting next week, every Zune portable media player will let consumers wirelessly download or stream millions of songs on the go from thousands of wireless hot spots around the country. Free, powerful software and firmware updates will give Zune owners the ability to discover, tag and purchase songs directly from the built-in FM radio, wirelessly access the Zune Marketplace store on the go, and tap into interactive, personalized music recommendations that add even more value to the Zune Pass subscription. Zune is also expanding its device lineup with new 16GB and 120GB capacities as well as shiny new blue-on-silver and sleek all-black color schemes. The new features will begin rolling out on Sept. 16, 2008.
"Digital music services really come alive when they help people find not only the music they know they like, but the music they didn't know they would love," said Chris Stephenson, general manager of Global Marketing for Zune at Microsoft. "With the combination of subscription, wireless access to millions of tracks, and powerful discovery features like personal recommendations and the ability to buy music from FM radio, Zune is taking the digital music experience to the next level."

Wireless Connections
More than 61 percent of people say they discover new music by listening to the radio.1 With that in mind, Zune is taking advantage of the wireless connection and the built-in FM tuner to deliver a new feature called Buy from FM, which lets customers tag and purchase songs they hear on FM radio stations2 directly from the Zune device. When the customer is in a Wi-Fi hot spot, the song can be immediately downloaded to the Zune device. If Wi-Fi is not available, the device will have a queue of songs ready to download when connected to a home computer or in a hot spot. Buy from FM uses Radio Data System and RT+ data feeds within the FM broadcast frequencies that identify song and artist data and enable the Zune service to identify and deliver the track to the customer.

"Microsoft's decision to integrate an FM tuner into the Zune was revolutionary and they continue their extraordinary leadership with Buy From FM," said John Hogan, president and CEO of Clear Channel Radio. "We've always known that radio is the primary source for discovering new music, and Microsoft's decision to marry music discovery and delivery does two things: enables consumers to instantly satisfy their passion and enables FM song tagging to be enjoyed by all radio listeners, everywhere."

In addition, users can now access the Zune Marketplace music store directly from their device when they are in a recognized Wi-Fi hot spot, or through a home wireless network. To make it easy to discover music on the go, customers can browse lists of featured new releases and top songs and albums sorted by genre, or use the on-screen keypad to type in the song of their choice. Once they have picked a track or album, they can either download it or stream it directly to the Zune device.
Zune customers have a choice in how they acquire music: They can pay per track or choose a Zune Pass subscription. Zune Pass subscribers can download or stream music to the device or their computer interchangeably, all for a flat rate of $14.99 per month. So whether a device has 4 GB or 120 GB of storage, Zune Pass customers can access and stream millions of songs directly to their Zune.

More Ways to Discover Music: Channels and Picks
The new Zune software update taps expert sources, recommendations from the Zune service and online music community, and the user's own play data to create a dynamic, digital music experience where discovering music is easy and seamless.

· Channels. Channels are an exciting new tool for music discovery. Customers can explore channels programmed by experts from the music industry such as the Billboard Top 100, The FADER magazine and KEXP radio, in addition to workout-themed channels tailored for high, medium and low impact, and top chart channels from all genres and subgenres. The powerful Zune software will even create custom channels for each user, based on favorite artists and genres. Channels are included with a monthly Zune Pass subscription and can be synced to the device for playback on the go. For non-Zune Pass subscribers, the Channels are available for a la carte purchase.

· Personal Picks. Now the Zune software learns what kind of music users like and makes personal recommendations. When users log onto Zune Marketplace, they'll find a new area called Picks where the Zune recommendation algorithm will suggest artists, albums and tracks based on the music they have been listening to, as well as channels they might like and listeners like them in the Zune Social.

· The Zune Social online music community. Customers can connect with millions of like-minded fans and share music via the Zune Card, a real-time playlist of each user's favorite and recently played tracks that can be accessed on the Web or within the Zune software, or synced to the Zune device. Zune Pass subscribers can play full tracks from Zune Cards synced to their device while on the go, and now the playlists will even automatically update with the most recently played tracks when Zune connects to a wireless hot spot. It's like subscribing to a free feed of music from the sources people trust most -- their friends.

Powerful Software
The Zune PC software is a free download at http://www.zune.net that provides rich discovery and media management capabilities to help consumers make the most of their existing music collections, in addition to providing access to the Zune Social and Zune Marketplace so they can add to it.

· Mixview. Customers can select an artist, album or Zune Card to activate a dynamic, visual mosaic of related music and listeners. With each click users can take the view in a new direction, creating a fun, graphical way to discover new music. Mixview works with users' current collection of music, in addition to tracks and albums from across the Zune Marketplace.

· Now Playing. The improved Now Playing view is more interactive and cinematic. Users can sit back and enjoy the combination of great artist imagery, colorful effects, bio information and data from the Zune online music community, all combined in a full-screen view. They can also click to dive deeper into the music behind the picture, providing another great way to interact with their collection.

A new firmware update will also improve the experience on the Zune device. In addition to the new wireless functionality, Zune will bring new features customers have been asking for:

· Games on the go. Two free games, "Hexic" and "Texas Hold 'Em," will keep users entertained on the go.

· Audiobooks. All Zune devices will feature support for audiobooks this fall from industry leaders in the digital distribution of audiobook content.

- Audible. Customers can visit audible.com to download and sync favorite books from the 50,000 titles available from over 600 publishers and content providers.

- OverDrive. They can download content from sites powered by overdrive.com, including 7,500 libraries' Web sites worldwide. (http://search.overdrive.com)

Device Pricing Information Effective Sept. 16

120 GB: $249.99

80 GB: $229.993

16 GB: $199.00

8 GB: $149.99

4 GB: $129.993

Giant Sand- Provisions (Album Review)

Giant Sand's Howe Gelb once accused his old rhythm section - Joey Burns and John Convertino, now Calexico - of "working against" his band, so it was inevitable that they parted ways. Gelb has now become synonymous with Americana and the sound of the Arizona desert, and his songs look at love and loss in latter-day America. While some lack musical polish, the brilliant Spiral - with its images of Americans hiding away with guns and in churches and heading towards heart attacks and extinction - furthers his metamorphosis into one of the country's great musical elder statesmen. Gelb also collaborates on this album with Isobel

Crooked Fingers announce Fall Tour dates

Crooked Fingers cannot live on opening slots for Okkervil River alone. In support of their forthcoming Forfeit / Fortune, Eric Bachmann and co. have added headlining shows to their fall itinerary. Opening quite of few of these new gigs will be Port O'Brien.

Forfeit / Fortune, Crooked Fingers' fifth album, comes out October 7 via Bachmann's Red Pig imprint and Constant Artists, Inc.

Bachmann also showed up in the news earlier today; he produced Liz Durrett's new album Outside Our Gates, which comes out tomorrow on WARM.
Crooked Fingers:

09-27 Austin, TX - Emo's *
09-30 New Orleans, LA - The Republic *
10-01 Birmingham, AL - WorkPlay Theatre *
10-02 Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club *
10-03 Wilmington, NC - The Soapbox *
10-04 Richmond, VA - The National *
10-06 New York, NY - Webster Hall *
10-07 New York, NY - Webster Hall *
10-08 Northampton, MA - Pearl St. Nightclub *
10-09 Millvale, PA - Mr. Small's Theatre *
10-10 Buffalo, NY - Tralf Music Hall *
10-11 Montreal, Quebec - Les Saints *
10-12 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix *
10-14 Chicago, IL - Metro *
10-15 Chicago, IL - Schubas
10-16 St. Paul, MN - Turf Club !
10-17 Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room !
10-19 Denver, CO - The Bluebird Theater
11-06 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge #
11-07 Boise, ID - Neurolux #
11-08 Seattle, WA - Chop Suey #
11-09 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge #
11-11 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall #
11-12 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour #
11-13 San Diego, CA - Casbah #
11-14 Tucson, AZ - Plush #

* with Okkervil River
! with the Uglysuit
# with Port O'Brien

Sonic Youth sign with indie Matador for new album

Sonic Youth have signed a deal with independent label Matador for the release of their forthcoming album in 2009.

The album, due to be recorded this autumn, will be the band's first on an independent label since 1988's 'Daydream Nation'.

Following the double album's release, the four-piece signed with major label Geffen, remaining with the company through the release of 2006's 'Rather Ripped' and the end of their contract.

Sonic Youth's deal with Geffen paved the way for a number of alternative bands to sign with major labels, including Nirvana, who Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon is rumoured to have recommended to the company.

The band join artists including Stephen Malkmus And The Jicks, Cat Power and Fuc*ed Up on Matador's roster.

Magazine reform for live shows

Post-punk legends will play two gigs next year
Magazine, the Manchester post-punk band who originally split in 1981, are set to reform for two live shows in February next year.

The band will play at the London Forum on February 13 then at the Manchester Apollo on February 15. The gigs will be the first the band have played since 1980.

The band members – Howard Devoto, Dave Formula, Barry Adamson and John Doyle – will be joined live by an as-yet-unnamed guitarist who will stand in for the late John McGeoch, who died in 2004.

Devoto formed Magazine after leaving Buzzcocks in 1977. They released four studio albums in their career following the release of their debut single, 'Shot By Both Sides', in 1978.

Tickets for the two shows will be available from Monday (September 15).

Bloc Party, Los Camp', SMD and more on free label sampler

Wichita do a Radiohead? Not quite...

Those lovely people over at Wichita Recordings have released a 15-track digital sampler featuring some of their favorite artists past and present, all for absolutely no cost at all. Yup, free.

Featured on the compilation are the newly signed Sky Larkin, Lovvers, Les Savy Fav, and a new track from indie-pop septet Los Campesinos!.

Get your grubby cyber-paws on it here: wichita-recordings.com/freemusic

Noel Gallagher Attacked Onstage In Toronto

Last night (Sept. 7) during the band's headlining set at Toronto's Virgin Festival on Toronto Island Park.

The band was performing "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?" when a male emerged from the rear of the stage, running towards an unsuspecting Gallagher and pushing him in the back.

Gallagher fell to the stage while the unknown assailant attempted to attack singer Liam Gallagher, before members of the band's crew tackled the man. According to the CBC, the assailant was arrested, but details have yet to be announced.

Oasis stopped the song and walked offstage for approximately five minutes before returning to complete the show. In a statement, the band said Gallagher "fell heavily onto his monitor speakers" and was taken to a local hospital "to be examined for a suspected fractured rib and ligament damage."

The band was supposed to perform tomorrow night in London, Ontario, but the status of the gig is uncertain. Fans are advised to check Oasisinet.com and local media for updates.

The Mars Volta, N*E*R*D Join Voodoo Experience

The Mars Volta, N*E*R*D, TV On The Radio, Irma Thomas, the Butthole Surfers, Fishbone and Ben Jelen have joined the lineup for the 2008 Voodoo Experience, to be held Oct. 24-26 at New Orleans' City Park.

They augment a bill that also features R.E.M., Nine Inch Nails, Stone Temple Pilots and Lil Wayne, among hundreds of others.

Festival founder/producer Stephen Rehage admits he was considering last-ditch options for Voodoo had Hurricane Gustav struck New Orleans with the force of Hurricane Katrina three years earlier. Luckily, the city was mostly spared this time around.

"I remembered all the struggles of 2005 and the options we might have to consider, but not moving forward this year never crossed my mind," says Rehage, who also produces the New Orleans Essence Festival.

Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster and TheTenthRitual.com.

Torched Jimi Hendrix guitar sells for £280,000

The first guitar that was ever set alight by the late Jimi Hendrix was bought at auction for £280,000 in London yesterday (September 4) by an American collector, Daniel Boucher.

The guitar was set alight by Hendrix at the Finsbury Park Astoria in 1967 and stored by Hendrix's then-press officer until its sale at the Fame Bureau's 'It's More Than Rock And Roll' auction yesterday, reports The Telegraph.

"I thought I'd have to pay a little bit more for it, actually," Boucher said. "I am going to play it, I hope some of it rubs off on me."

The Beatles' first contract, featuring the signatures of all four band members plus manager Brian Epstein, was sold at the auction for £240,000.

What is believed to be The Doors' Jim Morrison's last notebook he used before his death in 1971 was sold for £58,000

Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner for spoken word release

Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner will release a recording of him reading an original short story, 'The Choice Of Three', on October 13.

The recording of the reading of the story, written by Turner, will appear on a compilation helmed by his band-mate, drummer Matt Helders, as part of the 'Late Night Tales' compilation series.

As previously-reported, Matt Helders' 'Late Night Tales' compilation will feature songs from the likes of Roots Manuva, The Rapture and The Coral.

Turner's spoken-word piece will close the album.

The story begins: "In the tunnel I noticed I had a choice of three. While I thought it very kind of them to offer me this I do wonder if they realised what a dilemma they were sending to face me.

"The trouble was if I looked at your reflection in the left window I missed the actual image of you and your reflection in the right, and if I looked at the right I had the same problem the other way around."

Turner will read a sequel to the story at the launch party of the album, at north London's Lock Tavern on October 19.

It's only rock and roll but I'll buy it: rare Bowie recording (and more) for sale

A whole host of rare rock memorabilia is going under the hammer at 5pm as part of the The Fame Bureau's It's More Than Rock And Roll auction, including an unreleased recording of David Bowie's first band, The Konrads. The Joe Meek-produced track, which can be heard on Last.fm now and features Bowie on vocals and saxophone, is part of Meek's 5,000 strong private collection, which is expected to sell for at least £300,000.

Other items of note include the guitar Jimi Hendrix set fire to in Finsbury Park (1967), The Beatles' first contract (1962) and the last remaining set of Elvis Presley's finger prints (on a 1970 gun permit, no less).

Credit crunch: Hendrix's guitar starts off at £125,000, but bidders on a budget might like to consider the Gibson acoustic once used be Cliff Richard instead, a snip at £7,500...

Video: Jimi Hendrix's Stratocaster, a mini-documentary

Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page to play at London 2012 Olympics?

Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page has said he would be "honoured" to be asked to perform at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The guitarist told The Independent that he hadn't been asked about appearing yet, but strongly hinted that he would accept if offered the gig.

Page played his band's Led Zeppelin's 'Whole Lotta Love' at the Olympic handover in London last month, alongside Leona Lewis.

"I don't know about that [performing in 2012] yet," he said. "If they asked, it would be an honour."

Page defended his performance last month, which was widely criticised. "We got so much criticism and I really don't know why," he said. "I think we did a great job - it was an honour to be there.

"People just need to be less cynical. You know, we went out there, we only had 10 minutes - what did people expect?"

Guns N' Roses album bootlegger speaks out

US music blogger Kevin Cogill, who was arrested by the FBI for leaking nine tracks from the as-yet-to-be released new Guns N Roses' album, 'Chinese Democracy', has spoken out about the incident.

Cogill, who has been released on bail, wrote that he's having a tough time trying to raise funds for his attorney and is finding the whole predicament rather stressful.

Speaking on his blog he said: "As you are all undoubtedly aware, I was arrested at gunpoint last Wednesday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and I am now facing a federal criminal