Simone Felice Band, London Bush Hall, April 27, 2012

Simi Stone was a member of the now apparently retired The Duke & The King, alongside Simone Felice. Tonight she’s opening for Simone at the Bush Hall, a solo turn that starts with Simi on fiddle, playing a lament that sounds like it may have been first heard a century ago, a keening in the Appalachians or somewhere similarly remote and steeped in mystery and drizzle.

Damon Albarn: “Dr Dee”

In 1570, a few years before he became preoccupied with alchemical quests, heretical visions and attempts to divine the language of angels, Dr John Dee was commissioned to write a government report on the state of England.

Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold to write film soundtrack

Fleet Foxes' frontman Robin Pecknold is to score a new film, titled The Internet – A Blog Cats WTF Universe. The film, which will be directed by Pecknold's brother Sean and Matt Daniels, will tell the story of a character named Matt who has made a successful living as a "LOLcat caption writer", but who suffers an existential crisis and decides to decamp to Berlin in search of a life that provides more than "just viral internet cat humor."

Alabama Shakes’ Brittany Howard: “Our life is surreal”

Alabama Shakes' frontwoman Brittany Howard has spoken about how her life has changed since her band have become more well known. The "Hold On" singer says her life has taken a "surreal" turn since her band began to get noticed, and she explains that she finds it a bit strange having celebrity fans.

Jack White tops the UK album chart

Jack White has entered the Official UK Album Chart at Number 1 with his debut solo album, Blunderbuss. The White Stripes/The Raconteurs/The Dead Weather man has toppled Adele's 21 to take the Number One spot, outselling the "Rolling In The Deep" singer two copies to one, according to the Official Charts Company.

Black Sabbath announce intimate UK show

Black Sabbath have announced an intimate show for next month. The band, who will headline this summer's Download Festival along with The Prodigy and Metallica over the weekend of June 8-10, will play a small show at Birmingham's O2 Academy on May 19 to warm up for the festival. The show will be the metal legends' first since they reunited with their original line-up late last year and may see them preview some of the new material they have spent the last nine months working on.

Primal Scream name My Bloody Valentine’s Debbie Googe as new bassist

Primal Scream have announced My Bloody Valentine's Debbie Googe as their new touring bass player. Googe, who was a founding member of My Bloody Valentine and also a member of Showpony and the Bikini Mutants, will join the band's live line-up for the foreseeable future. She replaces Gary 'Mani' Mountfield in the band's line-up. Mountfield left to rejoin The Stone Roses for their reunion tour late last year.

Bob Dylan to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

Bob Dylan will be rewarded with a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor given by the United States, according to a report in the New York Times. The White House said in a statement that President Obama had named 13 recipients of the medal, which is granted to “individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

Thom Yorke debuts new Atoms For Peace songs

Radiohead's Thom Yorke and producer Nigel Godrich debuted new songs from their Atoms For Peace supergroup during their DJ set at an LA club on Friday [April 27]. The duo, who play in the band alongside Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, Joey Waronker and Mauro Refosco, played the new songs during their set at Transmission LA: AV Club, a free 17-day music and visual arts festival series at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, curated by the Beastie Boys’ Mike D.
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