Sam Shepard himself takes a rare lead in Blackthorn, which expands on the theories that Butch Cassidy somehow survived the shoot out at San Vicente, Bolivia in 1908. “I woke up and found myself alone,” he explains. “Seemed like everybody I knew was either dead or in jail. And they thought I was dead, too. So I did what any good dead person would do. I went off and raised me some horses. 20 years. That’s a big change. Quiet times.” Cassidy, in his twilight years, decides to return to America, to be reunited with family.
Paul Simon has insisted that he was no regrets over the recording of his album Graceland in South Africa.
Simon was widely criticised for travelling to the country and making the 1986 with South African musicians, for effectively breaking the cultural boycott of the country due to its racist Apartheid regime.
It's a busy week for film. Marvel Comics' superhero team-up Avengers Assemble arrived in cinemas last night, while yesterday the inaugural three-day Sundance London Festival opened for business at the 02 Arena with a screening Under African Skies, a documentary about the making of Paul Simon's Graceland album.
One swift month ago, I wrote a blog about Ty Segall and White Fence’s excellent Hair album, repeating a story that Segall had another couple of albums in the pipeline. Well, one has already turned up; but before we get there, perhaps check this astounding live clip of Segall, Tim ‘White Fence’ Presley, Mikal Cronin et al going for it on “Scissor People”:
In the latest issue of Uncut (Take 181, June 2012), out now, we visit Tom Petty at his California home to discuss the history of the Heartbreakers, why he's "a ridiculous control freak" and why the group are heading to the UK for the first time in 15 years – so it seems like a good time to check out this great piece by Adam Sweeting on Petty's 'lost classic', 1985's Southern Accents, from Uncut's May 2004 issue.
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Levon Helm, the former Band drummer who died from cancer last Thursday [April 19], is to be buried next to his former band mate, Rick Danko.
Last night [April 26], 2,000 mourners attended a wake for Helm at his Woodstock home, according to Associated Press. Helm's closed casket, in the second-floor studio of the barn where Helm hosted his Midnight Rambles, was surrounded by flowers and flanked by his drum kit and a piano.
Vampire Weekend have confirmed to Rolling Stone that they're working on the follow-up to their 2011 album, Contra.
"We've started many songs," bassist Chris Baio told Rolling Stone. "Obviously we haven't been rushing it. We take it very seriously. We'll be incredibly psyched to share it with the world when it's done."
Released in January, 2011, Contra reached No 3 in the UK album charts and No 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in America.
Gregg Allman is to undergo diagnostic cardiac testing at a clinic in Jacksonsville, Florida to ascertain whether he needs additional care after a recent hernia operation, reports Rolling Stone.
The tests will mean Allman must delay his forthcoming American publicity tour for his memoir, My Cross To Bear.
