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Win An Audience With Mark E Smith

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Win An Audience With Mark E Smith

What have you always wanted to ask the one and only Mark E Smith? We're interviewing the legendary Fall frontman for a forthcoming Audience With... feature and would love for you to be involved. Maybe you'd like to know more about his idiosyncratic antics? Maybe you want to quiz him on being part of the post-punk scene in the UK? Maybe you just want to talk about the class divide? Maybe you want to ask him how he's still writing after making 26 albums to date? It's upto you. If your question is used you'll get your name alongside your question in the feature! Please email your questions by next Wednesday (November 29) to: Michael_Bonner@ipcmedia.com Many thanks in advance!

What have you always wanted to ask the one and only Mark E Smith?

We’re interviewing the legendary Fall frontman for a forthcoming Audience With… feature and would love for you to be involved.

Maybe you’d like to know more about his idiosyncratic antics?

Maybe you want to quiz him on being part of the post-punk scene in the UK?

Maybe you just want to talk about the class divide?

Maybe you want to ask him how he’s still writing after making 26 albums to date?

It’s upto you.

If your question is used you’ll get your name alongside your question in the feature!

Please email your questions by next Wednesday (November 29) to:

Michael_Bonner@ipcmedia.com

Many thanks in advance!

Tenacious D: The Pick Of Destiny

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Tenacious D: The Pick Of Destiny

Following on from the minor hiccup of Nacho Libre, you'd hope that Jack Black's return to the comfort zone of his spoof heavy metal band would find him reconnecting with his flatulent, foul-mouthed, everything-up-to-eleven persona for some significantly low-brow fun. Which he kind of does - but Jack's scatological proclivities are somewhat compromised by the constraints of a 15 rating. In comparison to their weird, often inspired HBO series, the 90 minute run time here feels padded, although the stoned, freewheeling laughs and celebrity cameos (Ben Stiller, Tim Robbins and, brilliantly, Dave Grohl as the Devil) bump us through the slow patches. After falling out with his preacher father (Meatloaf), Dio-worshipping JB heads to California to pursue his dream of becoming a rock god. Hooking up with KG (Glass) they learn of a fabled guitar plectrum, supposedly carved from one of Satan's teeth and imbued with mystical powers, and set off to claim it for their own. Of course, it's an excuse for Black and Glass to indulge themselves. The result feels like Cheech and Chong meets Beavis & Butthead and although it's diverting enough, you wonder whether a director like Spike Jonze or Michel Gondry might have brought an extra dimension to the stoner, fratboy fun. MICHAEL BONNER

Following on from the minor hiccup of Nacho Libre, you’d hope that Jack Black’s return to the comfort zone of his spoof heavy metal band would find him reconnecting with his flatulent, foul-mouthed, everything-up-to-eleven persona for some significantly low-brow fun.

Which he kind of does – but Jack’s scatological proclivities are somewhat compromised by the constraints of a 15 rating. In comparison to their weird, often inspired HBO series, the 90 minute run time here feels padded, although the stoned, freewheeling laughs and celebrity cameos (Ben Stiller, Tim Robbins and, brilliantly, Dave Grohl as the Devil) bump us through the slow patches.

After falling out with his preacher father (Meatloaf), Dio-worshipping JB heads to California to pursue his dream of becoming a rock god. Hooking up with KG (Glass) they learn of a fabled guitar plectrum, supposedly carved from one of Satan’s teeth and imbued with mystical powers, and set off to claim it for their own.

Of course, it’s an excuse for Black and Glass to indulge themselves. The result feels like Cheech and Chong meets Beavis & Butthead and although it’s diverting enough, you wonder whether a director like Spike Jonze or Michel Gondry might have brought an extra dimension to the stoner, fratboy fun.

MICHAEL BONNER

Pan’s Labyrinth

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Pan’s Labyrinth

IF YOU go down to the woods tonight you're unlikely to encounter anything quite as rich, strange or plain scary as this genre-mashing magic-realist thriller from the visionary Mexican director of Cronos and Hellboy. Shot in Spain and set in the bitter aftermath of the Civil War, Pan's Labyrinth is a dark cousin of Alice In Wonderland that pointedly contrasts the evils of human beings above ground with the creepy supernatural beasts below. Ivana Baquero is terrific as Ofelia, a bookish young girl who is lured into a mysterious subterranean kingdom while her widowed mother Carmen (Ariadne Gil) struggles with her bullying new fiance, Vidal. Played by Sergi Lopez, Vidal is a sadistic Captain in Franco's army who thinks nothing of torturing innocent villagers in pursuit of anti-fascist partisans. Pan's Labyrinth is unashamedly a fantasy yarn, but freighted with enough political subtext and visceral human cruelty to transcend the genre's geekboy reputation. Admittedly some of Ofelia's underworld digressions threaten to slow down a meandering plot, while Vidal veers perilously close to pantomime caricature. But viewed through the melodramatic eyes of a lonely girl, Del Toro's visually ravishing fairy tale makes perfect sense, hits all the right gothic notes, and ends on a satisfying emotional crescendo. STEPHEN DALTON

IF YOU go down to the woods tonight you’re unlikely to encounter anything quite as rich, strange or plain scary as this genre-mashing magic-realist thriller from the visionary Mexican director of Cronos and Hellboy.

Shot in Spain and set in the bitter aftermath of the Civil War, Pan’s Labyrinth is a dark cousin of Alice In Wonderland that pointedly contrasts the evils of human beings above ground with the creepy supernatural beasts below.

Ivana Baquero is terrific as Ofelia, a bookish young girl who is lured into a mysterious subterranean kingdom while her widowed mother Carmen (Ariadne Gil) struggles with her bullying new fiance, Vidal. Played by Sergi Lopez, Vidal is a sadistic Captain in Franco’s army who thinks nothing of torturing innocent villagers in pursuit of anti-fascist partisans.

Pan’s Labyrinth is unashamedly a fantasy yarn, but freighted with enough political subtext and visceral human cruelty to transcend the genre’s geekboy reputation. Admittedly some of Ofelia’s underworld digressions threaten to slow down a meandering plot, while Vidal veers perilously close to pantomime caricature. But viewed through the melodramatic eyes of a lonely girl, Del Toro’s visually ravishing fairy tale makes perfect sense, hits all the right gothic notes, and ends on a satisfying emotional crescendo.

STEPHEN DALTON

Hollywoodland

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Hollywoodland

LA, 1959. After the apparent suicide of George Reeves (Affleck), private eye Louis Simo (Brody) is hired by the dead man's mother to investigate rumours of murder. He finds that Reeves's private life was surprisingly complex and that he was conducting a blatant affair with the wife one of Hollywood's most ruthless fixers. But that's not all... For such an unassuming man, George Reeves made a lot of enemies, and when he died of a cranial gunshot wound in 1959 it seemed that quite a few people had been inclined to pull the trigger, including George himself. The coroner's hasty suicide verdict has never sat well with America's conspiracy theorists, and this nicely nuanced but somewhat clean-cut account of the life and death of the actor who played TV's Superman explores the myriad possibilities. Or as one of the key players puts it, after finding two extraneous bullet holes at the crime scene, "Since when do suicides miss twice and start over?" It's a testament to Reeves' status in life that he doesn't even take centre stage in his own biopic. He's stone cold from the get-go, and struggling private eye Louis Simo (Brody) is hired by the dead man's mother to investigate the possibility of murder. Simo isn't convinced at first, but the more he looks into Reeves' bizarre domestic arrangements, the more suspects tumble out of the shadows. For a start, Reeves has been having a not-so-secret affair with Toni (Lane), the wife of Eddie Mannix (Hoskins), tyrannical boss of MGM. But when Reeves drops her for party girl Leonore Lemmon, a gold-digger whose behaviour on the night of Reeves' death is shifty to say the least, this leaves Simo with three plausible motives to choose from. Though it sounds, and certainly looks at times, like a gritty noir, Hollywoodland may be too tame for some tastes; the crueller elements that seem so redolent of a James Ellroy novel -- studio venality, the duplicitous landscape of glamour and amorality -- are back-pedalled in favour of simple human drama. Reeves is presented as a tragic figure, but despite a noble performance by Affleck, his best role in years, we never quite figure what his tragedy is. If he's a victim, and anyone shot dead at 45 is pretty much bound to be, then whose victim is he? By presenting every possible which way, first-time director Coulter simply muddies the matter, presenting so many options that, finally, suicide seems the least challenging option. What the film isnt, however, often overshadows what it is. Coulter has firmly embraced the subtext of the story, contrasting the character of Simo -- a floppy-locked gum-chewing gumshoe with a James Dean fixation -- with that of Reeves, an ageing matinee idol with pomaded hair and hand-made suits. It's an interesting transition that's being made here, as though it's not just Reeves dying but Hollywood itself, coming out of its heyday and into the now, filling out the celluloid gap between LA Confidential and American Graffiti. It's here when the film is at its best, documenting a seachange in modern culture, not a footnote in showbiz history. DAMON WISE To read an exclusive Q&A with lead actor Adrien Brody - Click here now

LA, 1959. After the apparent suicide of George Reeves (Affleck), private eye Louis Simo (Brody) is hired by the dead man’s mother to investigate rumours of murder. He finds that Reeves’s private life was surprisingly complex and that he was conducting a blatant affair with the wife one of Hollywood’s most ruthless fixers. But that’s not all…

For such an unassuming man, George Reeves made a lot of enemies, and when he died of a cranial gunshot wound in 1959 it seemed that quite a few people had been inclined to pull the trigger, including George himself. The coroner’s hasty suicide verdict has never sat well with America’s conspiracy theorists, and this nicely nuanced but somewhat clean-cut account of the life and death of the actor who played TV’s Superman explores the myriad possibilities. Or as one of the key players puts it, after finding two extraneous bullet holes at the crime scene, “Since when do suicides miss twice and start over?”

It’s a testament to Reeves’ status in life that he doesn’t even take centre stage in his own biopic. He’s stone cold from the get-go, and struggling private eye Louis Simo (Brody) is hired by the dead man’s mother to investigate the possibility of murder. Simo isn’t convinced at first, but the more he looks into Reeves’ bizarre domestic arrangements, the more suspects tumble out of the shadows.

For a start, Reeves has been having a not-so-secret affair with Toni (Lane), the wife of Eddie Mannix (Hoskins), tyrannical boss of MGM. But when Reeves drops her for party girl Leonore Lemmon, a gold-digger whose behaviour on the night of Reeves’ death is shifty to say the least, this leaves Simo with three plausible motives to choose from.

Though it sounds, and certainly looks at times, like a gritty noir, Hollywoodland may be too tame for some tastes; the crueller elements that seem so redolent of a James Ellroy novel — studio venality, the duplicitous landscape of glamour and amorality — are back-pedalled in favour of simple human drama. Reeves is presented as a tragic figure, but despite a noble performance by Affleck, his best role in years, we never quite figure what his tragedy is. If he’s a victim, and anyone shot dead at 45 is pretty much bound to be, then whose victim is he? By presenting every possible which way, first-time director Coulter simply muddies the matter, presenting so many options that, finally, suicide seems the least challenging option.

What the film isnt, however, often overshadows what it is. Coulter has firmly embraced the subtext of the story, contrasting the character of Simo — a floppy-locked gum-chewing gumshoe with a James Dean fixation — with that of Reeves, an ageing matinee idol with pomaded hair and hand-made suits. It’s an interesting transition that’s being made here, as though it’s not just Reeves dying but Hollywood itself, coming out of its heyday and into the now, filling out the celluloid gap between LA Confidential and American Graffiti. It’s here when the film is at its best, documenting a seachange in modern culture, not a footnote in showbiz history.

DAMON WISE

To read an exclusive Q&A with lead actor Adrien Brody – Click here now

Hollywoodland’s Adrien Brody Talks To Uncut

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Hollywoodland’s Adrien Brody Talks To Uncut

UNCUT: How would you describe your character, Louis Simo? BRODY: He's a guy whose reality is very different from what he wanted. He's playing the part of a detective, but he's just a middle-class guy in the Valley -- separated from his wife and who's not communicating with his son -- who really wanted to be Sam Spade. He's a man who's very much clinging to his adolescence, but I think one day he wakes up and finds out he wasn't living the life he set out to live. And he gains some empathy, whether it's conscious or not, in seeing his own parallels with George Reeves. UNCUT: Did you look at any Humphrey Bogart movies for inspiration? BRODY: Absolutely. What we considered is that part of his motivation to become a detective was a result of seeing them so glamourised in films. And then he becomes disappointed in his profession, because it's not what he expected it to be. UNCUT: Do you think George Reeves was a victim of fame? BRODY: Maybe, insomuch as fame is not representative of the reality of the individual. That's kind of what the film is about. No one really cared about George Reeves as a human being -- it was Superman who killed himself, and that was the story. It took over from anything else that had to do with him. UNCUT: Is that why America was so keen to look for a conspiracy behind his death? BRODY: I don't think so. I think it just made it more tragic. Because he was playing a character who was larger than the life. He was playing someone who was immortal, but his own mortality was all too evident. Pic credit: Rex Features

UNCUT: How would you describe your character, Louis Simo?

BRODY: He’s a guy whose reality is very different from what he wanted. He’s playing the part of a detective, but he’s just a middle-class guy in the Valley — separated from his wife and who’s not communicating with his son — who really wanted to be Sam Spade. He’s a man who’s very much clinging to his adolescence, but I think one day he wakes up and finds out he wasn’t living the life he set out to live. And he gains some empathy, whether it’s conscious or not, in seeing his own parallels with George Reeves.

UNCUT: Did you look at any Humphrey Bogart movies for inspiration?

BRODY: Absolutely. What we considered is that part of his motivation to become a detective was a result of seeing them so glamourised in films. And then he becomes disappointed in his profession, because it’s not what he expected it to be.

UNCUT: Do you think George Reeves was a victim of fame?

BRODY: Maybe, insomuch as fame is not representative of the reality of the individual. That’s kind of what the film is about. No one really cared about George Reeves as a human being — it was Superman who killed himself, and that was the story. It took over from anything else that had to do with him.

UNCUT: Is that why America was so keen to look for a conspiracy behind his death?

BRODY: I don’t think so. I think it just made it more tragic. Because he was playing a character who was larger than the life. He was playing someone who was immortal, but his own mortality was all too evident.

Pic credit: Rex Features

Brian Auger To Make Rare UK Appearances

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Brian Auger To Make Rare UK Appearances

Brian Auger is to perform three rare UK concerts next week starting in Stratford-Upon-Avon on Monday (November 27). Auger is credited with being the first jazz rock fusion artist who made it big in the jazz and rock worlds with his three distinctive bands – Steampacket (1966, featuring Rod Stewart), The Trinity (1967-1970) and The Oblivion Express (1970 to present). Auger’s newly revived Oblivion Express features his daughter Savannah on vocals and his son Karma on drums (pictured above). The three intimate shows are part of a European tour to coincide with a re-issue campaign for eight albums in Auger’s decade-spanning career. Albums recently digitally re-mastered include “Search Party”, “Here and Now”, “Keys To The Heart” and “Voices Of Other Times”. All have new liner notes, rare photographs, and the latter two also feature previously unreleased bonus tracks. The critically acclaimed 1975 Oblivion Express album “Reinforcements” has also recently been re-mastered after many years out of print in the UK. Auger’s stated intention had always been to overlay soul and funk rhythms with jazz harmonies and solos – to see for yourself – catch Auger at the following venues early next week: Stratford-Upon- Avon, The Civic Hall (27) London, The Pigalle Club (28) Brighton, Concorde 2 (29)

Brian Auger is to perform three rare UK concerts next week starting in Stratford-Upon-Avon on Monday (November 27).

Auger is credited with being the first jazz rock fusion artist who made it big in the jazz and rock worlds with his three distinctive bands – Steampacket (1966, featuring Rod Stewart), The Trinity (1967-1970) and The Oblivion Express (1970 to present).

Auger’s newly revived Oblivion Express features his daughter Savannah on vocals and his son Karma on drums (pictured above).

The three intimate shows are part of a European tour to coincide with a re-issue campaign for eight albums in Auger’s decade-spanning career.

Albums recently digitally re-mastered include “Search Party”, “Here and Now”, “Keys To The Heart” and “Voices Of Other Times”.

All have new liner notes, rare photographs, and the latter two also feature previously unreleased bonus tracks.

The critically acclaimed 1975 Oblivion Express album “Reinforcements” has also recently been re-mastered after many years out of print in the UK.

Auger’s stated intention had always been to overlay soul and funk

rhythms with jazz harmonies and solos – to see for yourself – catch Auger at the following venues early next week:

Stratford-Upon- Avon, The Civic Hall (27)

London, The Pigalle Club (28)

Brighton, Concorde 2 (29)

Scissor Sisters Want You In Their Film

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Scissor Sisters Want You In Their Film

New York disco-pop group Scissor Sisters are making a DVD and would like fans to contribute. They want to see the pre-show rituals of those Scissor Sister fans who go all-out before catching the band live, the make-up the clothes, the pre-gig cocktail making, the booty shaking. It's all for use on a future DVD release. The group are looking for 10 minutes of film footage capturing the glam moments leading up to their headlining concert at London’s Wembley Arena tomorrow night (November 24). If you're interested in contributing; dust off your camera, capture yourself getting your Scissors on and log into www.scissorsisters.com for instructions on where to post your disc/tape after the show

New York disco-pop group Scissor Sisters are making a DVD and would like fans to contribute.

They want to see the pre-show rituals of those Scissor Sister fans who go all-out before catching the band live, the make-up the clothes, the pre-gig cocktail making, the booty shaking.

It’s all for use on a future DVD release.

The group are looking for 10 minutes of film footage capturing the glam moments leading up to their headlining concert at London’s Wembley Arena tomorrow night (November 24).

If you’re interested in contributing; dust off your camera, capture yourself getting your Scissors on and log into www.scissorsisters.com for instructions on where to post your disc/tape after the show

Watch Neil Young Rock With Pearl Jam

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Watch Neil Young Rock With Pearl Jam

Everyday, we bring you the best thing we've seen on YouTube -- a great piece of archive footage, a music promo or a clip from one of our favourite movies of TV shows. Today: With the news that Neil Young has made his benefit performances for the Bridge School available on iTunes, today watch a clip from a show this October. This live performance with Pearl Jam playing on Throw Your Hatred Down is fabulous to watch. The track is taken from Young’s 1995 album “Mirrorball” on which Pearl Jam are his band. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1996, it rocked that much. Watch Neil Young and Eddie Vedder rock out here For news on the Neil Young “Bridge Collection” archive – Click here

Everyday, we bring you the best thing we’ve seen on YouTube — a great piece of archive footage, a music promo or a clip from one of our favourite movies of TV shows.

Today: With the news that Neil Young has made his benefit performances for the Bridge School available on iTunes, today watch a clip from a show this October.

This live performance with Pearl Jam playing on Throw Your Hatred Down is fabulous to watch.

The track is taken from Young’s 1995 album “Mirrorball” on which Pearl Jam are his band.

The album was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1996, it rocked that much.

Watch Neil Young and Eddie Vedder rock out here

For news on the Neil Young “Bridge Collection” archive – Click here

Bonnie Prince Billy To Premiere Letting Go Live

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Bonnie Prince Billy To Premiere Letting Go Live

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy aka Will Oldham is to perform two special shows at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall on January 26 and 27. These shows will be Oldham’s first major UK dates since headlining 2005’s Green Man Festival and playing London’s Forum the same year with one of his side-projects, Superwolf, with Matt Sweeney. He released his latest album, “The Letting Go”, in September and these shows will be the first opportunity to hear the new material live. In addition to his own projects, Will Oldham often plays and records with other musicians, including bands Box of Chocolates, Amalgamated Sons of Rest, Superwolf (with Matt Sweeney), Continental OP (with David Pajo), Current 93, the Silver Jews (with David Berman) and he has also collaborated with numerous artists over the years including Johnny Cash, Joanna Newsom, PJ Harvey and Bjork. Not content with a busy musical life, Oldham has also turned his hand to acting and has appeared in several films such as Academy Award-nominated Junebug (2005), The Guatemalan Handshake (2005) and most recently appeared in Old Joy (2006). Glenn Max, Producer of Music Programmes at the Queen Elizabeth Hall enthuses about the forthcoming shows saying, "I am thrilled to bring Bonnie Prince Billy over to London for two special nights in January. As an actor, musician and songwriter his reputation has grown over the last 5 years and he’s a hero to many.” He adds, “He is an enigmatic artist whose work possesses great drama and a unique intimacy. His South Bank Centre dates provide a platform to hear material from his latest album live and will give UK audiences an insight into his beautifully strange and intimate world in this rare London appearance.” For ticket availability – Click here for South Bank Centre ticket booking information

Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy aka Will Oldham is to perform two special shows at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall on January 26 and 27.

These shows will be Oldham’s first major UK dates since headlining 2005’s Green Man Festival and playing London’s Forum the same year with one of his side-projects, Superwolf, with Matt Sweeney.

He released his latest album, “The Letting Go”, in September and these shows will be the first opportunity to hear the new material live.

In addition to his own projects, Will Oldham often plays and records with other musicians, including bands Box of Chocolates, Amalgamated Sons of Rest, Superwolf (with Matt Sweeney), Continental OP (with David Pajo), Current 93, the Silver Jews (with David Berman) and he has also collaborated with numerous artists over the years including Johnny Cash, Joanna Newsom, PJ Harvey and Bjork.

Not content with a busy musical life, Oldham has also turned his hand to acting and has appeared in several films such as Academy Award-nominated Junebug (2005), The Guatemalan Handshake (2005) and most recently appeared in Old Joy (2006).

Glenn Max, Producer of Music Programmes at the Queen Elizabeth Hall enthuses about the forthcoming shows saying, “I am thrilled to bring Bonnie Prince Billy over to London for two special nights in January. As an actor, musician and songwriter his reputation has grown over the last 5 years and he’s a hero to many.”

He adds, “He is an enigmatic artist whose work possesses great drama and a unique intimacy. His South Bank Centre dates provide a platform to hear material from his latest album live and will give UK audiences an insight into his beautifully strange and intimate world in this rare London appearance.”

For ticket availability – Click here for South Bank Centre ticket booking information

Monumental Neil Young Archive Made Available

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Monumental Neil Young Archive Made Available

Neil Young has made 20 years' worth of benefit performances available as “The Bridge Collection” – but only as downloads on iTunes. The 80-track six-volume compilation is compiled from the numerous concerts that Young and his wife Pegi have held in support of the Bridge School – for speech-impaired children in the San Francisco Bay Area. All proceeds from the tracks will be donated to the school. The collection features a multitude of special guests who have appeared live and acoustically with Young over two decades. Artists include Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bruce Springsteen, Green Day, Lou Reed, Metallica, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M., Smashing Pumpkins, The Pretenders, Wilco and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. Two of the tracks, Neil Young’s "Comes a Time/Sugar Mountain" medley and a collaboration with Dave Matthews on “Cortez the Killer", will be available only to those who purchase the entire “Bridge Collection” although all the other tracks are available for separate downloads. The Youngs still support the Bridge School with concerts, the most recent being in October, when rockers Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews and Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters all played. Uncut’s music editor John Mulvey explains the significance of this magnificent Neil Young archive – much of which has never been released or heard – unless you were there… He says, “This is fantastic news. Young has been promising to unlock his library of unreleased material for years now, only to be distracted by new projects. The appearance last month of his Live From The Fillmore East [1970] set was pretty significant. "But The Bridge Collection is a monument to Young's influence over generations of rock's finest, and further evidence that - following the streaming of Living With War earlier this year - that he's become an unlikely internet proselytizer. “ Mulvey adds optimistically, “With a bit of luck, the long-rumoured Archives box set might even appear in 2007.” Pic credit : Pieter M Van Hattem

Neil Young has made 20 years’ worth of benefit performances available as “The Bridge Collection” – but only as downloads on iTunes.

The 80-track six-volume compilation is compiled from the numerous concerts that Young and his wife Pegi have held in support of the Bridge School – for speech-impaired children in the San Francisco Bay Area.

All proceeds from the tracks will be donated to the school.

The collection features a multitude of special guests who have appeared live and acoustically with Young over two decades.

Artists include Crosby, Stills & Nash, Bruce Springsteen, Green Day, Lou Reed, Metallica, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M., Smashing Pumpkins, The Pretenders, Wilco and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke.

Two of the tracks, Neil Young’s “Comes a Time/Sugar Mountain” medley and a collaboration with Dave Matthews on “Cortez the Killer”, will be available only to those who purchase the entire “Bridge Collection” although all the other tracks are available for separate downloads.

The Youngs still support the Bridge School with concerts, the most recent being in October, when rockers Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews and Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters all played.

Uncut’s music editor John Mulvey explains the significance of this magnificent Neil Young archive – much of which has never been released or heard – unless you were there…

He says, “This is fantastic news. Young has been promising to unlock his library of unreleased material for years now, only to be distracted by new projects. The appearance last month of his Live From The Fillmore East [1970] set was pretty significant.

“But The Bridge Collection is a monument to Young’s influence over generations of rock’s finest, and further evidence that – following the streaming of Living With War earlier this year – that he’s become an unlikely internet proselytizer. “

Mulvey adds optimistically, “With a bit of luck, the long-rumoured Archives box set might even appear in 2007.”

Pic credit : Pieter M Van Hattem

Dylan’s Love Letters Up For Sale

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Dylan’s Love Letters Up For Sale

Dylan’s personal notes and love letters are up for sale as part of a mammoth rock and pop memorabilia auction to take place on December 4 at Christie’s auction house in New York. In the sale next month there is also a demo copy of the legandary songwriter's 1963’s album “The Freewheelin’”, estimated to go for between $8 and $12,000 because of Dylan’s handwritten track-listing amendments. The major rock and pop auction will also have some rare lucrative Beatles lyrics up for grabs. McCartney’s handwritten lyrics for the Beatles’ 1968 song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer," are expected to fetch up to $300,000, according to Christies. The high price is due to the fact that McCartney’s lyrics rarely get offered for sale. Helen Hall, a spokesperson for the auction house told Reuters News, "McCartney lyrics rarely appear on the market and have not appeared for about six years." The sale in December also includes legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix’s Fender Stratocaster - expected to fetch up to $120,000 and a 60-minute self taped interview that Beatle John Lennon originally gave to journalists in 1974, which is now thought to be worth up to $35,000.

Dylan’s personal notes and love letters are up for sale as part of a mammoth rock and pop memorabilia auction to take place on December 4 at Christie’s auction house in New York.

In the sale next month there is also a demo copy of the legandary songwriter’s 1963’s album “The Freewheelin’”, estimated to go for between $8 and $12,000 because of Dylan’s handwritten track-listing amendments.

The major rock and pop auction will also have some rare lucrative Beatles lyrics up for grabs.

McCartney’s handwritten lyrics for the Beatles’ 1968 song “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” are expected to fetch up to $300,000, according to Christies.

The high price is due to the fact that McCartney’s lyrics rarely get offered for sale. Helen Hall, a spokesperson for the auction house told Reuters News, “McCartney lyrics rarely appear on the market and have not appeared for about six years.”

The sale in December also includes legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix’s Fender Stratocaster – expected to fetch up to $120,000 and a 60-minute self taped interview that Beatle John Lennon originally gave to journalists in 1974, which is now thought to be worth up to $35,000.

Rare Phil Spector Track To Be Released

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Rare Phil Spector Track To Be Released

A previously unreleased Phil Spector track, “Spanish Harlem” is to be made available in the UK on December 4. The track is exclusive to the forthcoming release of “The Phil Spector Collection” double CD. One disc features the epic “Wall Of Sound Retrospective' with artists such as The Righteous Brothers, Bob B.Soxx And The Blue Jeans and Ike & Tina Turner. Disc two is a timely Christmas album – “A Christmas Gift For You” features Spectors’ pioneering girlgroup sound of the 1960s with The Ronettes, The Crystals and Darlene Love all included. Pic credit: Rex Features

A previously unreleased Phil Spector track, “Spanish Harlem” is to be made available in the UK on December 4.

The track is exclusive to the forthcoming release of “The Phil Spector Collection” double CD.

One disc features the epic “Wall Of Sound Retrospective’ with artists such as The Righteous Brothers, Bob B.Soxx And The Blue Jeans and Ike & Tina Turner.

Disc two is a timely Christmas album – “A Christmas Gift For You” features Spectors’ pioneering girlgroup sound of the 1960s with The Ronettes, The Crystals and Darlene Love all included.

Pic credit: Rex Features

Watch The Best Video Of The Decade

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Watch The Best Video Of The Decade

Everyday, we bring you the best thing we've seen on YouTube -- a great piece of archive footage, a music promo or a clip from one of our favourite movies of TV shows. Today: Watch the MTV award-winning video for LCD Soundsystem’s first single “Losing My Edge.” The video from July 2002 gained massive acclaim and was a great way of grabbing attention as a new act on DFA Records. It is simplicity itself. We’ve been reminded just how good LCD Soundsystem are – their forthcoming album “Sound of Silver” due out in March has been played on the Uncut stereo twice a day since it arrived on Monday. Watch LCD front-man James Murphy repeatedly get slapped in the Losing My Edge Video by clicking here now

Everyday, we bring you the best thing we’ve seen on YouTube — a great piece of archive footage, a music promo or a clip from one of our favourite movies of TV shows.

Today: Watch the MTV award-winning video for LCD Soundsystem’s first single “Losing My Edge.”

The video from July 2002 gained massive acclaim and was a great way of grabbing attention as a new act on DFA Records.

It is simplicity itself.

We’ve been reminded just how good LCD Soundsystem are – their forthcoming album “Sound of Silver” due out in March has been played on the Uncut stereo twice a day since it arrived on Monday.

Watch LCD front-man James Murphy repeatedly get slapped in the Losing My Edge Video by clicking here now

Bob On The Radio

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Bob On The Radio

Uncut “Man of The Year” Bob Dylan is to bring his Theme Time Radio Hour to Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music from December 23. This will be the first opportunity for UK listeners to tune into the highly-acclaimed radio show. Dylan began broadcasting in May with a weekly radio show on XM Satellite Radio, the leading satellite radio service in the US. “Theme Time Radio Hour With Your Host Bob Dylan” will feature an eclectic mix of music hand-selected by Dylan. The radio shows also includes interviews and commentary on music and other topics. “Theme Time” means Dylan picks his music and ideas for shows around simple categories with unexpected and ingenoius results. The themes Dylan has picked will include “weather” – with a playlist that includes “A Place In The Sun” sung in Italian by Stevie Wonder, “The Wind Cries Mary” by Jimi Hendrix and “Keep On The Sunny Side” by The Carter Family. Other themes will include ‘cars’, ‘dance’, ‘police’, and ‘whiskey’. Dylan’s latest show for XM Satellite Radio was based on Thanksgiving, focussing primarily on food! Dylan’s playlist included “Rice Crispies (Wake Up in the Morning)” by The Rolling Stones, and “I Like Pie, I Like Cake” by The Four Clefs. Dylan says of his shows, "A lot of my own songs have been played on the radio, but this is the first time I've ever been on the other side of the mic." Lesley Douglas, Controller for BBC Radio 2 is excited for fans of Dylan saying, “It’ll be fascinating to hear who his favourite artists are and who has influenced him throughout his career.” You can catch Dylan on Radio 2 from December 23 at 7pm. For more details about the weekly showtimes – Click here for Radio 2’s homepage

Uncut “Man of The Year” Bob Dylan is to bring his Theme Time Radio Hour to Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music from December 23.

This will be the first opportunity for UK listeners to tune into the highly-acclaimed radio show.

Dylan began broadcasting in May with a weekly radio show on XM Satellite Radio, the leading satellite radio service in the US.

“Theme Time Radio Hour With Your Host Bob Dylan” will feature an eclectic mix of music hand-selected by Dylan. The radio shows also includes interviews and commentary on music and other topics.

“Theme Time” means Dylan picks his music and ideas for shows around simple categories with unexpected and ingenoius results.

The themes Dylan has picked will include “weather” – with a playlist that includes “A Place In The Sun” sung in Italian by Stevie Wonder, “The Wind Cries Mary” by Jimi Hendrix and “Keep On The Sunny Side” by The Carter Family.

Other themes will include ‘cars’, ‘dance’, ‘police’, and ‘whiskey’.

Dylan’s latest show for XM Satellite Radio was based on Thanksgiving, focussing primarily on food! Dylan’s playlist included “Rice Crispies (Wake Up in the Morning)” by The Rolling Stones, and “I Like Pie, I Like Cake” by The Four Clefs.

Dylan says of his shows, “A lot of my own songs have been played on the radio, but this is the first time I’ve ever been on the other side of the mic.”

Lesley Douglas, Controller for BBC Radio 2 is excited for fans of Dylan saying, “It’ll be fascinating to hear who his favourite artists are and who has influenced him throughout his career.”

You can catch Dylan on Radio 2 from December 23 at 7pm.

For more details about the weekly showtimes – Click here for Radio 2’s homepage

ROBERT ALTMAN RIP

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ROBERT ALTMAN RIP

“I don’t have any plans to stop“, said Altman upon receiving his lifetime achievement Oscar earlier this year, “but history tells us I will”. Probably the most distinctive maverick of his generation, the Kansas-born director died on Monday in LA, aged 81. He’d made more films than he’d lived years. Among these were the great, the good and the woeful. His best work was satirical and atmospheric; his trademark interweaving narratives and multi-layered dialogues broke the mould and are often imitated. Is there a more common, lazily-applied adjective in film criticism than “Altmanesque”? He was already in his late 40s when 1970 anti-war black comedy MASH - already turned down by 17 other directors as potentially incendiary - made his name. “Oh, sure it’s a good film”, he told Uncut in 2001, “but that television series it became was despicable propaganda.” Studio suits watching rough cuts grumbled, “That idiot’s got them all talking at the same time”. On the back of its huge success (he never matched it commercially), he was allowed to develop his own style. In and out of fashion for the next three decades (in the Eighties he struggled to find funds), he was a constant force for subversion. “Trying to maintain the status quo is like trying to stop moving in a river”, he told us. “The film industry’s trivial and self-important. They just bow to the money. But there’s always dissent around the edges…” His sprawling ensemble casts - actors adored him, because he simply let them do what they were good at - graced such durable works as Nashville (75), A Wedding (78) and the Raymond Carver adaptation Short Cuts (93). He span genres on their heads: the Western in McCabe And Mrs Miller (71), noir in The Long Goodbye (73), British upstairs-downstairs class drama in Gosford Park (01). The Player (92) was an acid Hollywood lampoon which resurrected his career, though with typical perversity he told us, “That was just one film of many. It was superficial - the truth is much uglier. I preferred the one I made before that, Vincent And Theo…” His loose ends remained loose. “Life is not a puzzle to be solved”, he wrote, “but a riddle to be pondered.” Was that his abiding philosophy? “It’s true”, he said, ”there are no answers. You all seem to want happy endings. Well, I don’t know any happy endings. The only ending is death.” Yet on the way there his films shed fresh light on eternal truths, crackling with humour and poetry. “I’m a benevolent monarch on set”, he confided in us, eyes twinkling. “The others create, and I allow it. Most good things are an accident.” At the close of our 2001 interview, he said, “I’m always looking for another blank wall and some more paint. I just want to keep doing the same different things. I have a great life, lot of fun. I can’t envision myself not making films, I’ll probably die in the middle of one. But that’s all right. Although I’d rather die at the end of one.” A Prairie Home Companion will be released here next year. CHRIS ROBERTS

“I don’t have any plans to stop“, said Altman upon receiving his lifetime achievement Oscar earlier this year, “but history tells us I will”. Probably the most distinctive maverick of his generation, the Kansas-born director died on Monday in LA, aged 81. He’d made more films than he’d lived years.

Among these were the great, the good and the woeful. His best work was satirical and atmospheric; his trademark interweaving narratives and multi-layered dialogues broke the mould and are often imitated. Is there a more common, lazily-applied adjective in film criticism than “Altmanesque”?

He was already in his late 40s when 1970 anti-war black comedy MASH – already turned down by 17 other directors as potentially incendiary – made his name. “Oh, sure it’s a good film”, he told Uncut in 2001, “but that television series it became was despicable propaganda.” Studio suits watching rough cuts grumbled, “That idiot’s got them all talking at the same time”. On the back of its huge success (he never matched it commercially), he was allowed to develop his own style. In and out of fashion for the next three decades (in the Eighties he struggled to find funds), he was a constant force for subversion. “Trying to maintain the status quo is like trying to stop moving in a river”, he told us. “The film industry’s trivial and self-important. They just bow to the money. But there’s always dissent around the edges…”

His sprawling ensemble casts – actors adored him, because he simply let them do what they were good at – graced such durable works as Nashville (75), A Wedding (78) and the Raymond Carver adaptation Short Cuts (93). He span genres on their heads: the Western in McCabe And Mrs Miller (71), noir in The Long Goodbye (73), British upstairs-downstairs class drama in Gosford Park (01). The Player (92) was an acid Hollywood lampoon which resurrected his career, though with typical perversity he told us, “That was just one film of many. It was superficial – the truth is much uglier. I preferred the one I made before that, Vincent And Theo…”

His loose ends remained loose. “Life is not a puzzle to be solved”, he wrote, “but a riddle to be pondered.” Was that his abiding philosophy? “It’s true”, he said, ”there are no answers. You all seem to want happy endings. Well, I don’t know any happy endings. The only ending is death.”

Yet on the way there his films shed fresh light on eternal truths, crackling with humour and poetry. “I’m a benevolent monarch on set”, he confided in us, eyes twinkling. “The others create, and I allow it. Most good things are an accident.” At the close of our 2001 interview, he said, “I’m always looking for another blank wall and some more paint. I just want to keep doing the same different things. I have a great life, lot of fun. I can’t envision myself not making films, I’ll probably die in the middle of one. But that’s all right. Although I’d rather die at the end of one.” A Prairie Home Companion will be released here next year.

CHRIS ROBERTS

World’s Only Blue Beatles White Album Is Unveiled Today

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World’s Only Blue Beatles White Album Is Unveiled Today

A one-off blue version of the Beatles celebrated “White Album” has been unveiled today at the Beatles Story permanent exhibition in Liverpool. It is 38 years to the day since the Beatles released their ninth studio album entitled “The Beatles” more commonly known as the “White Album.” The double-album was usually produced on white vinyl, but this blue version has been verified by Sotheby’s and Christie’s Auction houses as the only blue version in existence. The rare album’s owner, Colin McDonald, worked for the record pressing plant that produced the “White Album” in 1978 and the plant also happened to be pressing Linda Ronstadts “Blue Bayou” on blue vinyl at the same time. McDonald seized the fabulous opportunity to make himself a unique version of the “White Album” – the sleeve of which has since been autographed by Paul McCartney – making it the ultimate collector’s item. The blue “White Album” will be on display at the Beatles Story visitor attraction for a limited time.

A one-off blue version of the Beatles celebrated “White Album” has been unveiled today at the Beatles Story permanent exhibition in Liverpool.

It is 38 years to the day since the Beatles released their ninth studio album entitled “The Beatles” more commonly known as the “White Album.”

The double-album was usually produced on white vinyl, but this blue version has been verified by Sotheby’s and Christie’s Auction houses as the only blue version in existence.

The rare album’s owner, Colin McDonald, worked for the record pressing plant that produced the “White Album” in 1978 and the plant also happened to be pressing Linda Ronstadts “Blue Bayou” on blue vinyl at the same time.

McDonald seized the fabulous opportunity to make himself a unique version of the “White Album” – the sleeve of which has since been autographed by Paul McCartney – making it the ultimate collector’s item.

The blue “White Album” will be on display at the Beatles Story visitor attraction for a limited time.

Pioneering movie-maker Robert Altman Has Died

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Pioneering movie-maker Robert Altman Has Died

Robert Altman has passed away, aged 81, his production company has announced this afternoon. The acclaimed director born in 1925 has been nominated for 5 Academy Awards in his lifetime. This year Altman was awarded an honourary Oscar for "a career that has repeatedly reinvented the art form". In his acceptance speech, he said he was grateful for the luck he'd had bestowed upon his movies, saying, "No other film-maker has gotten a better shake than I have. I'm very fortunate in my career.” He added, "I've never had to direct a film I didn't choose or develop. My love for film-making has given me an entree to the world and to the human condition." His films have tended to be arty, dark and sublime, and include The Player, Pret A Porter, Short Cuts, period mystery Gosford Park. His latest movie A Prairie Home Companion, starring Woody Harrelson and Tommy Lee Jones, premiered at the South By Southwest festival earlier this year. Altman's cause of death has not been revealed.

Robert Altman has passed away, aged 81, his production company has announced this afternoon.

The acclaimed director born in 1925 has been nominated for 5 Academy Awards in his lifetime.

This year Altman was awarded an honourary Oscar for “a career that has repeatedly reinvented the art form”.

In his acceptance speech, he said he was grateful for the luck he’d had bestowed upon his movies, saying, “No other film-maker has gotten a better shake than I have. I’m very fortunate in my career.”

He added, “I’ve never had to direct a film I didn’t choose or develop. My love for film-making has given me an entree to the world and to the human condition.”

His films have tended to be arty, dark and sublime, and include The Player, Pret A Porter, Short Cuts, period mystery Gosford Park.

His latest movie A Prairie Home Companion, starring Woody Harrelson and Tommy Lee Jones, premiered at the South By Southwest festival earlier this year.

Altman’s cause of death has not been revealed.

Watch Dexys Kevin Rowland Dance

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Watch Dexys Kevin Rowland Dance

Everyday, we bring you the best thing we've seen on YouTube -- a great piece of archive footage, a music promo or a clip from one of our favourite movies of TV shows. Today: Watch the brilliant promo video for Dexys Midnight Runners’ 1980 single, “There There My Dear.” Taken from the album “Searching For The Young Soul Rebels.” Listen to the joyous sax! Got to bring a smile to your face. Uncut have been reminded of Dexys’ genius with the arrival this morning of a rarities CD “The Projected Passion Revue.” The recordings are scheduled for release on January 29, including a Radio 1 concert session from 1981 and the Radio 1 Richard Skinner session from the same year. Watch the Dexys in Beenie-hat and ‘tash action by clicking here

Everyday, we bring you the best thing we’ve seen on YouTube — a great piece of archive footage, a music promo or a clip from one of our favourite movies of TV shows.

Today: Watch the brilliant promo video for Dexys Midnight Runners’ 1980 single, “There There My Dear.”

Taken from the album “Searching For The Young Soul Rebels.”

Listen to the joyous sax! Got to bring a smile to your face.

Uncut have been reminded of Dexys’ genius with the arrival this morning of a rarities CD “The Projected Passion Revue.”

The recordings are scheduled for release on January 29, including a Radio 1 concert session from 1981 and the Radio 1 Richard Skinner session from the same year.

Watch the Dexys in Beenie-hat and ‘tash action by clicking here

Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour Releases Syd Tribute

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Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour Releases Syd Tribute

David Gilmour will release a cover of “Arnold Layne” in December in tribute to former Pink Floyd bandmate Syd Barrett. Gilmour announced the single’s release on his website, there are three tracks: two version’s of Arnold Layne – penned by Barratt and Pink Floyd’s first ever single in March 1967. Gilmour’s new versions of “Arnold Layne” were both recorded live at his triumphant shows at London’s prestigious Albert Hall earlier this year. David Bowie guests on vocals on one version and Richard Wright, another Floyd member appears on the other. A third live recorded track will also be available, an acoustic version of “Dark Globe” from Syd Barratt’s first solo album “The Madcap Laughs.” Gilmour says on his website, “This single is dedicated to the memory of Syd Barrett, who passed away in July.” The tracks will be available to download from Christmas Day. For more information about the David Gilmour – Click here to go to his artist homepage

David Gilmour will release a cover of “Arnold Layne” in December in tribute to former Pink Floyd bandmate Syd Barrett.

Gilmour announced the single’s release on his website, there are three tracks: two version’s of Arnold Layne – penned by Barratt and Pink Floyd’s first ever single in March 1967.

Gilmour’s new versions of “Arnold Layne” were both recorded live at his triumphant shows at London’s prestigious Albert Hall earlier this year.

David Bowie guests on vocals on one version and Richard Wright, another Floyd member appears on the other.

A third live recorded track will also be available, an acoustic version of “Dark Globe” from Syd Barratt’s first solo album “The Madcap Laughs.”

Gilmour says on his website, “This single is dedicated to the memory of Syd Barrett, who passed away in July.”

The tracks will be available to download from Christmas Day.

For more information about the David Gilmour – Click here to go to his artist homepage

Legendary Slits Frontwoman Writes For Uncut!

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Legendary Slits Frontwoman Writes For Uncut!

Everywhere I go people still want to talk to me about The Slits. Sometimes it's old punks and rockers reminiscing about the anarchy of ‘77 to ‘79, sometimes its riot grrrls and 18 year olds that have just started their own band. It doesn’t make any difference to me whether their questions are original or I’ve already heard them a million times before, the important thing is people still want to know about The Slits. Whatever anyone else says, we weren’t just a punk rock group - we were four girls on a mission to bring about the revolution. We could have chosen film or theatre or literature or art as our medium but we chose music because we knew it would have the most impact and immediacy. I look at the bands making music these days and most of them seem happy to play by the rules and do what their managers and record labels tell them. They might call themselves free-spirited but you can tell they are in it for the exposure and the money and the record sales. It was never about anything that superficial for us. It was about passion and politics and the four of us coming together to create this incredible explosion of energy. People assume we must have had dozens of offers to reform The Slits over the years because bands like the Pistols have, but nobody ever asked us. I don’t know why but I think its probably because we were so bolshy and confrontational. People were either with us or against us. There was never an in-between. Me and Tessa are the only original members in the new incarnation of The Slits. The other girls are all new. They bring the youth and vitality and we bring the roots and the history and the legend. We don’t see what we’re doing as reforming The Slits either because we’re not interested in nostalgia. We’re interested in moving forwards and taking the group to the next level. I can’t comment on how the other girls in the original group feel because that’s a touchy subject. It's too personal and too political to discuss in the media and I don’t want to upset or deceive anybody. Tessa and I just knew we had to continue our mission. We lost touch completely when I moved to Jamaica but I’m glad we’re working together again. She’s an incredible bass player and an incredible woman. It took us ages to recruit the right girls but eventually we found Nadia, Adele, No, Holly and Lauren. Nadia and Adele both play the guitar, No plays the drums and Holly and Lauren both sing and are jacks of all trades. Holly is the daughter of Paul Cook from the Pistols and Lauren is the daughter of Mick Jones from The Clash - so the punk legacy continues! We played our first gigs together in London recently and I have to say, I think we sounded pretty good. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed myself because enjoyment is not a word I’d ever use to describe playing live but the audience seemed to have a good time. We played ‘Typical Girls’, ‘Instant Hit’, ‘Spend Spend Spend’, and a couple of songs from my recent solo album Dread More Dan Dead. Since then, we’ve gone into the studio with Marco from Adam and The Ants and recorded an EP, which should be out soon. There’s four tracks on it including a hypnotic, reggae version of ‘Kill Them With Love’ and a really raw version of ‘Number One Enemy’. That’s an original song that we wrote in ‘76 and never released or recorded. There’s also a completely new track which combines the sound of the old skool with more cutting edge hip hop. I don’t know what people will make of it but I like the fact all the tracks are so different. It would be great if one of them got lots of airplay and become a big hit but I can’t imagine that happening, not when the music industry is just as difficult as it was in ‘77. Men still overshadow women and women are still being depicted as sex kittens. I’ve been told bands like Le Tigre and Chicks on Speed have kept the spirit of The Slits alive over the last decade, but it's hard for me to comment since I’m not that familiar with their music. I like the idea of there being lots of baby Slits dotted across the world, though. I find that very empowering. The line-up and the sound might have changed but the attitude and intention of The Slits is exactly the same. We were musical terrorists then and we’re musical terrorists now. The revolution continues! ARI UP WAS TALKING TO SARAH-JANE Ari Up’s solo album Dread More Dan Dead is out now. For live dates and more info about The Slits visit www.theslits.co.uk

Everywhere I go people still want to talk to me about The Slits.

Sometimes it’s old punks and rockers reminiscing about the anarchy of ‘77 to ‘79, sometimes its riot grrrls and 18 year olds that have just started their own band.

It doesn’t make any difference to me whether their questions are original or I’ve already heard them a million times before, the important thing is people still want to know about The Slits.

Whatever anyone else says, we weren’t just a punk rock group – we were four girls on a mission to bring about the revolution. We could have chosen film or theatre or literature or art as our medium but we chose music because we knew it would have the most impact and immediacy.

I look at the bands making music these days and most of them seem happy to play by the rules and do what their managers and record labels tell them.

They might call themselves free-spirited but you can tell they are in it

for the exposure and the money and the record sales. It was never about

anything that superficial for us. It was about passion and politics and the

four of us coming together to create this incredible explosion of energy.

People assume we must have had dozens of offers to reform The Slits over the years because bands like the Pistols have, but nobody ever asked us. I don’t know why but I think its probably because we were so bolshy and

confrontational.

People were either with us or against us. There was never an in-between.

Me and Tessa are the only original members in the new incarnation of The

Slits. The other girls are all new. They bring the youth and vitality and we

bring the roots and the history and the legend.

We don’t see what we’re doing as reforming The Slits either because we’re not interested in nostalgia. We’re interested in moving forwards and taking the group to the next level.

I can’t comment on how the other girls in the original group feel because that’s a touchy subject. It’s too personal and too political to discuss in the media and I don’t want to upset or deceive anybody. Tessa and I just knew we had to continue our mission.

We lost touch completely when I moved to Jamaica but I’m glad we’re working together again. She’s an incredible bass player and an incredible woman.

It took us ages to recruit the right girls but eventually we found Nadia,

Adele, No, Holly and Lauren. Nadia and Adele both play the guitar, No plays the drums and Holly and Lauren both sing and are jacks of all trades. Holly is the daughter of Paul Cook from the Pistols and Lauren is the daughter of Mick Jones from The Clash – so the punk legacy continues!

We played our first gigs together in London recently and I have to say, I think we sounded pretty good. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed myself because enjoyment is not a word I’d ever use to describe playing live but the audience seemed to have a good time.

We played ‘Typical Girls’, ‘Instant Hit’, ‘Spend Spend Spend’, and a couple of songs from my recent solo album Dread More Dan Dead.

Since then, we’ve gone into the studio with Marco from Adam and The Ants and recorded an EP, which should be out soon.

There’s four tracks on it including a hypnotic, reggae version of ‘Kill Them With Love’ and a really raw version of ‘Number One Enemy’. That’s an original song that we wrote in ‘76 and never released or recorded. There’s also a completely new track which combines the sound of the old skool with more cutting edge hip hop.

I don’t know what people will make of it but I like the fact all the tracks are so different. It would be great if one of them got lots of airplay and become a big hit but I can’t imagine that happening, not when the music industry is just as difficult as it was in ‘77.

Men still overshadow women and women are still being depicted as sex kittens.

I’ve been told bands like Le Tigre and Chicks on Speed have kept the spirit

of The Slits alive over the last decade, but it’s hard for me to comment

since I’m not that familiar with their music.

I like the idea of there being lots of baby Slits dotted across the world, though. I find that very empowering. The line-up and the sound might have changed but the attitude and intention of The Slits is exactly the same.

We were musical terrorists then and we’re musical terrorists now. The revolution continues!

ARI UP WAS TALKING TO SARAH-JANE

Ari Up’s solo album Dread More Dan Dead is out now. For live dates and more info about The Slits visit www.theslits.co.uk

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