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Sufjan Stevens Turns Film Critic On Eve of UK dates

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Sufjan Stevens Turns Film Critic On Eve of UK dates

Hugely talented musician Sufjan Stevens, who famously promised to write an album for all 50 American states and whose album “Come On Feel The Illinoise” was released to great acclaim last year, has taken on yet another role. In celebration of Halloween this week, the singer has spoken about what films he loves at this time of the year. Posting on his record label’s website www.asthmatickitty.com, Stevens explains his love of the horror genre. He explains, “I grew up on horror films. I saw 'The Exorcist' when I was five. Disney’s 'The Black Hole' struck me as light fare, even though my older brother left the theatre crying.” He picks classic zombie movie “Night of the Living Dead” as his number one scary flick, which despite its “bad acting, cheap make-up and clumsy camera work” still makes him “sick to my stomach”. Stevens’ most recent film pick is the environmental documentary “An Inconvenient Truth”. He describes presenter Al Gore as “Darth Vader with a Power Point presentation. Yikes.” “The Avalanche”, an album compiled from outtakes of “Come On Feel The Illinoise”, is in the Top 10 of our favourite 50 albums of 2006. Find out what the other 49 great albums of the year were, in the December edition of Uncut, out now. The Brooklyn-based artist kicks off the British leg of his European tour in support of “The Avalanche” at Manchester Academy 2 tonight (November 2). He plays London Barbican Arts Centre tomorrow. To read Sufjan Stevens full list of favourite scary movies – Click here

Hugely talented musician Sufjan Stevens, who famously promised to write an album for all 50 American states and whose album “Come On Feel The Illinoise” was released to great acclaim last year, has taken on yet another role.

In celebration of Halloween this week, the singer has spoken about what films he loves at this time of the year.

Posting on his record label’s website www.asthmatickitty.com, Stevens explains his love of the horror genre.

He explains, “I grew up on horror films. I saw ‘The Exorcist’ when I was five. Disney’s ‘The Black Hole’ struck me as light fare, even though my older brother left the theatre crying.”

He picks classic zombie movie “Night of the Living Dead” as his number one scary flick, which despite its “bad acting, cheap make-up and clumsy camera work” still makes him “sick to my stomach”.

Stevens’ most recent film pick is the environmental documentary “An Inconvenient Truth”. He describes presenter Al Gore as “Darth Vader with a Power Point presentation. Yikes.”

“The Avalanche”, an album compiled from outtakes of “Come On Feel The Illinoise”, is in the Top 10 of our favourite 50 albums of 2006.

Find out what the other 49 great albums of the year were, in the December edition of Uncut, out now.

The Brooklyn-based artist kicks off the British leg of his European tour in support of “The Avalanche” at Manchester Academy 2 tonight (November 2).

He plays London Barbican Arts Centre tomorrow.

To read Sufjan Stevens full list of favourite scary movies – Click here

Bob Dylan and Dave Stewart get Funkadelic

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Bob Dylan and Dave Stewart get Funkadelic

Key Parliament-Funkadelic member and co-founder of Bootsy Collin’s Rubber Band, Gary ‘Mudbone’ Cooper is back on tour in support of his debut solo album “Fresh Mud” Uncut described the debut release as “a rollicking affair that mashes up blues with funk, hip hop and gospel” and it also includes contributions from some diverse musicians. Bob Dylan adds his blues piano playing talents to a track called “Home” and another pianist, Jools Holland also helps out on the album. Ex-Eurythmic Dave Stewart co-wrote forthcoming funk-gospel single “Freedom’s Coming.” The single is released on November 26 to raise awareness for Nelson Mandela’s “46664” initiative. Other contributors on the album are original Funkadelic bassist Billy “Bass” Nelson and Jamaican ‘rap queen’ Nadirah X – they will also play live with Mudbone on his UK shows. Mudbone will strut his funky stuff next month after supporting P!ink on a national arena tour. He will play: London Metro (December 4) Birmingham Barfly (6) Cardiff Barfly (7) Brighton Pressure Point (8) Manchester Roadhouse (12) Glasgow ABC 2 (13) Nottingham Rock City (14) For more information about the album and shows– Click here to go to Mudbone’s website

Key Parliament-Funkadelic member and co-founder of Bootsy Collin’s Rubber Band, Gary ‘Mudbone’ Cooper is back on tour in support of his debut solo album “Fresh Mud”

Uncut described the debut release as “a rollicking affair that mashes up blues with funk, hip hop and gospel” and it also includes contributions from some diverse musicians.

Bob Dylan adds his blues piano playing talents to a track called “Home” and another pianist, Jools Holland also helps out on the album.

Ex-Eurythmic Dave Stewart co-wrote forthcoming funk-gospel single “Freedom’s Coming.” The single is released on November 26 to raise awareness for Nelson Mandela’s “46664” initiative.

Other contributors on the album are original Funkadelic bassist Billy “Bass” Nelson and Jamaican ‘rap queen’ Nadirah X – they will also play live with Mudbone on his UK shows.

Mudbone will strut his funky stuff next month after supporting P!ink on a national arena tour. He will play:

London Metro (December 4)

Birmingham Barfly (6)

Cardiff Barfly (7)

Brighton Pressure Point (8)

Manchester Roadhouse (12)

Glasgow ABC 2 (13)

Nottingham Rock City (14)

For more information about the album and shows– Click here to go to Mudbone’s website

Hank Williams’ Stolen Lyrics Located

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Hank Williams’ Stolen Lyrics Located

Hank Williams’ stolen notebook containing up to 20 unpublished songs, and worth an estimated £130,000, has been found in the hands of two memorabilia collectors in Tennessee. The book, which contains lyrics written between 1947 and 1949, has been missing for nearly 60 years. Owners of the notebook, Sony/ATV Publishing, only realised the country legend’s book was missing in September this year when a news report in the Chicago Sun-Times alleged that Steven Shutts and Robert Reynolds, memorabilia collectors had it. The pair, who run a travelling exhibition called the “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame”, are not accused of stealing the book but could be charged by Sony/ATV Publishing for possessing stolen goods. Hank Williams, a huge influence on Bob Dylan, died in 1953 after achieving fame with songs like “Your Cheating Heart”.

Hank Williams’ stolen notebook containing up to 20 unpublished songs, and worth an estimated £130,000, has been found in the hands of two memorabilia collectors in Tennessee.

The book, which contains lyrics written between 1947 and 1949, has been missing for nearly 60 years.

Owners of the notebook, Sony/ATV Publishing, only realised the country legend’s book was missing in September this year when a news report in the Chicago Sun-Times alleged that Steven Shutts and Robert Reynolds, memorabilia collectors had it.

The pair, who run a travelling exhibition called the “Honky Tonk Hall of Fame”, are not accused of stealing the book but could be charged by Sony/ATV Publishing for possessing stolen goods.

Hank Williams, a huge influence on Bob Dylan, died in 1953 after achieving fame with songs like “Your Cheating Heart”.

Magic Numbers – Those The Brokes

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Magic Numbers – Those The Brokes

Of the words that spring to mind when you think of The Magic Numbers - country, cartoon, cuddly, harmony, heavenly, hammock - none have remotely negative connotations. Detractors are put off by this perceived bonhomie, and are unlikely to be converted by the quartet’s second album, recorded in Woodstock and produced by the band’s Romeo and Michele Stodart. Yet if The Magic Numbers ditched all aspects of their music apart from the middle-eights, they’d probably have the saddest album in the world right here. The opening "This Is A Song"’s lengthy piano and bells intro is pure Christmas. The lyric is a love triangle, once again - so happy, so sad. But after the second chorus it dips into one of the melancholy mid-sections that characterise the Magic Numbers’ work, as predictable in its own rather complex way as Nirvana. And as with their very best songs, the vocal interplay is heartstopping, a waterfall of harmonies reminiscent of the coda to the Go Betweens' "Cattle And Cane". As befitting a group who have spent two years on the road, though, there are a couple of rock shockers on Those The Brokes, chiefly "Runnin' Out", driving along recklessly, careering down chicanes of minor chords where you least expect them. "Burn all the money you earn," suggests a sly Romeo Stodart. "There's a chance you might learn who you are." Elsewhere, "Boy", with its strings, harps, and wheezing melodica, is steeped in the American baroque soul of Teddy Randazzo and Thom Bell. You half expect a mandolin player to burst in, with a beseeching look on his face, and go down on one knee. "Take A Chance" rather lets the side down, sounding like an out-take from the first album. Quite how this ended up as the curtain-raising single is a mystery. The other problem, and it's a big one, is the bone-dry production: "Those The Brokes" sounds, in places, like it was recorded in a fridge. Rather than producing themselves, they could benefit from a wise head adding a touch of reverb, a sting of echo. Otherwise The Magic Numbers will never make the stone classic they are, on this evidence, most capable of. By Vivian Mackay

Of the words that spring to mind when you think of The Magic Numbers – country, cartoon, cuddly, harmony, heavenly, hammock – none have remotely negative connotations. Detractors are put off by this perceived bonhomie, and are unlikely to be converted by the quartet’s second album, recorded in Woodstock and produced by the band’s Romeo and Michele Stodart. Yet if The Magic Numbers ditched all aspects of their music apart from the middle-eights, they’d probably have the saddest album in the world right here.

The opening “This Is A Song”’s lengthy piano and bells intro is pure Christmas. The lyric is a love triangle, once again – so happy, so sad. But after the second chorus it dips into one of the melancholy mid-sections that characterise the Magic Numbers’ work, as predictable in its own rather complex way as Nirvana. And as with their very best songs, the vocal interplay is heartstopping, a waterfall of harmonies reminiscent of the coda to the Go Betweens’ “Cattle And Cane”.

As befitting a group who have spent two years on the road, though, there are a couple of rock shockers on Those The Brokes, chiefly “Runnin’ Out”, driving along recklessly, careering down chicanes of minor chords where you least expect them. “Burn all the money you earn,” suggests a sly Romeo Stodart. “There’s a chance you might learn who you are.” Elsewhere, “Boy”, with its strings, harps, and wheezing melodica, is steeped in the American baroque soul of Teddy Randazzo and Thom Bell. You half expect a mandolin player to burst in, with a beseeching look on his face, and go down on one knee.

“Take A Chance” rather lets the side down, sounding like an out-take from the first album. Quite how this ended up as the curtain-raising single is a mystery. The other problem, and it’s a big one, is the bone-dry production: “Those The Brokes” sounds, in places, like it was recorded in a fridge. Rather than producing themselves, they could benefit from a wise head adding a touch of reverb, a sting of echo. Otherwise The Magic Numbers will never make the stone classic they are, on this evidence, most capable of.

By Vivian Mackay

Long Blondes – Someone To Drive You Home

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Long Blondes – Someone To Drive You Home

The long-running press campaign on the Long Blondes’ behalf spoke to a cherished critical fantasy. If we’re determined to run with BritPop II - with the Kaiser Chiefs as Blur, and the Monkeys as Oasis - then can we at least have a new Pulp? The Blondes certainly seemed to fit the bill: rakish heirs to Sheffield’s shabby chic, classy aspirants to the standards of Bacharach, articulate pop swots in a stage school world. But with their debut album, the campaign promises end and the reckoning begins. "I just want to be a sweetheart!" yelps Kate Jackson, invoking Edie Sedgwick and Anna Karina on opening track "Lust In The Movies". She’s a fabulous frontwoman, with no time to play anyone’s muse. Across 12 tracks she casts herself as desperate housewife ("Company Of Women"), louche agony aunt ("Once And Never Again") and jealous also-ran ("You Could Have Both") and fair tears up the scenery: urgent, passionate, determinedly defiant. So much so that her bravura performance threatens to overwhelm the band. At times here it feels like Debbie Harry took a wrong turn on the way to Studio 54 and wound up with Shed 7. Like Human League and Pulp before them, the Blondes aim to skip lightly from the kitchen sink to the sublime, but they often struggle to make the leap. In this context, "Giddy Stratospheres" – along with "Weekend Without Make-Up" one of the strongest songs here – seems like harsh self-diagnosis: "She’ll never take you higher than her attic room". Within the context of Razorlight or Kasabian, "Someone To Drive You Home" is clearly the work of lively, stylish minds. What’s frustrating is that they are evidently aiming so much higher. To make good on their ambitions it may be that they need to hook up with a properly ruthless pop producer, one who can coax them out of their indie-pop dowdiness - like Blondie needed Mike Chapman, like ABC needed Horn. Otherwise, the Long Blondes may have to be content to be this season’s Elastica. By Stephen Trousse

The long-running press campaign on the Long Blondes’ behalf spoke to a cherished critical fantasy. If we’re determined to run with BritPop II – with the Kaiser Chiefs as Blur, and the Monkeys as Oasis – then can we at least have a new Pulp? The Blondes certainly seemed to fit the bill: rakish heirs to Sheffield’s shabby chic, classy aspirants to the standards of Bacharach, articulate pop swots in a stage school world.

But with their debut album, the campaign promises end and the reckoning begins. “I just want to be a sweetheart!” yelps Kate Jackson, invoking Edie Sedgwick and Anna Karina on opening track “Lust In The Movies”. She’s a fabulous frontwoman, with no time to play anyone’s muse. Across 12 tracks she casts herself as desperate housewife (“Company Of Women”), louche agony aunt (“Once And Never Again”) and jealous also-ran (“You Could Have Both”) and fair tears up the scenery: urgent, passionate, determinedly defiant.

So much so that her bravura performance threatens to overwhelm the band. At times here it feels like Debbie Harry took a wrong turn on the way to Studio 54 and wound up with Shed 7. Like Human League and Pulp before them, the Blondes aim to skip lightly from the kitchen sink to the sublime, but they often struggle to make the leap. In this context, “Giddy Stratospheres” – along with “Weekend Without Make-Up” one of the strongest songs here – seems like harsh self-diagnosis: “She’ll never take you higher than her attic room”.

Within the context of Razorlight or Kasabian, “Someone To Drive You Home” is clearly the work of lively, stylish minds. What’s frustrating is that they are evidently aiming so much higher. To make good on their ambitions it may be that they need to hook up with a properly ruthless pop producer, one who can coax them out of their indie-pop dowdiness – like Blondie needed Mike Chapman, like ABC needed Horn. Otherwise, the Long Blondes may have to be content to be this season’s Elastica.

By Stephen Trousse

Joanna Newsom – Ys

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Joanna Newsom – Ys

All classic records deserve their own creation myth, and Joanna Newsom’s second album has a pretty good one. The story begins, for our purposes, in a small studio in Los Angeles. Steve Albini, working with characteristic crisp precision, has been hired to record Newsom’s voice and harp, to capture the movement of air and her callused fingers across the strings. Newsom has brought five songs to the sessions: the shortest, "Cosmia", lasts for seven minutes and the longest, "Only Skin", stretches to nearly 17. None of the five have choruses as such. Instead, they are great fervid torrents of words that elide close nature observations with a visceral sexuality – recalling, perhaps, Walt Whitman’s epic 19th Century poem, Leaves Of Grass. The exact meanings may be cloaked in allegory and metaphor, but these are intensely personal songs that have been given an intimate, focused treatment. Newsom’s ultimate vision for the record is much more expansive, though. The Californian’s debut, 2004’s "The Milk-Eyed Mender", presented a striking talent, but one which was habitually bundled in with Devendra Banhart’s acid-folk caravan, or dismissed as a shrill, medieval Björk. In fact, Newsom is anything but whimsical and naïve, and she studied classical composition at college (amusingly, she seems faintly ashamed of being unable to read 35 musical parts on a score at once). Inspired by Van Dyke Parks’ 1968 baroque marvel, "Song Cycle", she convinces Parks to work on orchestral arrangements which will orbit her harp and voice. Newsom and Parks collaborate for six months, preparing the score. When the rich instrumentation is added, it chases Newsom and her harp across wild terrain, gusting around her melodies, emphasising the high drama of these five remarkable songs. Still, though, the project continues. Jim O’Rourke fastidiously mixes the recordings, surely aware of their kinship with the work of Judee Sill, one of his heroes. A cover painting in the style of the Pre-Raphaelites is commissioned, with an inscrutable Newsom holding a sickle and a cosmia moth. A title is found: "Ys", pronounced "Ees", the name of a mythical Breton city that was flooded as punishment for the decadence of its inhabitants. Certainly, "Ys" is a lavish album, and it’s easy to assume that Newsom has been excessively decadent herself. Conceived on such a vast scale, the potential for self-indulgence is massive. There’s a risk, too, of prog folly: Pre-Raphaelite homages loaded with obscure symbolism can easily look like Marillion covers; a brisk Googling reveals Ys to be the name of an online fantasy game. But for the 56 minutes that "Ys" lasts, all the doubts evaporate. Every elaboration has a purpose, every labyrinthine melodic detour feels necessary rather than contrived. Tempting as it is to fixate on the gilded reputations of her associates, this is unequivocally Newsom’s album. It’s her ambition, her saturated images, her bloodied stamina behind it all. Uncut’s editor compares "Ys" to Nico’s "Marble Index", for its astonishing single-mindedness, the sense – notwithstanding those collaborators, that orchestra – that this is a hermetic, determinedly personal trip. What’s immediately arresting is Newsom’s wholehearted engagement with life and love: vivid, fleshly, rapturous. Not for her the vagueness of most supposedly pastoral songwriters. If anything, the meticulous evocations of nature are closer to another 19th Century American writer, Henry David Thoreau. Newsom also has lovely taste in words – "sassafras", "meteoroid", "hydrocephalitic", "spelunking", "inchoate" – and she savours every one. The environment, spiritual and physical love are intertwined. "Push me back into a tree," she demands in "Sawdust And Diamonds", the one track where voice and harp are unadorned by Parks’ curlicues. There’s an earthiness here, too, which proves Newsom is nothing like the winsome damsel who critics have previously fetishised. That some of these ecstasies may be directed towards her boyfriend, Bill ‘Smog’ Callahan, adds an extra frisson to the backstory - how striking the contrast between this unabashed passion and the devious, novelistic lyrics of Smog. Newsom’s narratives could not be more different: "When I cut your hair, and leave the birds all the trimmings, I am the happiest woman amongst all women," she sings in "Only Skin" (her vocals, incidentally, are much less mannered than on "The Milk-Eyed Mender"). Even when she tackles mortality, she does so with vigour: "Life is thundering blissful towards death," she incants, later in the same song. Once you’re hooked, "Ys" reveals a new highlight with every listen. Today, two passages stand out. The first comes near the end of "Emily", after around 11 minutes: as Newsom’s voice fades away, the strings become sombre and staccato, and she seems awed, meditative, stunned by the enormity of what she has created. The second is 13 and a half minutes into "Only Skin", a song extraordinary even in this company. A banjo and Bill Callahan’s lugubrious baritone shadow Newsom, by now multi-tracked and moving with a seasick roll that recalls Kate Bush on "Army Dreamers". "If the love of a woman or two, dear, could move you to such heights," she concludes, "then all I can do is do, my darling, right by you." All we can do, of course, is play it again and again. What began as Joanna Newsom’s obsession can easily become a listener’s obsession, too. By John Mulvey

All classic records deserve their own creation myth, and Joanna Newsom’s second album has a pretty good one. The story begins, for our purposes, in a small studio in Los Angeles. Steve Albini, working with characteristic crisp precision, has been hired to record Newsom’s voice and harp, to capture the movement of air and her callused fingers across the strings. Newsom has brought five songs to the sessions: the shortest, “Cosmia”, lasts for seven minutes and the longest, “Only Skin”, stretches to nearly 17.

None of the five have choruses as such. Instead, they are great fervid torrents of words that elide close nature observations with a visceral sexuality – recalling, perhaps, Walt Whitman’s epic 19th Century poem, Leaves Of Grass. The exact meanings may be cloaked in allegory and metaphor, but these are intensely personal songs that have been given an intimate, focused treatment.

Newsom’s ultimate vision for the record is much more expansive, though. The Californian’s debut, 2004’s “The Milk-Eyed Mender”, presented a striking talent, but one which was habitually bundled in with Devendra Banhart’s acid-folk caravan, or dismissed as a shrill, medieval Björk. In fact, Newsom is anything but whimsical and naïve, and she studied classical composition at college (amusingly, she seems faintly ashamed of being unable to read 35 musical parts on a score at once). Inspired by Van Dyke Parks’ 1968 baroque marvel, “Song Cycle”, she convinces Parks to work on orchestral arrangements which will orbit her harp and voice.

Newsom and Parks collaborate for six months, preparing the score. When the rich instrumentation is added, it chases Newsom and her harp across wild terrain, gusting around her melodies, emphasising the high drama of these five remarkable songs.

Still, though, the project continues. Jim O’Rourke fastidiously mixes the recordings, surely aware of their kinship with the work of Judee Sill, one of his heroes. A cover painting in the style of the Pre-Raphaelites is commissioned, with an inscrutable Newsom holding a sickle and a cosmia moth. A title is found: “Ys”, pronounced “Ees”, the name of a mythical Breton city that was flooded as punishment for the decadence of its inhabitants.

Certainly, “Ys” is a lavish album, and it’s easy to assume that Newsom has been excessively decadent herself. Conceived on such a vast scale, the potential for self-indulgence is massive. There’s a risk, too, of prog folly: Pre-Raphaelite homages loaded with obscure symbolism can easily look like Marillion covers; a brisk Googling reveals Ys to be the name of an online fantasy game.

But for the 56 minutes that “Ys” lasts, all the doubts evaporate. Every elaboration has a purpose, every labyrinthine melodic detour feels necessary rather than contrived. Tempting as it is to fixate on the gilded reputations of her associates, this is unequivocally Newsom’s album. It’s her ambition, her saturated images, her bloodied stamina behind it all. Uncut’s editor compares “Ys” to Nico’s “Marble Index”, for its astonishing single-mindedness, the sense – notwithstanding those collaborators, that orchestra – that this is a hermetic, determinedly personal trip.

What’s immediately arresting is Newsom’s wholehearted engagement with life and love: vivid, fleshly, rapturous. Not for her the vagueness of most supposedly pastoral songwriters. If anything, the meticulous evocations of nature are closer to another 19th Century American writer, Henry David Thoreau. Newsom also has lovely taste in words – “sassafras”, “meteoroid”, “hydrocephalitic”, “spelunking”, “inchoate” – and she savours every one.

The environment, spiritual and physical love are intertwined. “Push me back into a tree,” she demands in “Sawdust And Diamonds”, the one track where voice and harp are unadorned by Parks’ curlicues. There’s an earthiness here, too, which proves Newsom is nothing like the winsome damsel who critics have previously fetishised. That some of these ecstasies may be directed towards her boyfriend, Bill ‘Smog’ Callahan, adds an extra frisson to the backstory – how striking the contrast between this unabashed passion and the devious, novelistic lyrics of Smog.

Newsom’s narratives could not be more different: “When I cut your hair, and leave the birds all the trimmings, I am the happiest woman amongst all women,” she sings in “Only Skin” (her vocals, incidentally, are much less mannered than on “The Milk-Eyed Mender”). Even when she tackles mortality, she does so with vigour: “Life is thundering blissful towards death,” she incants, later in the same song.

Once you’re hooked, “Ys” reveals a new highlight with every listen. Today, two passages stand out. The first comes near the end of “Emily”, after around 11 minutes: as Newsom’s voice fades away, the strings become sombre and staccato, and she seems awed, meditative, stunned by the enormity of what she has created. The second is 13 and a half minutes into “Only Skin”, a song extraordinary even in this company. A banjo and Bill Callahan’s lugubrious baritone shadow Newsom, by now multi-tracked and moving with a seasick roll that recalls Kate Bush on “Army Dreamers”.

“If the love of a woman or two, dear, could move you to such heights,” she concludes, “then all I can do is do, my darling, right by you.” All we can do, of course, is play it again and again. What began as Joanna Newsom’s obsession can easily become a listener’s obsession, too.

By John Mulvey

Paul Weller – Hit Parade

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Paul Weller – Hit Parade

Despite his persistent refusal to rest on past laurels, segments of Weller's career have been repeatedly anthologised. This latest, and grandest, overview (available in both box set and single disc versions) documents the full range of his stylistic and artistic vision. Each stage of Weller's 30-year career, from the first flush of punchy punk modernism with The Jam, to the glorious, full circle revivalism of last year's As Is Now, is covered. Overall, it's a tribute to his artistic tenacity, with perceptive and insightful songwriting the link between respective epochs. In this context, even his Style Council adventures in jazz, muzak and house have merit, a necessary period of experimentation and indulgence before the equally necessary sharpening of resources that came with the solo years. By Gavin Martin

Despite his persistent refusal to rest on past laurels, segments of Weller’s career have been repeatedly anthologised. This latest, and grandest, overview (available in both box set and single disc versions) documents the full range of his stylistic and artistic vision. Each stage of Weller’s 30-year career, from the first flush of punchy punk modernism with The Jam, to the glorious, full circle revivalism of last year’s As Is Now, is covered. Overall, it’s a tribute to his artistic tenacity, with perceptive and insightful songwriting the link between respective epochs. In this context, even his Style Council adventures in jazz, muzak and house have merit, a necessary period of experimentation and indulgence before the equally necessary sharpening of resources that came with the solo years.

By Gavin Martin

‘The Doors’ Announce Special Gigs

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‘The Doors’ Announce Special Gigs

Riders On The Storm, featuring surviving original Doors members Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzarek, have announced that they will play some special shows at the end of the year, in celebration of the band’s 40th anniversary. Vocal duties for Riders On The Storm are handled by The Cult’s Ian Astbury. The band formed in 2002 after The Doors VH1 Storytellers series, when he collaborated with the band to great success. Riders On the Storm will play Camden’s Roundhouse on December 30 and 31. It has been 38 years since The Doors played their only UK gig at the historic venue. The band will play classic songs from their 40-year-old catalogue including “Light My Fire”, “Break On Though”, and “LA Woman.” The Roundhouse gigs form the basis of a UK tour, the full dates are: Clyde Auditorium Glasgow (December 29) Camden Roundhouse London (30 & 31) Civic Wolverhampton (January 2) Apollo Manchester (3) For ticket availability - click here

Riders On The Storm, featuring surviving original Doors members Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzarek, have announced that they will play some special shows at the end of the year, in celebration of the band’s 40th anniversary.

Vocal duties for Riders On The Storm are handled by The Cult’s Ian Astbury.

The band formed in 2002 after The Doors VH1 Storytellers series, when he collaborated with the band to great success.

Riders On the Storm will play Camden’s Roundhouse on December 30 and 31. It has been 38 years since The Doors played their only UK gig at the historic venue.

The band will play classic songs from their 40-year-old catalogue including “Light My Fire”, “Break On Though”, and “LA Woman.”

The Roundhouse gigs form the basis of a UK tour, the full dates are:

Clyde Auditorium Glasgow (December 29)

Camden Roundhouse London (30 & 31)

Civic Wolverhampton (January 2)

Apollo Manchester (3)

For ticket availability – click here

U2 Name New Track

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U2 Name New Track

U2 have posted the track names, including one totally brand new one, that will appear on their forthcoming Best Of compilation 'U218 Singles'. The track listing has been posted online on U2.com after speculation on the internet became rife as to what they would include. As previously reported, “U218 Singles” is out on November 20, and features 16 of the band's classic singles, plus two new tracks – one is the joint single with US rockers Green Day, “The Saints Are Coming”, the other a completely brand new song entitled “Window In The Skies.” ?? U218’s full track listing is: 'Beautiful Day'? 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For' 'Pride (In The Name Of Love)'? 'With Or Without You'? 'Vertigo'? 'New Year's Day'? 'Mysterious Ways'? 'Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of'? 'Where The Streets Have No Name'? 'Sweetest Thing' 'Sunday Bloody Sunday'? 'One'? 'Desire'? 'Walk On'? 'Elevation'? 'Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own' ?'The Saints Are Coming'? ‘Window In The Skies’? “The Saints Are Coming” - U2’s collaboration with Green Day to raise money for the Hurricane Katrina relief fund - is released on November 6.

U2 have posted the track names, including one totally brand new one, that will appear on their forthcoming Best Of compilation ‘U218 Singles’.

The track listing has been posted online on U2.com after speculation on the internet became rife as to what they would include.

As previously reported, “U218 Singles” is out on November 20, and features 16 of the band’s classic singles, plus two new tracks – one is the joint single with US rockers Green Day, “The Saints Are Coming”, the other a completely brand new song entitled “Window In The Skies.” ??

U218’s full track listing is:

‘Beautiful Day’?

‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’

‘Pride (In The Name Of Love)’?

‘With Or Without You’?

‘Vertigo’?

‘New Year’s Day’?

‘Mysterious Ways’?

‘Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of’?

‘Where The Streets Have No Name’?

‘Sweetest Thing’

‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’?

‘One’?

‘Desire’?

‘Walk On’?

‘Elevation’?

‘Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own’

?’The Saints Are Coming’?

‘Window In The Skies’?

“The Saints Are Coming” – U2’s collaboration with Green Day to raise money for the Hurricane Katrina relief fund – is released on November 6.

On The Road With Dylan!

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On The Road With Dylan!

HOW THE ALARM CAME TO TOUR WITH BOB… “We played the whole of that summer, about 30 dates. We were being managed by Elliott Roberts – who’s managed Neil Young and Bob Dylan – and Jeff Kramer, Elliott’s assistant. At the end of the tour Jeff became Bob’s manager. We were invited on the tour cos Elliott and Jeff had been telling Bob about The Alarm, that we came from Wales and played acoustic guitars and had this element of folk rock which was buried in there somewhere, and he liked what he was told about us and what he heard, and he invited us on the tour. There was no real fee – our fee was negotiable. There was definitely haggling over the fees, especially as we were managed by the same guy. We took what we got. But we would’ve played for nothing because to play with Dylan was such a great honour for us.” THE FIRST NIGHT… “The first night of the tour was in California, in the Concord Pavilion not too far from San Francisco, on Tuesday, June 7 1988. Neil Young came onstage. I can’t remember what he played, maybe ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ or ‘All Along The Watchtower’. I’d never seen Bob Dylan before, but the reason I played the acoustic guitar and the harmonica in The Alarm was because of Dylan. To be on tour with him was beyond fantasy for me. I was so awed to be at the gig, and I had a backstage pass, but just to make sure I experienced it in the way I wanted to do as a Bob Dylan fanatic, I bought tickets too and I sat in the front row and watched the gig. It was brilliant to be there. I remember being quite awed going onstage for the first time because we’d never really played to an audience that was that sort of analytical. They weren’t going to be standing up and pogoing up and down like they’d done when we played with U2 and Simple Minds and Big Country. Our reaction had always been very physical. This was the first tour we’d played where the audience were sitting down throughout the show. It changed us as a band. We started bringing out more of the folk element, which took us on to the Change album. I like do think he was coming on and we’d shaken the audience up a bit, appealed to their baser instincts.” MAKING FRIENDS WITH DYLAN… “We put an acoustic section in the set, and he started coming out to the side of the stage to watch us. I think he was digging it. He was enjoying the contrasts. I think he liked having these young bands. He started to become a bit intrigued by us. He probably thought we were like young pups with lots of enthusiasm. I got to know him. He liked to converse about the culture of Wales and to talk about poets he was aware of from Wales, the obvious one being Dylan Thomas. Because our tour was being run by the same people running Bob’s, we were all booked into the same hotel. It was quite a funky tour. It wasn’t what you’d imagine. He didn’t like staying in fancy hotels. He’s got an aversion to air conditioning. He prefers to stay in hotels where he can open the windows. There’s those classic 60s pictures of him diving into swimming pools – well, he was definitely in the swimming phase. We were often staying in those 1970s American motels that had the swimming pool outside and the little reception and the sort of rooms his vehicle could be driven up to so we could walk up to his room and no one would see him. We’d be swimming in the pool and the next minute he’d come out and dive in and do a few lengths and that’s where some of our conversations took place, just in the pool. He’s quite a secretive person and doesn’t really open up, but he’s a very pleasant man when you do have the time of day with him and when his guard is down a little bit. He became more relaxed with us. He was great, a really nice guy. He didn’t do soundchecks at that time. If he came in while we were playing, he’d come up on the side of the desk and have a look.” DYLAN’S SECRECY… “There was this guy Victor Malmudes who was just Bob’s mate. We never were quite sure what he did. One day Bob didn’t come down for his usual swim. Victor said, ‘He’s got a bit of a cold.’ The next day we were by the pool and Bob comes down for a swim and Nigel Twist [Alarm drummer] said, ‘How are you feeling today, Bob?’ He goes, ‘What do you mean?’ Twist said, ‘Victor said you had a cold.’ Bob said, ‘Did he?’ and that was it. He carried on swimming. That evening Victor was sent home off the tour for giving away personal information. He was banished for three days, and then he came back.” ON THE ROAD… “All sorts of people were coming to the shows. Jack Nicholson came to the Greek Theatre in LA. President Carter turned up at the gig in Atlanta. He was sat in the front of the gig. Behind him were all the executive people of Atlanta, and they all brought their dinner to the show. We [Alarm and Dylan camps] all got on fantastically well on the tour. It was a summer tour, most of the shows were outdoors and we were having barbeques and playing soccer in the field behind the stage, and I think Bob Dylan just enjoyed the carnival atmosphere we brought to proceedings. We did treat it as a holiday. It rubbed off on the crew and the people around him.” SINGING ONSTAGE WITH DYLAN… “One night Elliott comes into the dressing room before our show in Santa Barbara and said, ‘Bob wants you to come up onstage and play guitar on “Knocking On Heaven’s Door”.’ GE Smith, who was playing guitar for him on that tour, said to me, ‘Bob won’t introduce you, but you’ll hear the chords and that’s your cue to come onstage.’ I was stood at the side of the stage terrified. I heard the opening chords, walked out and then a couple of seconds later the drums have kicked in and there I am onstage. In the second verse Dylan calls me forward and asks me to take the second verse, pushing me forward – ‘Get on the microphone, start singing.’ Then he came on the microphone beside me and there I am cheek to cheek with Bob Dylan. It was pretty amazing duetting the song with him. It was a great climax to the show. The next night in San Diego, which was the last night for us, he said how much he’d really enjoyed having us and he said, ‘I really enjoyed singing with you last night. Why don’t you do “Heaven’s Door” with me tonight?’ GE said it was the same deal. I was stood in the wings waiting to come on and I thought, ‘This is something else – it’s in a minor key.’ And then he sang the first line and he’d totally rewritten the song, and it was in D minor. The first night I’d played it, it was the classic G, D, A minor, G, D, C. Now we’re playing D Minor, F and C, some really weird version that was almost unrecognisable. I think he likes to challenge everybody that he meets, to see whether you can stay with him or collapse under the pressure.”

HOW THE ALARM CAME TO TOUR WITH BOB…

“We played the whole of that summer, about 30 dates. We were being managed by Elliott Roberts – who’s managed Neil Young and Bob Dylan – and Jeff Kramer, Elliott’s assistant. At the end of the tour Jeff became Bob’s manager. We were invited on the tour cos Elliott and Jeff had been telling Bob about The Alarm, that we came from Wales and played acoustic guitars and had this element of folk rock which was buried in there somewhere, and he liked what he was told about us and what he heard, and he invited us on the tour. There was no real fee – our fee was negotiable. There was definitely haggling over the fees, especially as we were managed by the same guy. We took what we got. But we would’ve played for nothing because to play with Dylan was such a great honour for us.”

THE FIRST NIGHT…

“The first night of the tour was in California, in the Concord Pavilion not too far from San Francisco, on Tuesday, June 7 1988. Neil Young came onstage. I can’t remember what he played, maybe ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ or ‘All Along The Watchtower’. I’d never seen Bob Dylan before, but the reason I played the acoustic guitar and the harmonica in The Alarm was because of Dylan. To be on tour with him was beyond fantasy for me. I was so awed to be at the gig, and I had a backstage pass, but just to make sure I experienced it in the way I wanted to do as a Bob Dylan fanatic, I bought tickets too and I sat in the front row and watched the gig. It was brilliant to be there. I remember being quite awed going onstage for the first time because we’d never really played to an audience that was that sort of analytical. They weren’t going to be standing up and pogoing up and down like they’d done when we played with U2 and Simple Minds and Big Country. Our reaction had always been very physical. This was the first tour we’d played where the audience were sitting down throughout the show. It changed us as a band. We started bringing out more of the folk element, which took us on to the Change album. I like do think he was coming on and we’d shaken the audience up a bit, appealed to their baser instincts.”

MAKING FRIENDS WITH DYLAN…

“We put an acoustic section in the set, and he started coming out to the side of the stage to watch us. I think he was digging it. He was enjoying the contrasts. I think he liked having these young bands. He started to become a bit intrigued by us. He probably thought we were like young pups with lots of enthusiasm. I got to know him. He liked to converse about the culture of Wales and to talk about poets he was aware of from Wales, the obvious one being Dylan Thomas. Because our tour was being run by the same people running Bob’s, we were all booked into the same hotel. It was quite a funky tour. It wasn’t what you’d imagine. He didn’t like staying in fancy hotels. He’s got an aversion to air conditioning. He prefers to stay in hotels where he can open the windows. There’s those classic 60s pictures of him diving into swimming pools – well, he was definitely in the swimming phase. We were often staying in those 1970s American motels that had the swimming pool outside and the little reception and the sort of rooms his vehicle could be driven up to so we could walk up to his room and no one would see him. We’d be swimming in the pool and the next minute he’d come out and dive in and do a few lengths and that’s where some of our conversations took place, just in the pool. He’s quite a secretive person and doesn’t really open up, but he’s a very pleasant man when you do have the time of day with him and when his guard is down a little bit. He became more relaxed with us. He was great, a really nice guy. He didn’t do soundchecks at that time. If he came in while we were playing, he’d come up on the side of the desk and have a look.”

DYLAN’S SECRECY…

“There was this guy Victor Malmudes who was just Bob’s mate. We never were quite sure what he did. One day Bob didn’t come down for his usual swim. Victor said, ‘He’s got a bit of a cold.’ The next day we were by the pool and Bob comes down for a swim and Nigel Twist [Alarm drummer] said, ‘How are you feeling today, Bob?’ He goes, ‘What do you mean?’ Twist said, ‘Victor said you had a cold.’ Bob said, ‘Did he?’ and that was it. He carried on swimming. That evening Victor was sent home off the tour for giving away personal information. He was banished for three days, and then he came back.”

ON THE ROAD…

“All sorts of people were coming to the shows. Jack Nicholson came to the Greek Theatre in LA. President Carter turned up at the gig in Atlanta. He was sat in the front of the gig. Behind him were all the executive people of Atlanta, and they all brought their dinner to the show. We [Alarm and Dylan camps] all got on fantastically well on the tour. It was a summer tour, most of the shows were outdoors and we were having barbeques and playing soccer in the field behind the stage, and I think Bob Dylan just enjoyed the carnival atmosphere we brought to proceedings. We did treat it as a holiday. It rubbed off on the crew and the people around him.”

SINGING ONSTAGE WITH DYLAN…

“One night Elliott comes into the dressing room before our show in Santa Barbara and said, ‘Bob wants you to come up onstage and play guitar on “Knocking On Heaven’s Door”.’ GE Smith, who was playing guitar for him on that tour, said to me, ‘Bob won’t introduce you, but you’ll hear the chords and that’s your cue to come onstage.’ I was stood at the side of the stage terrified. I heard the opening chords, walked out and then a couple of seconds later the drums have kicked in and there I am onstage. In the second verse Dylan calls me forward and asks me to take the second verse, pushing me forward – ‘Get on the microphone, start singing.’ Then he came on the microphone beside me and there I am cheek to cheek with Bob Dylan. It was pretty amazing duetting the song with him. It was a great climax to the show. The next night in San Diego, which was the last night for us, he said how much he’d really enjoyed having us and he said, ‘I really enjoyed singing with you last night. Why don’t you do “Heaven’s Door” with me tonight?’ GE said it was the same deal. I was stood in the wings waiting to come on and I thought, ‘This is something else – it’s in a minor key.’ And then he sang the first line and he’d totally rewritten the song, and it was in D minor. The first night I’d played it, it was the classic G, D, A minor, G, D, C. Now we’re playing D Minor, F and C, some really weird version that was almost unrecognisable. I think he likes to challenge everybody that he meets, to see whether you can stay with him or collapse under the pressure.”

Is SAW III The Scariest Film ever?

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Is SAW III The Scariest Film ever?

"Saw III", the third Halloween horror film involving kidnapping and brutal games has been causing several UK movie goers to faint. Reported today on the BBC news website, the Cineworld complex in Stevenage, Hertfordshire had to call on ambulance services three times last Friday (October 27)- the film's opening night - to help with three separate incidents of fainting during a showing of "Saw III". One woman was taken to hospital whilst two others were treated onsite by medics. It has also been reported that a man collapsed at a cinema in Peterborough, also on Friday"due to the films content." The blood-filled film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman has an 18-rating for "strong grisly violence and gore, sequences of terror and torture, nudity and language." A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service warns simply, "If you know you're squeamish, don't go." The gory movie is number one at both the UK and North American box offices. To watch a trailer for the controversial film and make up your own mind – Click here for the Saw III website

“Saw III”, the third Halloween horror film involving kidnapping and brutal games has been causing several UK movie goers to faint.

Reported today on the BBC news website, the Cineworld complex in Stevenage, Hertfordshire had to call on ambulance services three times last Friday (October 27)- the film’s opening night – to help with three separate incidents of fainting during a showing of “Saw III”.

One woman was taken to hospital whilst two others were treated onsite by medics.

It has also been reported that a man collapsed at a cinema in Peterborough, also on Friday”due to the films content.”

The blood-filled film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman has an 18-rating for “strong grisly violence and gore, sequences of terror and torture, nudity and language.”

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service warns simply, “If you know you’re squeamish, don’t go.”

The gory movie is number one at both the UK and North American box offices.

To watch a trailer for the controversial film and make up your own mind – Click here for the Saw III website

Grateful Dead Bassist diagnosed with cancer

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Grateful Dead Bassist diagnosed with cancer

Phil Lesh, a founding member of The Grateful Dead has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. In a posting on his website Phillesh.net, the bassist wrote that he expects his recovery to be swift following surgery in December. He says, "I fully expect to have a rapid and complete recovery. I am feeling energetic as always and all my scheduled appearances will occur as planned. The musician also asks that others look after their health with livesaving medical check-ups,"I am also urging all men - speak to your doctor about having periodic regular PSA screening for early detention of prostate cancer - you may save your own life." The Grateful Dead formed in 1965, splitting up in 1995 following the death of leader Jerry Garcia. The group reformed briefly in 2003 for a reunion tour.

Phil Lesh, a founding member of The Grateful Dead has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

In a posting on his website Phillesh.net, the bassist wrote that he expects his recovery to be swift following surgery in December.

He says, “I fully expect to have a rapid and complete recovery. I am feeling energetic as always and all my scheduled appearances will occur as planned.

The musician also asks that others look after their health with livesaving medical check-ups,”I am also urging all men – speak to your doctor about having periodic regular PSA screening for early detention of prostate cancer – you may save your own life.”

The Grateful Dead formed in 1965, splitting up in 1995 following the death of leader Jerry Garcia. The group reformed briefly in 2003 for a reunion tour.

UK dates for new Damon Albarn project

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UK dates for new Damon Albarn project

Damon Albarn's new band project " The Good, The Bad And The Queen" have finally announced details of shows to take place early next year. The group includes former Clash bassist Paul Simonon, former Verve guitarist Simon Tong and Afro-beat drum legend Tony Allen. The group performed for the first time as part of the BBC Electric Proms last week, gaining raptuous reviews. "The Good, The Bad And The Queen" are set to release their self- titled debut album on January 22. The band will play the following venues around the UK: Bristol Trinity (January 27) Southsea South Parade Pier (28) Leeds Irish Centre (29) Motherwell Civic Centre (30) Dudley JBS (February 1) London York Hall (2) Warrington Parr Hall (3) Aylesbury Civic Centre (4) Tickets go on sale on Friday (November 3),for more details click here to go to NME.COM/gigs

Damon Albarn’s new band project ” The Good, The Bad And The Queen” have finally announced details of shows to take place early next year.

The group includes former Clash bassist Paul Simonon, former Verve guitarist Simon Tong and Afro-beat drum legend Tony Allen.

The group performed for the first time as part of the BBC Electric Proms last week, gaining raptuous reviews.

“The Good, The Bad And The Queen” are set to release their self- titled debut album on January 22.

The band will play the following venues around the UK:

Bristol Trinity (January 27)

Southsea South Parade Pier (28)

Leeds Irish Centre (29)

Motherwell Civic Centre (30)

Dudley JBS (February 1)

London York Hall (2)

Warrington Parr Hall (3)

Aylesbury Civic Centre (4)

Tickets go on sale on Friday (November 3),for more details click here to go to NME.COM/gigs

The Rolling Stones postpone US show

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The Rolling Stones postpone US show

The Rolling Stones have postponed a show that was due to take place tonight in New York , as Mick Jagger has been given doctor's orders to rest his voice. Tonight's postponement follows the cancellation of the Stones' concert at New Jersey's Boardwalk Hall last Friday (October 27) also due to Jagger's ill health. The New Jersey show is now to take place on November 17 while tonight's show at the intimate Beacon Theatre has not been rescheduled as yet. The Stones' singer suffered laryngitis this summer, causing disruption to the band 's tour dates in Spain. The Rolling Stones started the "A Bigger Bang" world tour in August 2005, and they expect - health allowing - to finish the tour with a bang in Hawaii on November 22. Despite Mick's ailing throat, The Stones played as part of former US president Bill Clinton's 60th birthday celebrations, also at the Beacon Theatre on Sunday (October29). The band were joined onstage by White Stripes and Raconteurs singer Jack White, pop superstar Christina Aguilera and legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy.

The Rolling Stones have postponed a show that was due to take place tonight in New York , as Mick Jagger has been given doctor’s orders to rest his voice.

Tonight’s postponement follows the cancellation of the Stones’ concert at New Jersey’s Boardwalk Hall last Friday (October 27) also due to Jagger’s ill health.

The New Jersey show is now to take place on November 17 while tonight’s show at the intimate Beacon Theatre has not been rescheduled as yet.

The Stones’ singer suffered laryngitis this summer, causing disruption to the band ‘s tour dates in Spain.

The Rolling Stones started the “A Bigger Bang” world tour in August 2005, and they expect – health allowing – to finish the tour with a bang in Hawaii on November 22.

Despite Mick’s ailing throat, The Stones played as part of former US president Bill Clinton’s 60th birthday celebrations, also at the Beacon Theatre on Sunday (October29).

The band were joined onstage by White Stripes and Raconteurs singer Jack White, pop superstar Christina Aguilera and legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy.

REM Nominated For Rock Honour

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REM Nominated For Rock Honour

R.E.M. have been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year. Rock veterans Van Halen, the Stooges and Patti Smith are also nominated for the rock honour. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, artists must have released music for a minimum of 25 years. This years nominees all released a single in 1981 or before. There are nine acts in total on the ballot for the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, to be held on March 12 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York. The other acts nominated for induction are the Ronettes, the Dave Clark Five, Chic, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and soul singer Joe Tex. Five artists will be chosen for the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and these will be announced in January. Blondie, Black Sabbath, Miles Davis, the Sex Pistols, Lynyrd Skynyrd and record moguls Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss were inducted in the Hall of Fame this year.

R.E.M. have been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year.

Rock veterans Van Halen, the Stooges and Patti Smith are also nominated for the rock honour.

To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, artists must have released music for a minimum of 25 years. This years nominees all released a single in 1981 or before.

There are nine acts in total on the ballot for the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, to be held on March 12 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York.

The other acts nominated for induction are the Ronettes, the Dave Clark Five, Chic, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, and soul singer Joe Tex.

Five artists will be chosen for the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and these will be announced in January.

Blondie, Black Sabbath, Miles Davis, the Sex Pistols, Lynyrd Skynyrd and record moguls Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss were inducted in the Hall of Fame this year.

My Chemical Romance announce tour dates

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My Chemical Romance announce tour dates

My Chemical Romance have confirmed a UK arena tour for March 2007. The shows mark the biggest ever UK dates for the band, who are celebrating a number two entry in the albums chart with their fourth album "The Black Parade". The album's title track is also number two on the UK singles chart, after two weeks at the top spot. The post-hardcore band will play at the following venues: Plymouth Pavilions (March 20) Brighton Centre (21) Birmingham NIA (22) Manchester MEN Arena (24) Cardiff Arena (25) Nottingham Arena (26) Glasgow SECC (27) London Wembley Arena (29) The band are also about to play their debut UK shows, which are sold out, at the following venues: Bournemouth International Centre (November 11) London Brixton Academy (12) Liverpool University (13) Glasgow Barrowland (14) Nottingham Rock City (15) Read the full Uncut four-star album review of "The Black Parade" in our latest issue , on sale today. For ticket availability for the My Chemical Romance tour – Click here

My Chemical Romance have confirmed a UK arena tour for March 2007.

The shows mark the biggest ever UK dates for the band, who are celebrating a number two entry in the albums chart with their fourth album “The Black Parade”. The album’s title track is also number two on the UK singles chart, after two weeks at the top spot.

The post-hardcore band will play at the following venues:

Plymouth Pavilions (March 20)

Brighton Centre (21)

Birmingham NIA (22)

Manchester MEN Arena (24)

Cardiff Arena (25)

Nottingham Arena (26)

Glasgow SECC (27)

London Wembley Arena (29)

The band are also about to play their debut UK shows, which are sold out, at the following venues:

Bournemouth International Centre (November 11)

London Brixton Academy (12)

Liverpool University (13)

Glasgow Barrowland (14)

Nottingham Rock City (15)

Read the full Uncut four-star album review of “The Black Parade” in our latest issue , on sale today.

For ticket availability for the My Chemical Romance tour – Click here

Springsteen And Ryan Adams work with Jesse Malin

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Springsteen And Ryan Adams work with Jesse Malin

Jesse Malin's forthcoming third solo album "Glitter In The Gutter" features appearances from several very special guests - including Ryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen and Josh Homme. It is not the first time Malin has collaborated with ex-Whiskeytown frontman Ryan Adams. A fan for years of Malin's previous band D Generation, Adams produced Malin's debut album "The Art of Self Destruction" to great critical acclaim in 2002. Also Springsteen appears on "Glitter In The Gutter" to return a favour - Malin previously contributed a cover version of Springsteen's "Hungry Heart" , which he originally ecorded for an Uncut tribute CD, to the benefit album "Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen." The New York troubadour's third solo album, "Glitter in the Gutter" is expected to be released in spring 2007 and is produced by Rob Cavallo, who has also produced The Muffs and Green Day. The star-laden new album also has contributions from Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, Jakob Dylan and Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett. As if that wasn't enough, the album also features an acoustic cover version of The Replacements classic "Bastards of Young." "Glitter in the Gutter" is Malin's first release on Adeline Records, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong's East West label imprint. Jess Malin will be previewing some new tracks during a hometown show this Friday (November 3) at New York 's Living Room.

Jesse Malin’s forthcoming third solo album “Glitter In The Gutter” features appearances from several very special guests – including Ryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen and Josh Homme.

It is not the first time Malin has collaborated with ex-Whiskeytown frontman Ryan Adams. A fan for years of Malin’s previous band D Generation, Adams produced Malin’s debut album “The Art of Self Destruction” to great critical acclaim in 2002.

Also Springsteen appears on “Glitter In The Gutter” to return a favour – Malin previously contributed a cover version of Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart” , which he originally ecorded for an Uncut tribute CD, to the benefit album “Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen.”

The New York troubadour’s third solo album, “Glitter in the Gutter” is expected to be released in spring 2007 and is produced by Rob Cavallo, who has also produced The Muffs and Green Day.

The star-laden new album also has contributions from Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, Jakob Dylan and Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett.

As if that wasn’t enough, the album also features an acoustic cover version of The Replacements classic “Bastards of Young.”

“Glitter in the Gutter” is Malin’s first release on Adeline Records, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong’s East West label imprint.

Jess Malin will be previewing some new tracks during a hometown show this Friday (November 3) at New York ‘s Living Room.

Jack’s back!

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Jack’s back!

Acclaimed writer and director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep) has a new film in production,"Be Kind Rewind" due for release next year. Starring comic genius Jack Black, the film - as the title "Be Kind Rewind" suggests- is set in a video rental store. Black's character's brain becomes magnetized and accidently wipes every film in the store. His fantastically non-efficient solution is to remake every film, including Robocop and Back To The Future. The plot sounds absurd but with a cast including Mia Farrow, Danny Glover and rapper Mos Def, it sounds like another brilliantly original film from Gondry. "Be Kind Rewind" is still in production and is expected to be released in autumn 2007. To read an in-depth film by film interview with Jack Black, get the new issue of Uncut, onsale tomorrow (October 31)

Acclaimed writer and director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep) has a new film in production,”Be Kind Rewind” due for release next year.

Starring comic genius Jack Black, the film – as the title “Be Kind Rewind” suggests- is set in a video rental store. Black’s character’s brain becomes magnetized and accidently wipes every film in the store. His fantastically non-efficient solution is to remake every film, including Robocop and Back To The Future.

The plot sounds absurd but with a cast including Mia Farrow, Danny Glover and rapper Mos Def, it sounds like another brilliantly original film from Gondry.

“Be Kind Rewind” is still in production and is expected to be released in autumn 2007.

To read an in-depth film by film interview with Jack Black, get the new issue of Uncut, onsale tomorrow (October 31)

OASIS UNPLUGGED

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OASIS UNPLUGGED

Noel Gallagher and Gem Archer will be performing a couple of special acoustic shows, in Toronto and Los Angeles next week, in celebration of the release of Oasis' new best of album "Stop the Clocks". Noel and Gem will be unplugged at Toronto's Music Hall next Tuesday (November 7th ) and again at the El Rey Theater, Los Angeles next Thursday (November 9th). Both special acoustic performances will be preceded by an advance screening of the new Oasis road movie "Lord Don't Slow Me Down". Tickets are available to buy, there is also a competition to win tickets for the LA performance through Oasis' Myspace page. There are 50 pairs up for grabs. For more details about the shows and competition, click here to go to Oasis' Myspace page Stop the Clocks is released on SonyBMG in the US on November 21

Noel Gallagher and Gem Archer will be performing a couple of special acoustic shows, in Toronto and Los Angeles next week, in celebration of the release of Oasis’ new best of album “Stop the Clocks”.

Noel and Gem will be unplugged at Toronto’s Music Hall next Tuesday (November 7th ) and again at the El Rey Theater, Los Angeles next Thursday (November 9th).

Both special acoustic performances will be preceded by an advance screening of the new Oasis road movie “Lord Don’t Slow Me Down”.

Tickets are available to buy, there is also a competition to win tickets for the LA performance through Oasis’ Myspace page. There are 50 pairs up for grabs.

For more details about the shows and competition, click here to go to Oasis’ Myspace page

Stop the Clocks is released on SonyBMG in the US on November 21

Paul McCartney World Premiere

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Paul McCartney World Premiere

Paul McCartney's new orchestral album has its world premiere at London's Royal Albert Hall this Friday (November 3). The album "Ecce Cor Meum (Behold My Heart)" - a work for chorus and orchestra in four movements - is not the first time the ex-Beatle has scored classical music. McCartney collaborated with Carl Davis for his first foray into classical music in 1991, to compose the quasi-autobiographical "Liverpool Oratorio". "The Liverpool Oratorio" had its US premiere in Carnegie Hall in New York in November 1991. His second classical piece , "Standing Stone", was completed in 1997 and in 1999 he released his third " Working Classical." " Ecce Cor Meum" has been described by McCartney as a "modern classic" and was recorded at Abbey Road Studios with musicians from the Academy of St Martins in the Fields, and the boys of King's College Choir and Magdalen College, Oxford. The album is available now through EMI Classics.

Paul McCartney’s new orchestral album has its world premiere at London’s Royal Albert Hall this Friday (November 3).

The album “Ecce Cor Meum (Behold My Heart)” – a work for chorus and orchestra in four movements – is not the first time the ex-Beatle has scored classical music.

McCartney collaborated with Carl Davis for his first foray into classical music in 1991, to compose the quasi-autobiographical “Liverpool Oratorio”.

“The Liverpool Oratorio” had its US premiere in Carnegie Hall in New York in November 1991.

His second classical piece , “Standing Stone”, was completed in 1997 and in 1999 he released his third ” Working Classical.”

” Ecce Cor Meum” has been described by McCartney as a “modern classic” and was recorded at Abbey Road Studios with musicians from the Academy of St Martins in the Fields, and the boys of King’s College Choir and Magdalen College, Oxford.

The album is available now through EMI Classics.

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