I spent a chunk of the weekend reading Bad Monkey, the new novel by Carl Hiaasen - one America's great crime writers. After a rather fallow period recently, the book feels very much like Hiaasen is back to full strength.
Emerson, Lake and Palmer's Carl Palmer<.strong> has revealed that he turned the chance to become Black Sabbath's drummer when they reformed in 2011.
Palmer, who is also a member of Asia, said he was approached by guitarist Tony Iommi to join the band when they got back together two years ago after original drummer Bill Ward refused to come on board.
Johnny Marr has said that people who are obsessed with The Smiths reforming "need to go and find a hobby".
The guitarist, who released his first solo album The Messenger in February of this year, has repeatedly been asked to comment on reports that the band he formed with Morrissey will ever get back together. At the NME Awards in 2012, he joked that the band would reform when the current Government steps down, but he has since insisted that fans of the group need to accept that there won't be some "big happy ending" for the group.
Roger Waters has responded to charges of anti-Semitism from a representative of the Jewish human-rights organisation, the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
Waters recently came under fire after video of a July 18 performance in Belgium of The Wall tour circulated online showing an inflatable giant pig featured in his show carried a Star of David on its side.
John Cooper Clarke has said he thinks Alex Turner is a "fantastic lyricist".
The poet's work, "I Wanna Be Yours", is put to music on the new Arctic Monkeys album AM, which will be released on September 9.
Taking my cue from John’s playlist blogs, I thought I’d compile something similar – a playlist (or, more accurately, a viewing list) of film trailers I’ve been watching in the office.
Karen Elson has taken out a restraining order against ex-husband, Jack White.
The US singer married model and musician Elson in 2005, the couple divorced in 2011 and threw a 'divorce party' to celebrate the end of their marriage. However, it has been revealed that on July 22 Elson took out a restraining order against White amid allegations of "harassment" and "bullying" behaviour.
The Rolling Stones are preparing for their forthcoming Hyde Park concerts by having trees installed.
Huge model oak trees have been planted on top of the stage, while bushes have been installing on the sound desk and other equipment. They want to recreate the first time they played in the Royal park in 1969.
Last week started on an absolute high when Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s Alchemy tour rocked up to London’s 02 Arena, turbulence in its wake, some of the crowds they had recently played to evidently unhappy with aspects of the band’s current set, notably the long jams around the songs they are playing from last year’s Psychedelic Pill, especially “Walk Like A Giant” and the extended feedback cacophony of its final 10 minutes, which was spectacularly brutal. Audiences in Birmingham and Newcastle had been from all accounts clearly agitated.
