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PJ Harvey on Let England Shake, poetry and her career: “I was quite prepared to fail”

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PJ Harvey on Let England Shake, poetry and her career: “I was quite prepared to fail”
In tempestuous times, Let England Shake confirmed PJ Harvey as one of the most important musicians of the last two decades. In our January 2012 issue (Take 176), Uncut headed west to encounter Polly Jean Harvey on her Dorset home turf, and to reveal the vision behind Let England Shake and its illust...

In tempestuous times, Let England Shake confirmed PJ Harvey as one of the most important musicians of the last two decades. In our January 2012 issue (Take 176), Uncut headed west to encounter Polly Jean Harvey on her Dorset home turf, and to reveal the vision behind Let England Shake and its illustrious predecessors. “It is,” she says, “such a dangerous tightrope to walk.” Words: Stephen Troussé

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It’s the last morning of the blazing Indian summer and London feels like a movie set. Across town a raggle-taggle platoon marches to St Paul’s with plans to occupy the Stock Exchange. Here at Waterloo, the station is thronged with ladies in implausible hats and booted, suited wideboys studying the Racing Post, all waiting for the early train to Ascot. We’re here for a different pilgrimage, a journey to the deep green heart of the country to meet the artist who has charted, more acutely than anyone, the latest uncanny episode in England’s dreaming.

Back to the engine, gazing out through the window, with PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake soundtracking the speeding trainscape, it’s as if you’re being dragged backwards into the past by ghosts of the nation’s unquiet dead. Through the dozing, dappled home counties, across the Downs, out past multiplexes and retail parks to the docks, container sheds and glittering ocean, and into the album’s vale of myth and mortality – of “the grey, damp filthiness of ages and battered books/And fog rolling down behind the mountains/On the graveyards and dead sea captains”, as she sings on “The Last Living Rose”. Intoxicated by this potent cocktail of song and landscape, you step off the train half expecting to find Polly Harvey holding court in some ancient smuggler’s dell, stalking a bombed-out church or addressing the English Channel from the Cobb of a storm-wracked bay. (Patti Smith, for one, seems similarly enchanted. “I like her,” she tells Uncut. “I like her range. She is fiercely modern and has the heart of a shepherd girl.”)

In fact, we meet in a bright, British-modern hotel in a Dorset market town, where wine glasses tinkle to the sound of Adele and the mushy peas fancy themselves as purée. Polly appears dressed head-to-toe in black, but more in the style of a discreetly hip curator than the East End funeral-horse look she has adopted for recent performances. As we talk, though she maintains the poise that characterises every aspect of her art these days, there’s one unsettling reminder of the strife that has fed it. On the street outside the hotel window, there’s a market stall. But where you might expect a display of surfwear and stoner T-shirts, instead it seems to be doing brisk trade selling paramilitary surveillance kit and camouflage combat gear for children.

Congratulations, Polly, on an incredible year. Short of a No 1 record, it’s hard to imagine how it could have gone better…

“It’s been a wonderful year. Really amazing. Obviously whenever you make a new piece of work, you don’t think how it might be received at that point, you just follow the direction the work is taking you. And I had no idea how people would receive the record, even when we had finished it. I knew I was very pleased with it. And I knew that I had achieved what I set out to do, which isn’t always the case. Often when I start recording I think I’m heading in one direction, but find myself veering off somewhere else and don’t quite get where I want to. But I knew with this record it had absolutely gone where I had hoped it would.”

Your Mercury Prize felt almost more like a coronation than a simple album of the year award. Yet you received similar acclaim for Stories From The City…, which you’ve subsequently said isn’t your favourite album. How do you measure the success of your work?

“For me the most important thing is to hopefully create and achieve what I desire at the onset of the project. And I’m quite a good judge myself of whether I’ve managed to do that or not. And it’s not often that I will make a record like Let England Shake, where I know after I’ve finished writing it that that’s a very strong piece of work and I couldn’t have done any better. That doesn’t happen very often. Having said that, I knew that for me, White Chalk was an album like that, too. I had a very clear idea of what I was setting out to do with that piece and I felt that I did it, and I think it’s a really strong album. For me it’s a very successful album! But in terms of how many it sells it doesn’t make sense at all.”

By fearful symmetry the campaign for Let England Shake was bookended by two television appearances on Andrew Marr’s Sunday morning politics show. In the first – in April 2010, a couple of weeks before the General Election – she appeared strumming an autoharp and singing the album’s title siren song before Gordon Brown, visibly crumpled in the desperate final days of his premiership. And then in September 2011, she challenged the oleaginous David Cameron on his part in steering us towards a world where “economic gain is the only goal of worth”, before singing a death-defying “The Last Living Rose”.

Did you get any sense of whether Brown or Cameron engaged with your songs?

“In those situations you have no opportunity, really, to talk to them. It’s all so fleeting. Understandably, because there’s so many other people around and they are doing 30 different things at any one time. I had a brief word with David Cameron, but in no way was I able to have a conversation.”

It must have felt like a remarkable opportunity, to sing directly to people in power?

“Of course. It was an amazing opportunity. It almost felt surreal, to be in that situation, very early in the morning in a brightly lit television studio, having that moment, when I could sit down next to David Cameron and then perform a song like ‘The Last Living Rose’. I was so glad to have been asked to do that.”

In the brief time you were in the studio together, Cameron said his wife, Samantha, had bought the album following the Mercury Prize and was enjoying it. Johnny Marr famously forbade Cameron from liking The Smiths. Do you think that’s silly? Do you worry about the wrong people liking your work? In some ways it’s quite easy to imagine very conservative people enjoying Let England Shake. And they might not be wrong?

“I think it’s open to many interpretations, an album like this. I wanted very much to write a piece that was open to many different interpretations and was quite ambiguous. But I’ve always had a strong belief that when a record is finished and when it goes into the public domain I let go of it and have no power over it. It belongs to the people.”

It’s fair to say that Polly Harvey herself sometimes talks with the guardedness of a well-drilled politician. The hint of any spin on a question, any murmur of interpretation or the suggestion of intention, is met with the straightest of bats, an almost Boycottian, steadfast deliberation. Ask, for example, whether there isn’t something slightly dangerous, a Morrissey-esque frisson of provocation, in singing about “goddamn Europeans”, of stagnant English blood and foreign soil, and the response is polite but diffusive.

“Yes, it’s provocative in that way,” she admits. “And I’ve always wanted to be an artist that provokes a response in a listener, always. I want people to think about things. At the same time, I don’t hang on to something when it’s gone out to the public, because it would drive me mad! You can’t survive like that as an artist – I’m just speaking for myself, maybe other people can! But I have to let go of it. I can’t look after that work and tell people how to take it. In some ways, it doesn’t matter who the artist was who created the piece, ultimately it has to exist on its own. After I’m dead and gone, hopefully people will still want to listen to that record. That leaves the work much more open to travel.”

She learned very soon not to give too much of herself, except in her art.

“Everything happened very fast when I was very young,” she says, remembering her early days in London 1991/’92, the media storm that greeted “Sheela-Na-Gig”, her first NME cover, the intensity of the response she inspired. “I had to learn very quickly how to cope with interviews, things like becoming more public, being on stage more, being recognised. It’s very difficult at a young age to deal with, especially coming from a very sheltered upbringing.”

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If Let England Shake is the album of 2011 it’s because of the richness of its conception and writing, the ghostly dramatic polyphony that suggests that the English Civil War never really ended. But it’s also because of the maturity and majesty of its delivery – the marching, fighting, drinking and mourning songs, tunes that feel like they’ve already lived a century or two, coupled with a voice in its forties still discovering new characters to play, and, on “Battleship Hill”, giving the performance of a lifetime. And finally, because of the way it has chimed so uncannily and powerfully with the times.

What happened between those two Andrew Marr performances? A seismic year and a half of regime change, fiscal brutality, occupations, demonstrations, crumbling media dynasties, financial panic, riot and ultimately English cities in flames. If they were ever to bring back The Rock & Roll Years, the old BBC TV show that rubbed news footage up against the hit parade of the day and watched the sparks fly, for the episode on 2011 they could do worse than simply set the rolling news cycles to the sound of Let England Shake.

“I was just responding to what I felt compelled to do at the time,” Polly says now, a little mystified at the suggestion that the artist might be, in Ezra Pound’s words, “the antenna of the race”. “It was just responding to the world we live in,” she admits. “It’s just coincided with this continuing seismic action, to use your words, with what’s happening now. I could never have foreseen it would fit in today, or even the time it came out, because I began writing it two and a half, three years ago. So it’s just the way things have evolved suit the record really well.”

Ask what was the first mystical inkling she had of the mood and direction of the album and she is quick to steer the conversation back on-message.

“I had wanted for many, many years to begin to explore my feelings towards the wider world in song, to what goes on that we read about and hear about through the news. I’ve always been very affected by what’s happening in the world. Profoundly so. I feel so moved by things every day. And such a feeling of impotence, like we all do. What can you possibly do to change anything? I’d long wanted to be able to start to bring these feelings into songs and I didn’t know how. And I also knew that I would have to do it very well or not do it all. It’s such a dangerous tightrope to walk. I really didn’t want to write bad songs on such important matters. And often your heart can be in the right place, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to do good work. So I was very wary of that.

“Part of the reason this album happened was that, as a writer, I was finally at the stage where I was more confident that I could carry it off. I had more craft of language at my disposal than I had before. And it was that coupled with the greater sense of urgency and frustration, and that feeling of impotence. It was those two things that made me think, ‘OK, if I’m feeling this profoundly moved, upset, frustrated by what’s happening, can I use that in song?’”

Throughout Let England Shake there are echoes and allusions to earlier artists wrestling with national disgrace, from the seedy homesickness of “The Last Living Rose”, recalling both “The Queen Is Dead” and William Blake, through to the chords of “The Dark Places” echoing “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”, and “The Colour Of The Earth” picking up something of The Clash’s “Straight To Hell”. Polly herself has suggested that two major inputs were the dreamy devastation of The Doors and the bilious poetry of the first two Pogues albums. Founding Pogue Spider Stacy is touchingly gobsmacked at the suggestion of influence.

“I am beyond flattered that she should have been listening to us while making a record of such beauty as Let England Shake. There is no one else like her. She’s peerless, one of the very few contemporary artists in any discipline whose clarity and profundity of vision have sharpened and deepened over the years to a point where she now seems to be working in a field defined only by herself. Her empathy, her erudition, the sense of the connection between blood and clay and the bones and roots of the world echo something that could so nearly be lost, but is always somewhere to be found, hovering in the air or lying in the soil below us: the dark red life of these rainy islands.”

Polly, were you conscious of contributing to this canon of state-of-the-nation albums?

“No, I wasn’t conscious of joining a wider body of what had gone before. Although some of those artists are my favourites: The Clash – fantastic! The Smiths – amazing! But I knew that whatever I ended up with would be my own language, my own way of doing it. When I embarked on Let England Shake I was quite prepared to fail. There’d been a number of times I’d worked towards writing an album like this and abandoning it because it wasn’t very good. I was quite prepared for that to happen again. I wasn’t imagining joining some band of brothers who’d gone before and done it well. I didn’t know whether I’d be able to do it all, let alone do it well.”

It’s a tradition in writing about PJ Harvey that each album is presented as a reaction to the one before: so after the bleeding raw Rid Of Me, the darkly cinematic To Bring You My Love; after the glittering pinnacles of Stories From The City…, the wilfully sketchy Uh Huh Her.

In this narrative, Let England Shake has been covered as an escape from the harrowing autobiographical grief of White Chalk into the wider world of Issues – war, politics and history. It’s a simplified reading, ignoring the deeper currents and continuities of her career. Let England Shake in particular has suffered from a certain literal-mindedness, read as though it were a straightforward history project, complete with footnotes and references to Wilfred Owen and Harold Pinter, Goya and Gallipoli. As though it were documentary rather than poetry.

Warfare and conflict has long been part of Harvey’s metaphorical arsenal, her way of writing about the battlefields of love and life. Way back on “Plants And Rags”, from 1992’s Dry, she sang of easing herself into a bodybag. On her 2009 collaboration with John Parish, A Woman A Man Walked By, on “The Soldier”, an eerie song that lays the ground for Let England Shake, she sang “I imagine a dream in which I’m a soldier/And I’m walking on the faces of dead women/And everyone I left behind me…”

“There are many others,” Polly agrees. “On White Chalk there was ‘The Mountain’. Even as far back as Dance Hall At Louse Point there was ‘Civil War Correspondent’.”

So the opposition between White Chalk and Let England Shake, between supposed autobiography and historical research, is really not so clear-cut?

“I totally agree with you. The last two records are a progression in my capabilities as a writer. I think I’m a better songwriter now, just through having a bit more experience. So the songs on both those records are much more cohesive or strong, they hang together better. They just seem more accomplished.”

If the run of albums from To Bring You My Love through Is This Desire? to Stories From The City… and Uh Huh Her might be subtitled, after one her songs, “The Desperate Kingdom Of Love”, White Chalk and Let England Shake, could be the sequel: “The Treacherous Kingdom Of Death”. The albums feel like parallel explorations of the same theme in different keys, like the fugue Virginia Woolf managed in Mrs Dalloway, between the domestic dissatisfactions of Clarissa and the war trauma of Septimus.

“I think my work has always been a desire to move forward and away from what I’ve done before. But for years I’ve tried to explain that my work’s not autobiographical. And White Chalk wasn’t any more than this one, but it was a time when I was very interested in exploring the inner psyche, the inner mind, the edge of things. I was reading a lot of novels that did that – a lot of Russian novels, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, where characters were really inhabiting their inner mind, right on the edge of losing things. That’s was what I was interested in and that’s where that album came from.

“And before that, I can see that an album like Uh Huh Her was really reaching to find something that it didn’t quite find. I think there were some good songs on it and there were some dreadful songs on it! I wasn’t sure where I was going. I think I learned a lot from that record, of knowing to bide my time in the future and just wait until something’s finished. Because the album hadn’t found its direction when I put it out. In hindsight I should have waited. The albums I’ve done since then, for me, I think are two of my strongest pieces of work, because I was prepared to wait and really find the direction the record was going in.”

Would you describe yourself primarily as a writer these days?

“Oh! These days… I still would put singer-songwriter. I feel that is what I’m best at. Though the largest per cent of my time is spent writing. I write separately from music these days because I find I can strengthen my words. I’m not a great writer, I’m not a great poet, I’m not a great novelist. But I can sing songs. I write songs, that is my strength – as frustrating as that is to me! Because I would love to be a better poet. But I realise that absolutely is not where my strengths are.”

Reading about your research, I was reminded of the section in Dylan’s Chronicles, where he describes reading old newspapers from the American Civil War. “I wasn’t so much interested in the issues as intrigued by the language and rhetoric of the times,” he writes. “It wasn’t like it was another world, but the same one only with more urgency.”

“Exactly, that’s exactly it! Although I did read a lot about history, the more I read, the more it was just talking about the language of today. And that’s also why it was useful to draw upon those reference points in the songs, because it is the same language. It doesn’t really matter what the actual date was, it’s still happening now. And it always will. That was the thing that I learned most of all through all of my reading: the language hasn’t changed, it’s remained the same since any record of war has ever been made. It’s the same language used to describe the end results of it. And I found that that really shocked me to begin with. Nothing has changed in hundreds and thousands of years.”

Are those ancient paths of Dorset your equivalent of Dylan’s Highway 61, where the Old Testament, the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement seem to be happening simultaneously?

“It’s not just Dorset; I spend a lot of time in other places. But I’m very aware of that always, and more so as I get older. That’s the nature of any artist. If you want to make something out of the world we live in, you’ve got to be open to really seeing things, really hearing things. That does mean you have to be open to absorb it. So you don’t just see the moment you’re in, you see the years beforehand and the years to come.”

Spend an hour with Polly Harvey and your overwhelming impression is of steadfast dedication to the life of the artist; a sense of vocation that is almost old-fashioned. It’s this commitment that’s seen her outlast the Too Pure kids and the riot grrrls, the grunge mavens and the Britpop boys, and remain vital into the 21st century.

“I remember having long talks with Polly about creativity and not having confidence in what you’re doing,” says Adrian Utley, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist with artistic fellow-travellers Portishead. “The thing with Polly is she always seems to know exactly where she’s going. Even when she says she doesn’t! She’s always seemed to me very strong and very focused. It’s really heartening for all of us – the fact that 20 years into her career she’s creating her strongest work. Her dedication is absolute, really. She’s completely driven by her creativity. I think it’s that superb, that really strong confidence when she’s made up her mind about what’s she’s doing. Including the way she looks and what she wears on stage. You might get the impression that she’s can’t be like that in reality… But in fact she is!”

Where did your commitment come from, Polly?

“Maybe it was my mother. Maybe it was growing up around lots of creative people – musicians, artists, photographers. I was always ambitious: I knew that I wanted to go into art of some kind. I didn’t know of what kind, whether it was going to be art or sculpture or painting or performance or acting – it could have been any of those things. But whatever field I went into I wanted to be the best. That was what I would aim for. Whether I got there or not was a different matter. I wanted to do the best work. And something new. That was very important.”

Has that conviction ever wavered?

“There’s been a couple of times, which I think is quite normal in anyone’s life. You find yourself going down a certain road, and you stop and think, and rightly so, ‘Is this the best I could be doing?’”

Is being an artist quite a selfish way to live?

“It is and it isn’t. In some ways it’s very selfless. You have to make many sacrifices in order to do it. But you find yourself looking at other people and thinking ,‘I wouldn’t mind living a more simple life’. But I think it’s very normal to any human being that you reach these certain markers in your life and you think, ‘Is this still feeling right or is there something else I could be doing with my life that would be more beneficial to me and to others?’ I’ve been through a couple of times like that.”

After the success of the year you’ve just had, do you think the 14-year-old Polly would think “mission accomplished”?

“Yeah. But I think I felt that from the moment I was able to continue to make records… And that was a long time ago. I got to the point after the first two records where I realised I was in a position where I was going to be able to continue to write and put out songs and people would be interested. It was back then that I had got to the point I had dreamed and hoped of getting to. That was what I wanted to do: do the thing that I feel so compelled to do, and take very seriously. I want to give something back of worth, I want to make something worthwhile and meaningful.”

Are you aware of having become an influence on younger artists, becoming as inspirational as Captain Beefheart was to you? On Laura Marling or Anna Calvi?

“I don’t know if that’s the case. You’d have to ask them. From what I gather those two artists were influenced by many, many different things, many different people. I don’t know if I feature largely in that. So no, and I’m not the kind of person who is aware of that, were it the case anyway.”

Having had this year of success, was there ever a danger of becoming too embraced, almost respectable – the worthy darling of the broadsheets? Are you tempted to now make a sensationally scandalous record that would make Andrew Marr choke on his Danish pastry?

“Ha! I’m not sure where I’ll go next. It takes quite some time for me to work out what feels right. All I do know is I won’t be doing the same thing again. I’ve also enjoyed discovering this new way of writing and I would like to continue that more.”

You must feel emboldened, having made, 20 years into your career, a record like Let England Shake. Do you feel at the peak of your powers? Firing on all cylinders?

“No I don’t feel like that. I feel like at this moment in time this album came together in all the right conditions. That’s really rare. I’m quite prepared that all of those things might not happen again for another 10 years.

“The only thing I need to hold onto is honouring the place I feel l need to go with my work, and just try to make that as good as I can. It’s all I can do. But it’s not going to happen every time.”

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Alabama Shakes: “There are some punk tracks on our new album”

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Alabama Shakes: “There are some punk tracks on our new album”
Alabama Shakes reveal the influences on their forthcoming second album in the new Uncut, out now. The band are scheduled to release the follow-up to their 2012 debut, Boys & Girls, in April or May through Rough Trade. “The album is all sorts of music,” explains singer and guitarist Britt...

Alabama Shakes reveal the influences on their forthcoming second album in the new Uncut, out now.

The band are scheduled to release the follow-up to their 2012 debut, Boys & Girls, in April or May through Rough Trade.

“The album is all sorts of music,” explains singer and guitarist Brittany Howard. “I’ve been listening to Funkadelic, composers like David Axelrod. I really like when soul singers cover opera, like how does Aretha Franklin or Aaron Neville sing opera?

“I’ll always listen to Curtis Mayfield, but sometimes you wanna hear something that’s really far-out. I’ve been getting into soundtracks, like old spaghetti Westerns. There’s some punk tracks on the record I’m very excited about.”

The new Uncut, featuring a full set of previews of essential 2015 albums, is on sale now.

Neil Young reveals he is recording a new album with Willie Nelson’s sons

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Neil Young reveals he is recording a new album with Willie Nelson’s sons

It's his first since Storytone... Neil Young has revealed during an interview at CES that he's working on new material with Willie Nelson's sons, Lukas and Micah. Young, who last year released two albums, A Letter Home and Storytone, previously performed live with the Nelsons at Farm Aid, the Harvest the Hope benefit and the Bridge School Benefit in 2014. Rolling Stone reports Young confirmed, "I'm working on another album now that I'm going to do be doing with Willie Nelson's sons." You can watch the interview with Young below. Speaking to Uncut last year, Lukas Nelson said, "I would drop anything to go and be with Neil as much as he wanted." "Neil knows that we’d drop anything to be with him, and so do his guys, and we all get along with everybody. It would pretty much be really fun for all of us, so we’re excited to keep doing it, if it happens. If it doesn’t happen, then we’re very blessed to have had it happen a couple of times. I’ll never forget that. "I guess I’ve known him for most of my life," he continued. "Let’s see, Farm Aid started in 1985, and Dad did the first Farm Aid and Neil was a part of it, and so I think I met Neil… I was born in ’88, and I’ve been to most Farm Aids since then, I’ve only missed a couple. So I’ve known Neil for a long time. My whole life, really." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oTtylYR76o

It’s his first since Storytone…

Neil Young has revealed during an interview at CES that he’s working on new material with Willie Nelson’s sons, Lukas and Micah.

Young, who last year released two albums, A Letter Home and Storytone, previously performed live with the Nelsons at Farm Aid, the Harvest the Hope benefit and the Bridge School Benefit in 2014.

Rolling Stone reports Young confirmed, “I’m working on another album now that I’m going to do be doing with Willie Nelson’s sons.” You can watch the interview with Young below.

Speaking to Uncut last year, Lukas Nelson said, “I would drop anything to go and be with Neil as much as he wanted.”

“Neil knows that we’d drop anything to be with him, and so do his guys, and we all get along with everybody. It would pretty much be really fun for all of us, so we’re excited to keep doing it, if it happens. If it doesn’t happen, then we’re very blessed to have had it happen a couple of times. I’ll never forget that.

“I guess I’ve known him for most of my life,” he continued. “Let’s see, Farm Aid started in 1985, and Dad did the first Farm Aid and Neil was a part of it, and so I think I met Neil… I was born in ’88, and I’ve been to most Farm Aids since then, I’ve only missed a couple. So I’ve known Neil for a long time. My whole life, really.”

Cavern Club owner Ray McFall dies aged 88

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Cavern Club owner Ray McFall dies aged 88

Promoter was pivotal in helping launch The Beatles... Former Cavern Club owner Ray McFall, who helped launch The Beatles' career by booking them to play at the venue, has died aged 88. The Liverpool Echo reports that McFall, who turned the Merseybeat scene into one of the most popular musical movements in the world in the '60s, died yesterday evening (January 7) although the cause of his death is unknown. McFall first began running The Cavern Club in 1959 with the help of compere Bob Wooler and helped improve its fortunes by changing it from a jazz venue to a club that would support rock'n'roll. Cavern Club director Jon Keats told the BBC: "It was Ray who opened it up to those early Merseybeat sessions, which led to the whole Merseybeat explosion. It was completely his vision that moved the club forward, with what turned into the huge Merseybeat explosion and The Beatles' success and Gerry and the Pacemakers and all the main bands. He changed The Cavern completely and allowed the rock'n'roll into the club." The Beatles first played at The Cavern Club for a lunchtime session on February 21, 1961 – although he later revealed that the scheduled gig had almost never taken place due to to the strict dress code he enforced which prevented punters from wearing jeans. George Harrison arrived for the show wearing denim, but convinced the doorman to let them perform anyway. "The Beatles were sensational and I was smitten," said McFall later. "Completely, Absolutely, Instantly. I stood at the side, between the pillars, about halfway up the hall, and as soon as they started playing I was captivated by them. "From that very first day, there was no stopping them," he added. "I said to Bob: 'What other lunchtimes have they got? We must have them regularly.'" The Beatles went on to play at the venue 292 times in total, while other groups such as The Rolling Stones, The Who and The Yardbirds also all performed at the club. The venue closed in 1973, but in 1984 a replica was built on the same site. In 2003 Cavern City Tours said they were planning to open Cavern themed venues across Europe and North America.

Promoter was pivotal in helping launch The Beatles…

Former Cavern Club owner Ray McFall, who helped launch The Beatles‘ career by booking them to play at the venue, has died aged 88.

The Liverpool Echo reports that McFall, who turned the Merseybeat scene into one of the most popular musical movements in the world in the ’60s, died yesterday evening (January 7) although the cause of his death is unknown.

McFall first began running The Cavern Club in 1959 with the help of compere Bob Wooler and helped improve its fortunes by changing it from a jazz venue to a club that would support rock’n’roll.

Cavern Club director Jon Keats told the BBC: “It was Ray who opened it up to those early Merseybeat sessions, which led to the whole Merseybeat explosion. It was completely his vision that moved the club forward, with what turned into the huge Merseybeat explosion and The Beatles’ success and Gerry and the Pacemakers and all the main bands. He changed The Cavern completely and allowed the rock’n’roll into the club.”

The Beatles first played at The Cavern Club for a lunchtime session on February 21, 1961 – although he later revealed that the scheduled gig had almost never taken place due to to the strict dress code he enforced which prevented punters from wearing jeans. George Harrison arrived for the show wearing denim, but convinced the doorman to let them perform anyway.

“The Beatles were sensational and I was smitten,” said McFall later. “Completely, Absolutely, Instantly. I stood at the side, between the pillars, about halfway up the hall, and as soon as they started playing I was captivated by them.

“From that very first day, there was no stopping them,” he added. “I said to Bob: ‘What other lunchtimes have they got? We must have them regularly.'”

The Beatles went on to play at the venue 292 times in total, while other groups such as The Rolling Stones, The Who and The Yardbirds also all performed at the club. The venue closed in 1973, but in 1984 a replica was built on the same site. In 2003 Cavern City Tours said they were planning to open Cavern themed venues across Europe and North America.

Prime Minister David Cameron presented with The Smiths’ Salford Lads Club T-shirt

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Prime Minister David Cameron presented with The Smiths’ Salford Lads Club T-shirt

He said his 'day was made' after receiving the limited edition item... David Cameron was presented with a limited edition Salford Lads Club T-shirt yesterday (January 8). The Prime Minister was given the item, which features a photo of The Smiths, by a reporter from the Manchester Evening News during a trip to the city, prompting him to quote his favourite band as he said thank you, commenting: "You have made my day. Thank you very much, there is a light that never goes out." Smiths fans from around the world have been rushing to get their hands on the limited edition Salford Lads Club shirts, which have gone on sale to support local young people. The T-shirt features a famous photo of The Smiths outside the club in Ordsall, similar to the one pictured on the band's 1986 album The Queen is Dead. Photographer Stephen Wright has licensed the picture for the club's T-shirts until November 2015. Money from the shirts, which cost £15 each, will be used to enable six young people from the club to go to America as part of an exchange programme linked to the Salford Sioux Project. Over 1,000 shirts have now been sold, raising £16,000. They are available here. The Salford Lads Club, based on the corner of Coronation Street and Ignatius Way in Salford, is a top destination for Smiths fans. It even has its own Smiths room, which was visited by Cameron in 2008, even though the band's guitarist Johnny Marr has said Cameron is forbidden from liking the group.

He said his ‘day was made’ after receiving the limited edition item…

David Cameron was presented with a limited edition Salford Lads Club T-shirt yesterday (January 8).

The Prime Minister was given the item, which features a photo of The Smiths, by a reporter from the Manchester Evening News during a trip to the city, prompting him to quote his favourite band as he said thank you, commenting: “You have made my day. Thank you very much, there is a light that never goes out.”

Smiths fans from around the world have been rushing to get their hands on the limited edition Salford Lads Club shirts, which have gone on sale to support local young people. The T-shirt features a famous photo of The Smiths outside the club in Ordsall, similar to the one pictured on the band’s 1986 album The Queen is Dead. Photographer Stephen Wright has licensed the picture for the club’s T-shirts until November 2015.

Money from the shirts, which cost £15 each, will be used to enable six young people from the club to go to America as part of an exchange programme linked to the Salford Sioux Project. Over 1,000 shirts have now been sold, raising £16,000. They are available here.

The Salford Lads Club, based on the corner of Coronation Street and Ignatius Way in Salford, is a top destination for Smiths fans. It even has its own Smiths room, which was visited by Cameron in 2008, even though the band’s guitarist Johnny Marr has said Cameron is forbidden from liking the group.

Foxcatcher

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Foxcatcher

Wrestling drama: Steve Carell wins by a nose... In director Bennett Miller’s last film, Moneyball, Brad Pitt played Billy Beane, the real-life general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team who turned round the fortunes of his impoverished club. Foxcatcher is similarly based on a true event in sporting history; in which John DuPont (Steve Carell) bankrolled America’s national wrestling team to win gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. But while Beane was a star player gone to seed who acted from entirely philanthropic means, DuPont’s motives, however, are entirely different. DuPont lives on Foxcatcher Farm; the sprawling Pennsylvanian seat of the DuPonts, one of America’s richest families. DuPont lives there with his cantankerous mother (Vanessa Redgrave) and a number of deep-rooted personal issues. Meanwhile, up in Wisconsin, we meet wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum), who won a gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics but his edge has since dulled: he lives alone, living on a diet of Pot Noodles and computer games, earning cash by giving inspirational talks at local schools. Critically, Mark lives in the shadow of his elder brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo) – another Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler, who is considerably easier-going than his brother, and enjoys a happy life with his wife and small children. DuPont convinces Mark to move to Foxcatcher and help him assemble a wrestling team to complete first in the World Championships and then the 1988 Olympics. But DuPont is surreptitiously using Mark to lure Dave – the greater athlete – along. Miller’s film is often unsettling – and although it’s hard to like, it has much to commend it. Principally, it is anchored by terrific performances from Tatum and Ruffalo. As Mark and Dave, they share a profound brotherly affection for one another, but once at Foxcatcher find themselves experiencing conflicting emotions, both towards one another and towards DuPont. They have a long, shared history of emotional repression caused by a difficult upbringing; and as Foxcatcher progresses, their personal rivalries assert themselves. Meanwhile, Carell’s plutocrat is an extraordinary figure. Lonely, tetchy and arrogant, he is used to getting what he wants, and although he aspires to be like Dave – well-liked, successful on his own terms – he identifies more closely with Mark’s frustrations and anxieties. A self-proclaimed author, ornithologist, philanthropist, world explorer – and “golden eagle of America” – DuPont is a dangerous, delusional man. Not that you’d know it at first: buried underneath a cavernous prosthetic conk, Carell is entirely unreadable. Michael Bonner

Wrestling drama: Steve Carell wins by a nose…

In director Bennett Miller’s last film, Moneyball, Brad Pitt played Billy Beane, the real-life general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team who turned round the fortunes of his impoverished club. Foxcatcher is similarly based on a true event in sporting history; in which John DuPont (Steve Carell) bankrolled America’s national wrestling team to win gold at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. But while Beane was a star player gone to seed who acted from entirely philanthropic means, DuPont’s motives, however, are entirely different.

DuPont lives on Foxcatcher Farm; the sprawling Pennsylvanian seat of the DuPonts, one of America’s richest families. DuPont lives there with his cantankerous mother (Vanessa Redgrave) and a number of deep-rooted personal issues. Meanwhile, up in Wisconsin, we meet wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum), who won a gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics but his edge has since dulled: he lives alone, living on a diet of Pot Noodles and computer games, earning cash by giving inspirational talks at local schools. Critically, Mark lives in the shadow of his elder brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo) – another Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler, who is considerably easier-going than his brother, and enjoys a happy life with his wife and small children. DuPont convinces Mark to move to Foxcatcher and help him assemble a wrestling team to complete first in the World Championships and then the 1988 Olympics. But DuPont is surreptitiously using Mark to lure Dave – the greater athlete – along.

Miller’s film is often unsettling – and although it’s hard to like, it has much to commend it. Principally, it is anchored by terrific performances from Tatum and Ruffalo. As Mark and Dave, they share a profound brotherly affection for one another, but once at Foxcatcher find themselves experiencing conflicting emotions, both towards one another and towards DuPont. They have a long, shared history of emotional repression caused by a difficult upbringing; and as Foxcatcher progresses, their personal rivalries assert themselves. Meanwhile, Carell’s plutocrat is an extraordinary figure. Lonely, tetchy and arrogant, he is used to getting what he wants, and although he aspires to be like Dave – well-liked, successful on his own terms – he identifies more closely with Mark’s frustrations and anxieties. A self-proclaimed author, ornithologist, philanthropist, world explorer – and “golden eagle of America” – DuPont is a dangerous, delusional man. Not that you’d know it at first: buried underneath a cavernous prosthetic conk, Carell is entirely unreadable.

Michael Bonner

Led Zeppelin reveal details of Physical Graffiti deluxe reissue

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Led Zeppelin reveal details of Physical Graffiti deluxe reissue

Deluxe edition will arrive 40 years after the original debuted... Led Zeppelin have confirmed details of the next installment of their reissue campaign. The deluxe edition of the group’s sixth studio album, Physical Graffiti, will arrive 40 years after the original debuted on February 24, 1975. As with the previous deluxe editions, Physical Graffiti has been newly remastered by Jimmy Page and is accompanied by a disc of companion audio comprising previously unreleased music related to the original release. Physical Graffiti will be available February 23rd from Atlantic/Swan Song in the following formats: Double CD – Remastered album packaged in a replica of the original LP jacket. Deluxe Edition (3CD) – Remastered album on two discs, plus a third disc of unreleased companion audio. Double LP – Remastered album on 180-gram vinyl, packaged in a sleeve that replicates the LP’s first pressing in exacting detail. Deluxe Edition Vinyl (3LP) – Remastered album and unreleased companion audio on 180-gram vinyl. Digital Download – Remastered album and companion audio will both be available in standard and high-definition formats. Super Deluxe Boxed Set – This collection includes: o Remastered double album on CD in vinyl replica sleeve. o Companion audio on CD in card wallet featuring new alternate cover art. o Remastered double album on 180-gram vinyl in a sleeve replicating first pressing. o Companion audio on 180-gram vinyl in a sleeve with new alternate cover art. o High-definition audio download card of all content at 96kHz/24 bit. o Hard bound, 96 page book filled with rare and previously unseen photos and memorabilia. o High-quality print of the original album cover, the first 30,000 of which will be individually numbered. The track listing for Physical Graffiti is: Disc One "Custard Pie” “The Rover” “In My Time Of Dying” “Houses Of The Holy” “Trampled Under Foot” “Kashmir” Disc Two “In The Light” “Bron-Yr-Aur” “Down By The Seaside” “Ten Years Gone” “Night Flight” “The Wanton Song” “Boogie With Stu” “Black Country Woman” “Sick Again” Companion Audio Disc “Brandy & Coke” (Trampled Under Foot - Initial Rough Mix) “Sick Again” (Early Version) “In My Time Of Dying” (Initial Rough Mix) “Houses Of The Holy” (Rough Mix With Overdubs) “Everybody Makes It Through” (In The Light Early Version/In Transit) “Boogie With Stu” (Sunset Sound Mix) “Driving Through Kashmir” (Kashmir Rough Orchestra Mix) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_lA9hD5io8

Deluxe edition will arrive 40 years after the original debuted…

Led Zeppelin have confirmed details of the next installment of their reissue campaign.

The deluxe edition of the group’s sixth studio album, Physical Graffiti, will arrive 40 years after the original debuted on February 24, 1975.

As with the previous deluxe editions, Physical Graffiti has been newly remastered by Jimmy Page and is accompanied by a disc of companion audio comprising previously unreleased music related to the original release.

Physical Graffiti will be available February 23rd from Atlantic/Swan Song in the following formats:

Double CD – Remastered album packaged in a replica of the original LP jacket.

Deluxe Edition (3CD) – Remastered album on two discs, plus a third disc of unreleased companion audio.

Double LP – Remastered album on 180-gram vinyl, packaged in a sleeve that replicates the LP’s first pressing in exacting detail.

Deluxe Edition Vinyl (3LP) – Remastered album and unreleased companion audio on 180-gram vinyl.

Digital Download – Remastered album and companion audio will both be available in standard and high-definition formats.

Super Deluxe Boxed Set – This collection includes:

o Remastered double album on CD in vinyl replica sleeve.

o Companion audio on CD in card wallet featuring new alternate cover art.

o Remastered double album on 180-gram vinyl in a sleeve replicating first pressing.

o Companion audio on 180-gram vinyl in a sleeve with new alternate cover art.

o High-definition audio download card of all content at 96kHz/24 bit.

o Hard bound, 96 page book filled with rare and previously unseen photos and memorabilia.

o High-quality print of the original album cover, the first 30,000 of which will be individually numbered.

The track listing for Physical Graffiti is:

Disc One

“Custard Pie”

“The Rover”

“In My Time Of Dying”

“Houses Of The Holy”

“Trampled Under Foot”

“Kashmir”

Disc Two

“In The Light”

“Bron-Yr-Aur”

“Down By The Seaside”

“Ten Years Gone”

“Night Flight”

“The Wanton Song”

“Boogie With Stu”

“Black Country Woman”

“Sick Again”

Companion Audio Disc

“Brandy & Coke” (Trampled Under Foot – Initial Rough Mix)

“Sick Again” (Early Version)

“In My Time Of Dying” (Initial Rough Mix)

“Houses Of The Holy” (Rough Mix With Overdubs)

“Everybody Makes It Through” (In The Light Early Version/In Transit)

“Boogie With Stu” (Sunset Sound Mix)

“Driving Through Kashmir” (Kashmir Rough Orchestra Mix)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_lA9hD5io8

The 1st Uncut Playlist Of 2015

John Mulvey
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The 1st Uncut Playlist Of 2015

First off, a quick announcement that our latest Uncut Ultimate Music Guide will be out next week, dedicated this time to Radiohead. I'll write more about that soon, but in the meantime, while I'm finishing the next issue of Uncut itself, please dig in to the assembled tunes below. Special attention this week to Ryley Walker, whose "Primrose Green" is outrageously strong, and whose Twitter feed @Ryley_walker is a constant source of entertainment, to me at least… "Why do acoustic guitarists have to play next to a fucking lamp on stage so much?..." Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnRMulvey 1 Sir Richard Bishop - Tangier Sessions (Drag City) 2 Laura Marling - Short Movie (Virgin) 3 Grateful Dead - Houston, Texas 11-18-1972 (Rhino) 4 Ryley Walker - Primrose Green (Dead Oceans) 5 [REDACTED] 6 Moon Duo - Shadow Of The Sun (Sacred Bones) 7 Matthew E White - Fresh Blood (Spacebomb/Domino) 8 Áine O'Dwyer - Music For Church Cleaners Vol. I & II (MIE) 9 Houndstooth - No News From Home (No Quarter) 10 Rhiannon Giddens - Tomorrow Is My Turn (Nonesuch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqwRro2G-qA 11 Arthur - Dreams And Images (Light In The Attic) 13 The Pretty Things - Bouquets From A Cloudy Sky: Sampler (Snapper) 13 Hannah Cohen - Pleasure Boy (Bella Union) 14 Blake Mills - Heigh Ho (Verve) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58tphQWdSZY 15 Lowell George - Thanks I'll Eat It Here (Warner Bros) 16 Crying Lion - The Golden Boat (Honest Jon's) 17 Seasick Steve - Sonic Soul Surfer (Caroline) 18 Badbadnotgood & Ghostface Killah - Sour Soul (Lex) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-qmZ_J7WGc 19 The Silence - The Silence (Drag City) 20 The Unthanks - Mount The Air (Rabble Rouser) 21 Blues Control & Laraaji - FRKWYS Vol. 8: Blues Control & Laraaji (RVNG INTL) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH0Si14LmxI 22 D'Angelo - Black Messiah (RCA) 23 Daniel Bachman - Orange Co Serenade (Bathetic) 24 Eric Caboor & David Kauffman - Songs From Suicide Bridge (Light In The Attic) 25 Janek Schaefer - Inner Space Memorial In Wonderland (Rekorder) 26 Janek Schaefer - Unfolding Luxury Beyond The City Of Dreams (Rekorder)

First off, a quick announcement that our latest Uncut Ultimate Music Guide will be out next week, dedicated this time to Radiohead. I’ll write more about that soon, but in the meantime, while I’m finishing the next issue of Uncut itself, please dig in to the assembled tunes below.

Special attention this week to Ryley Walker, whose “Primrose Green” is outrageously strong, and whose Twitter feed @Ryley_walker is a constant source of entertainment, to me at least… “Why do acoustic guitarists have to play next to a fucking lamp on stage so much?…”

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnRMulvey

1 Sir Richard Bishop – Tangier Sessions (Drag City)

2 Laura Marling – Short Movie (Virgin)

3 Grateful Dead – Houston, Texas 11-18-1972 (Rhino)

4 Ryley Walker – Primrose Green (Dead Oceans)

5 [REDACTED]

6 Moon Duo – Shadow Of The Sun (Sacred Bones)

7 Matthew E White – Fresh Blood (Spacebomb/Domino)

8 Áine O’Dwyer – Music For Church Cleaners Vol. I & II (MIE)

9 Houndstooth – No News From Home (No Quarter)

10 Rhiannon Giddens – Tomorrow Is My Turn (Nonesuch)

11 Arthur – Dreams And Images (Light In The Attic)

13 The Pretty Things – Bouquets From A Cloudy Sky: Sampler (Snapper)

13 Hannah Cohen – Pleasure Boy (Bella Union)

14 Blake Mills – Heigh Ho (Verve)

15 Lowell George – Thanks I’ll Eat It Here (Warner Bros)

16 Crying Lion – The Golden Boat (Honest Jon’s)

17 Seasick Steve – Sonic Soul Surfer (Caroline)

18 Badbadnotgood & Ghostface Killah – Sour Soul (Lex)

19 The Silence – The Silence (Drag City)

20 The Unthanks – Mount The Air (Rabble Rouser)

21 Blues Control & Laraaji – FRKWYS Vol. 8: Blues Control & Laraaji (RVNG INTL)

22 D’Angelo – Black Messiah (RCA)

23 Daniel Bachman – Orange Co Serenade (Bathetic)

24 Eric Caboor & David Kauffman – Songs From Suicide Bridge (Light In The Attic)

25 Janek Schaefer – Inner Space Memorial In Wonderland (Rekorder)

26 Janek Schaefer – Unfolding Luxury Beyond The City Of Dreams (Rekorder)

Elvis Presley’s 80th birthday commemorated by reissues and new website

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Elvis Presley’s 80th birthday commemorated by reissues and new website

Yearlong celebrations planned... Elvis Presley's 80 birthday is to be commemorated with a yearlong celebration of his work. Rolling Stone reports that Presley's record label, Legacy Recordings, have released all Presley's albums recorded between 1960 and 1965 onto iTunes. Titled The Complete '60s Albums Collection Vol. 1, the set has been newly mastered and includes the albums Elvis Is Back, G.I. Blues, His Hand In Mine, Something For Everybody, Blue Hawaii, Pot Luck, Girls! Girls! Girls!, It Happened At The World's Fair, Elvis' Golden Records Vol. 3, Fun In Acapulco, Kissin' Cousins, Roustabout, Girl Happy, Elvis for Everyone and Harum Scarum. Meanwhile, a new official website launched today (January 8), while 'Elvis Presley Proclamation Ceremony' will be streamed live from Graceland starting at 10.15 EST. Rolling Stone reports that Priscilla Presley will be in attendance. In related news, an Elvis Presley exhibition is currently running at London's O2 Arena. The nine month exhibition will showcase over 300 artefacts direct from the Presley family’s treasured Graceland Archives, some of which have never been exhibited outside of Graceland in Memphis. Tickets are available here.

Yearlong celebrations planned…

Elvis Presley‘s 80 birthday is to be commemorated with a yearlong celebration of his work.

Rolling Stone reports that Presley’s record label, Legacy Recordings, have released all Presley’s albums recorded between 1960 and 1965 onto iTunes. Titled The Complete ’60s Albums Collection Vol. 1, the set has been newly mastered and includes the albums Elvis Is Back, G.I. Blues, His Hand In Mine, Something For Everybody, Blue Hawaii, Pot Luck, Girls! Girls! Girls!, It Happened At The World’s Fair, Elvis’ Golden Records Vol. 3, Fun In Acapulco, Kissin’ Cousins, Roustabout, Girl Happy, Elvis for Everyone and Harum Scarum.

Meanwhile, a new official website launched today (January 8), while ‘Elvis Presley Proclamation Ceremony’ will be streamed live from Graceland starting at 10.15 EST. Rolling Stone reports that Priscilla Presley will be in attendance.

In related news, an Elvis Presley exhibition is currently running at London’s O2 Arena. The nine month exhibition will showcase over 300 artefacts direct from the Presley family’s treasured Graceland Archives, some of which have never been exhibited outside of Graceland in Memphis. Tickets are available here.

Swervedriver announce first album in 17 years

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Swervedriver announce first album in 17 years

I Wasn't Born To Lose You will come out on March 2... Swervedriver have announced plans to release their first new album since 1998's 99th Dream. The shoegaze band reformed in 2007 after an eight-year hiatus to play a run of US and UK shows as well 2009's ATP: Nightmare Before Christmas. They will put out their fifth album I Wasn't Born To Lose You on March 2 - the album's artwork is pictured above. It will feature the single "Setting Sun", which you can hear below. The album was recorded at both Birdland in Melbourne, Australia and Konk studios in London. Swervedriver will tour America following the LP's release. Swervedriver formed in Oxford in 1989 before releasing their debut album Raise in 1991. It was followed by 1993's Mezcal Head, 1995's Ejector Seat Reservation and 1998's 99th Dream. The I Wasn't Born To Lose You tracklisting is: 'Autodidact' 'Last Rites' 'For A Day Like Tomorrow' 'Setting Sun' 'Everso' 'English Subtitles' 'Red Queen Arms Race' 'Deep Wound' 'Lone Star' 'I Wonder?'

I Wasn’t Born To Lose You will come out on March 2…

Swervedriver have announced plans to release their first new album since 1998’s 99th Dream.

The shoegaze band reformed in 2007 after an eight-year hiatus to play a run of US and UK shows as well 2009’s ATP: Nightmare Before Christmas.

They will put out their fifth album I Wasn’t Born To Lose You on March 2 – the album’s artwork is pictured above.

It will feature the single “Setting Sun”, which you can hear below.

The album was recorded at both Birdland in Melbourne, Australia and Konk studios in London. Swervedriver will tour America following the LP’s release.

Swervedriver formed in Oxford in 1989 before releasing their debut album Raise in 1991. It was followed by 1993’s Mezcal Head, 1995’s Ejector Seat Reservation and 1998’s 99th Dream.

The I Wasn’t Born To Lose You tracklisting is:

‘Autodidact’

‘Last Rites’

‘For A Day Like Tomorrow’

‘Setting Sun’

‘Everso’

‘English Subtitles’

‘Red Queen Arms Race’

‘Deep Wound’

‘Lone Star’

‘I Wonder?’

University announces Kraftwerk academic conference

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University announces Kraftwerk academic conference

Former band member Wolfgang Flur will be at event, which runs later this month... The first ever academic conference on Kraftwerk will take place in the UK later this month. The event, which is called Industrielle Volksmusik for the Twenty-First Century: Kraftwerk and the Birth of Electronic Music in Germany, will run from January 20 - 21 at Aston University in Birmingham. Tickets are currently available for non-students for £20 and are on sale at the university's website. A number of papers written by experts of the band will be presented and discussed at the conference, including essays such as Melanie Schiller's Fun Fun Fun On The Autobahn: Kraftwerk Challenging Germanness and Uwe Schütte's We Are the Robots! On the Cultural-Historical Origins of the Man-Machine. Former Kraftwerk member Wolfgang Flur will also read extracts from his memoir Kraftwerk: I Was a Robot and take part in a Q&A session. According to organisers, the conference will boast a "pronounced interdisciplinary approach" with "many areas to be explored and many established views to be questioned". Kraftwerk will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's Grammy Awards. The event will take place on January 26, 2014 at the Staples Center in LA.

Former band member Wolfgang Flur will be at event, which runs later this month…

The first ever academic conference on Kraftwerk will take place in the UK later this month.

The event, which is called Industrielle Volksmusik for the Twenty-First Century: Kraftwerk and the Birth of Electronic Music in Germany, will run from January 20 – 21 at Aston University in Birmingham. Tickets are currently available for non-students for £20 and are on sale at the university’s website.

A number of papers written by experts of the band will be presented and discussed at the conference, including essays such as Melanie Schiller’s Fun Fun Fun On The Autobahn: Kraftwerk Challenging Germanness and Uwe Schütte’s We Are the Robots! On the Cultural-Historical Origins of the Man-Machine.

Former Kraftwerk member Wolfgang Flur will also read extracts from his memoir Kraftwerk: I Was a Robot and take part in a Q&A session. According to organisers, the conference will boast a “pronounced interdisciplinary approach” with “many areas to be explored and many established views to be questioned”.

Kraftwerk will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Grammy Awards. The event will take place on January 26, 2014 at the Staples Center in LA.

Neil Young’s Pono player finally launches

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Neil Young’s Pono player finally launches

Music player can be ordered online now for February delivery... Neil Young's Pono music player has finally been launched. The device, which according to Young will offer high-quality audio and will be capable of storing 1-2,000 high resolution songs, is now available for order online for a price of (£260) and will be delivered to customers in February. As the Independent notes, meanwhile, users who donated money to the project's Kickstarter campaign have already received their limited edition versions of the player. PonoMusic Store has also opened online. So far, Young himself is ranked as the most popular artist on the store ahead of Miles Davis and Simon & Garfunkel, and six of his albums – including Harvest, After The Gold Rush and Tonight's The Night – are among the store's top 10 releases. As Uncut reported, Young's first 14 albums are to be remastered ahead of their release on Pono. The PonoPlayer has been described in a press release as a "purpose-built, portable, high-resolution digital-music player designed and engineered in a "no-compromise" fashion to allow consumers to experience studio master-quality digital music at the highest audio fidelity possible, bringing the true emotion and detail of the music, the way the artist recorded it, to life." Young previously said that he was determined to release an alternative music playing device after describing the sound quality of MP3 files as "shit". At a speech held at last year's SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, he said: "Pono plays back whatever the artist decided to do. My body is getting washed, I'm getting hit with something great. It's not ice cubes, it's water – I'm listening. I'm feeling."

Music player can be ordered online now for February delivery…

Neil Young‘s Pono music player has finally been launched.

The device, which according to Young will offer high-quality audio and will be capable of storing 1-2,000 high resolution songs, is now available for order online for a price of (£260) and will be delivered to customers in February. As the Independent notes, meanwhile, users who donated money to the project’s Kickstarter campaign have already received their limited edition versions of the player.

PonoMusic Store has also opened online. So far, Young himself is ranked as the most popular artist on the store ahead of Miles Davis and Simon & Garfunkel, and six of his albums – including Harvest, After The Gold Rush and Tonight’s The Night – are among the store’s top 10 releases.

As Uncut reported, Young’s first 14 albums are to be remastered ahead of their release on Pono.

The PonoPlayer has been described in a press release as a “purpose-built, portable, high-resolution digital-music player designed and engineered in a “no-compromise” fashion to allow consumers to experience studio master-quality digital music at the highest audio fidelity possible, bringing the true emotion and detail of the music, the way the artist recorded it, to life.”

Young previously said that he was determined to release an alternative music playing device after describing the sound quality of MP3 files as “shit”. At a speech held at last year’s SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, he said: “Pono plays back whatever the artist decided to do. My body is getting washed, I’m getting hit with something great. It’s not ice cubes, it’s water – I’m listening. I’m feeling.”

AC/DC – Rock Or Bust

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AC/DC – Rock Or Bust

Historically, AC/DC have triumphed making the best of a bad job. When Bon Scott, the charismatic singer who fronted the band on their rise to fame died in London in 1980, they responded the only way they could. Namely, heavily: employing a new singer, and turning Back In Black into one of the 10 biggest-selling albums of all time. “Oblique strategies” aren’t something you imagine the band have a lot of time for, but their pragmatic problem-solving has often yielded spectacular results. The news that Malcolm Young had left AC/DC prior to recording this new album, and is battling dementia, presents the band in late career with a different kind of challenge. While his younger brother Angus commands the spotlight with his duckwalk and wild solos, AC/DC remains Malcolm’s band. His three-chord tricks have always been the cornerstone on which their empire of hard rock and innuendo has been built, and his musical relationship with his brother seems highly likely to continue to define the dynamic of the group. In light of recent developments, singer Brian Johnson suggested that a possible title for this new album was ‘Man Down’ – militarily correct, for sure, but ultimately suggestive of an unseemly vulnerable side. So here instead is the more forbidding Rock Or Bust, recorded with Brendan O’Brien, and featuring what one imagines will be the final Young/Young compositions. Life has again thrown down a gauntlet. With their 15th studio album, AC/DC have picked it up, and risen to the challenge. As Angus Young describes it, it was simply the only thing to do. Though principally a good-time band, AC/DC have for the past 30 years or so seemed governed by strong management and their own (smallprint-filled) take on an honour code. The band aim to deliver shows that please fans old and new (but are, compared to say, The Rolling Stones, completely inflexible on setlist). They refuse to make fans pay twice for material, though have a lucrative line in live albums and DVDs. They refuse to consider “greatest hits” collections – but have contrived to achieve the same thing by exclusively soundtracking Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man movie franchise, the logical endpoint of their music’s appearance in movies and TV. Rock Or Bust plays in a slightly different way in the light of this last development – a hard-rock version of the chicken and egg conundrum. As the band’s music has become a movie staple, an audio shorthand for scenes like “strip club”, “car is driven fast”, and “men dressed in leather jackets”, you’re left to wonder which comes first, the song, or the scene in the Mark Wahlberg movie it is ultimately destined for? On a couple of the more minor compositions here (say, “Miss Adventure” or “Sweet Candy”) you might be left in some doubt. In both, there are strong choruses, but the journey to them certainly isn’t entirely memorable. The latter apparently evaluates the talents of a pole dancer, while the former inexplicably recommends “hot cross buns”. These aren’t standout tracks, but they and the excellent “Dogs Of War” and “Hard Times” still go some way to illustrating the retrenchment that is in play here. As they did on their early 1980s albums, the verses on the songs here have diminished in importance, and are written to the choruses – which have become a good deal weightier. The album is heavy because it’s dense with detail. Hooks and backing vocal tricks from glam and hair metal are all pulled in and devoured by the band’s machine. At 34 minutes, this is the shortest AC/DC album – but stylistically it’s one of the leanest. Unlike Black Ice, you won’t find anything like a ballad on here. Here, rock is all. On “Rock The Blues Away”, a blue-collar, good-time anthem somewhere between “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “I Fought The Law”, all pool halls and cigarette smoking, it is the soundtrack to the end of a thankless week. On “Rock The House”, where operative adjectives are “hot”, “wet” and “wild”, it occupies a heritage role as a euphemism for sex. On “Got Some Rock & Roll Thunder”, the band simply celebrate the monolithic nature of their music since Back In Black: since which time their songs and production have served to make “rock” interchangeable with God, nation, and war – another pursuit that takes place on a global stage, demanding heavy machinery and great heroism. The word appears 70 times in the album’s duration, just over two rocks a minute. Only with an AC/DC album can you unself-consciously talk in terms of an opening salvo of songs, and the one presented here is strong indeed. “Rock Or Bust” itself is a classic stop-start riff, the chorus outlining a band motto as clearly as did “For Those About To Rock” over 30 years ago: “In rock we trust/Rock or bust…” Verse two makes reference to sirens wailing, which might all have seemed a little fanciful prior to the recent arrest of drummer Phil Rudd. This is followed by first single, “Play Ball”. On one level, the song is fairly transparently a strategy to have material used on television during the maximum possible number of montaged sports action highlights. On another, it’s a classic AC/DC song, the brutality of the main riff complemented by the delicacy and fluidity of Angus Young’s lead. There’s a solo, of course, but ultimately, the song is all about the collective power of the group. The sequencing of the album is about pacing a good time, which doesn’t peak too early in the evening. The mood change of “Hard Times”, say, is immediately regulated by the great “Baptism By Fire” which appears to recall elements from 1976’s “Live Wire”, and resumes things to the album’s customary clip. Still, for all the drinks poured, cars driven, ladies enchanted and cigarettes smoked during the course of the record, this is nonetheless an album made by a group arguably in extremis: singer nearly 70, rhythm guitarist retired, drummer out on bail. Rock sincerely hopes that this isn’t the last word from AC/DC, but if it is, we will know that they died as they lived – and didn’t go down without a fight. John Robinson Q&A Angus Young For Rock Or Bust you worked again with Brendan O’Brien, who produced Black Ice. What did you enjoy about working with him that you wanted to repeat? How long did recording take? About four weeks. We had all the material, we were well-prepared to do the album and that helped a lot. We’d done a lot of the work before going in the studio. Brendan is a very accomplished musician, so that’s part of why we work with him. He knows all his instruments. He seems to know, for us, how his input could help. You’ve been making records 40 years. Do you even need a producer? It’s always good to have an outside ear because then you have someone who takes control of the project, you let him be the boss. It’s good in that respect – you trust him, that he’s going to do his best to get the best album out of you, you know? Tell me about the title. I read that you considered ‘Man Down’. Rock Or Bust sounds a lot more determined… Is that the idea? For the band it was a stronger title. Rock Or Bust is a thing we’ve always done – when we play live, it’s always been a do or die effort. And everything we’ve ever done has always had that approach. Stevie Young [rhythm guitar] does a great job on the album. But it must have felt odd being in the studio without Malcolm? How did you work through that? Stevie did do a great job. He’s the only person I could think of who is a second Mal, he plays that style. Still, he adds his own little touches, so that’s also good. All the songs are co-writes between you and [your brother] Malcolm [Young, rhythm guitar]. How have your songs come about, historically? It can come any number of ways. Sometimes you’ll have a good guitar riff, and think “this is good”, then other times you might just need a good title and it sets you thinking – what if I try this, see how it goes? Most of the songs that we’ve ever sat and played about with have been guitar riffs – any songs we came up with, they were always in combination with each other. It’s something we always did. Sometimes we borrowed bits from each other. Like Malcolm would say, “You know that riff you had from that other period? Let’s try that with this…” As we’ve read, Malcolm is seriously ill [Young has dementia and has retired from AC/DC]. How was he able to participate in writing the album? A lot of writing, it was stuff we had done in the past together. There were also other ideas Malcolm had done on his own, and the same for myself. So a lot of it is a combination. There’s hidden material we’ve always had. Sometimes we’ve borrowed from the past, sometimes created something new. When did these get written? Did you have stuff left over from Black Ice? Well, they came together basically in the last year before the album. We just start over – in this case, we did go through a lot of tapes, ideas we’d had from the past, but I do that for every album. You researched particularly hard, because you couldn’t write with Malcolm in the normal way? Yes – and Malcolm and I had stuff that he had done up until he could no longer do it. How is Malcolm? He’s in good spirits at this point, and he’s getting the best of care where he is. He’s being well looked after. Since Malcolm has been such a big part of AC/DC, how will you be able to work going forwards? We do what we do best. Malcolm’s had the illness for a while. He had the onset of it when we were doing the previous album – he toured. I said to him, do you really wanna do this? He said, I wanna do this as long as I can keep doing it. He’s got a do or die spirit – it’s the strength of his character. It is a big thing that he’s not there. Are you looking forward to touring the album? How do you keep things fresh? If everything comes together, we’ll be out there. It’s always exciting because we’ve been lucky over the years – because the younger generations, there’s a lot of people who have never seen us. It’s always exciting. You have a very vocal fanbase who are quite opinionated about your setlists. How do you decide what to put in? We’ve always played a lot of songs from the beginning to the present, so it becomes a bit of a juggle sometimes – in how long we can sustain that show. We like to do a show that’s exciting. We don’t want to be on there too long – we don’t want it to be a long-winded affair. I’d like it to be short and powerful. But we always try to do our best, put in a few strong songs that are fan favourites. My own favourites? I’ve been involved with them since the beginning, so I love them all… INTERVIEW: JOHN ROBINSON

Historically, AC/DC have triumphed making the best of a bad job. When Bon Scott, the charismatic singer who fronted the band on their rise to fame died in London in 1980, they responded the only way they could. Namely, heavily: employing a new singer, and turning Back In Black into one of the 10 biggest-selling albums of all time. “Oblique strategies” aren’t something you imagine the band have a lot of time for, but their pragmatic problem-solving has often yielded spectacular results.

The news that Malcolm Young had left AC/DC prior to recording this new album, and is battling dementia, presents the band in late career with a different kind of challenge. While his younger brother Angus commands the spotlight with his duckwalk and wild solos, AC/DC remains Malcolm’s band. His three-chord tricks have always been the cornerstone on which their empire of hard rock and innuendo has been built, and his musical relationship with his brother seems highly likely to continue to define the dynamic of the group.

In light of recent developments, singer Brian Johnson suggested that a possible title for this new album was ‘Man Down’ – militarily correct, for sure, but ultimately suggestive of an unseemly vulnerable side. So here instead is the more forbidding Rock Or Bust, recorded with Brendan O’Brien, and featuring what one imagines will be the final Young/Young compositions. Life has again thrown down a gauntlet. With their 15th studio album, AC/DC have picked it up, and risen to the challenge.

As Angus Young describes it, it was simply the only thing to do. Though principally a good-time band, AC/DC have for the past 30 years or so seemed governed by strong management and their own (smallprint-filled) take on an honour code. The band aim to deliver shows that please fans old and new (but are, compared to say, The Rolling Stones, completely inflexible on setlist). They refuse to make fans pay twice for material, though have a lucrative line in live albums and DVDs. They refuse to consider “greatest hits” collections – but have contrived to achieve the same thing by exclusively soundtracking Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man movie franchise, the logical endpoint of their music’s appearance in movies and TV.

Rock Or Bust plays in a slightly different way in the light of this last development – a hard-rock version of the chicken and egg conundrum. As the band’s music has become a movie staple, an audio shorthand for scenes like “strip club”, “car is driven fast”, and “men dressed in leather jackets”, you’re left to wonder which comes first, the song, or the scene in the Mark Wahlberg movie it is ultimately destined for?

On a couple of the more minor compositions here (say, “Miss Adventure” or “Sweet Candy”) you might be left in some doubt. In both, there are strong choruses, but the journey to them certainly isn’t entirely memorable. The latter apparently evaluates the talents of a pole dancer, while the former inexplicably recommends “hot cross buns”.

These aren’t standout tracks, but they and the excellent “Dogs Of War” and “Hard Times” still go some way to illustrating the retrenchment that is in play here. As they did on their early 1980s albums, the verses on the songs here have diminished in importance, and are written to the choruses – which have become a good deal weightier. The album is heavy because it’s dense with detail. Hooks and backing vocal tricks from glam and hair metal are all pulled in and devoured by the band’s machine. At 34 minutes, this is the shortest AC/DC album – but stylistically it’s one of the leanest. Unlike Black Ice, you won’t find anything like a ballad on here.

Here, rock is all. On “Rock The Blues Away”, a blue-collar, good-time anthem somewhere between “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “I Fought The Law”, all pool halls and cigarette smoking, it is the soundtrack to the end of a thankless week. On “Rock The House”, where operative adjectives are “hot”, “wet” and “wild”, it occupies a heritage role as a euphemism for sex. On “Got Some Rock & Roll Thunder”, the band simply celebrate the monolithic nature of their music since Back In Black: since which time their songs and production have served to make “rock” interchangeable with God, nation, and war – another pursuit that takes place on a global stage, demanding heavy machinery and great heroism. The word appears 70 times in the album’s duration, just over two rocks a minute.

Only with an AC/DC album can you unself-consciously talk in terms of an opening salvo of songs, and the one presented here is strong indeed. “Rock Or Bust” itself is a classic stop-start riff, the chorus outlining a band motto as clearly as did “For Those About To Rock” over 30 years ago: “In rock we trust/Rock or bust…” Verse two makes reference to sirens wailing, which might all have seemed a little fanciful prior to the recent arrest of drummer Phil Rudd.

This is followed by first single, “Play Ball”. On one level, the song is fairly transparently a strategy to have material used on television during the maximum possible number of montaged sports action highlights. On another, it’s a classic AC/DC song, the brutality of the main riff complemented by the delicacy and fluidity of Angus Young’s lead. There’s a solo, of course, but ultimately, the song is all about the collective power of the group. The sequencing of the album is about pacing a good time, which doesn’t peak too early in the evening. The mood change of “Hard Times”, say, is immediately regulated by the great “Baptism By Fire” which appears to recall elements from 1976’s “Live Wire”, and resumes things to the album’s customary clip.

Still, for all the drinks poured, cars driven, ladies enchanted and cigarettes smoked during the course of the record, this is nonetheless an album made by a group arguably in extremis: singer nearly 70, rhythm guitarist retired, drummer out on bail. Rock sincerely hopes that this isn’t the last word from AC/DC, but if it is, we will know that they died as they lived – and didn’t go down without a fight.

John Robinson

Q&A

Angus Young

For Rock Or Bust you worked again with Brendan O’Brien, who produced Black Ice. What did you enjoy about working with him that you wanted to repeat? How long did recording take?

About four weeks. We had all the material, we were well-prepared to do the album and that helped a lot. We’d done a lot of the work before going in the studio. Brendan is a very accomplished musician, so that’s part of why we work with him. He knows all his instruments. He seems to know, for us, how his input could help.

You’ve been making records 40 years. Do you even need a producer?

It’s always good to have an outside ear because then you have someone who takes control of the project, you let him be the boss. It’s good in that respect – you trust him, that he’s going to do his best to get the best album out of you, you know?

Tell me about the title. I read that you considered ‘Man Down’. Rock Or Bust sounds a lot more determined… Is that the idea?

For the band it was a stronger title. Rock Or Bust is a thing we’ve always done – when we play live, it’s always been a do or die effort. And everything we’ve ever done has always had that approach.

Stevie Young [rhythm guitar] does a great job on the album. But it must have felt odd being in the studio without Malcolm? How did you work through that?

Stevie did do a great job. He’s the only person I could think of who is a second Mal, he plays that style. Still, he adds his own little touches, so that’s also good.

All the songs are co-writes between you and [your brother] Malcolm [Young, rhythm guitar]. How have your songs come about, historically?

It can come any number of ways. Sometimes you’ll have a good guitar riff, and think “this is good”, then other times you might just need a good title and it sets you thinking – what if I try this, see how it goes? Most of the songs that we’ve ever sat and played about with have been guitar riffs – any songs we came up with, they were always in combination with each other. It’s something we always did. Sometimes we borrowed bits from each other. Like Malcolm would say, “You know that riff you had from that other period? Let’s try that with this…”

As we’ve read, Malcolm is seriously ill [Young has dementia and has retired from AC/DC]. How was he able to participate in writing the album?

A lot of writing, it was stuff we had done in the past together. There were also other ideas Malcolm had done on his own, and the same for myself. So a lot of it is a combination. There’s hidden material we’ve always had. Sometimes we’ve borrowed from the past, sometimes created something new.

When did these get written? Did you have stuff left over from Black Ice?

Well, they came together basically in the last year before the album. We just start over – in this case, we did go through a lot of tapes, ideas we’d had from the past, but I do that for every album.

You researched particularly hard, because you couldn’t write with Malcolm in the normal way?

Yes – and Malcolm and I had stuff that he had done up until he could no longer do it.

How is Malcolm?

He’s in good spirits at this point, and he’s getting the best of care where he is. He’s being well looked after.

Since Malcolm has been such a big part of AC/DC, how will you be able to work going forwards?

We do what we do best. Malcolm’s had the illness for a while. He had the onset of it when we were doing the previous album – he toured. I said to him, do you really wanna do this? He said, I wanna do this as long as I can keep doing it. He’s got a do or die spirit – it’s the strength of his character. It is a big thing that he’s not there.

Are you looking forward to touring the album? How do you keep things fresh?

If everything comes together, we’ll be out there. It’s always exciting because we’ve been lucky over the years – because the younger generations, there’s a lot of people who have never seen us. It’s always exciting.

You have a very vocal fanbase who are quite opinionated about your setlists. How do you decide what to put in?

We’ve always played a lot of songs from the beginning to the present, so it becomes a bit of a juggle sometimes – in how long we can sustain that show. We like to do a show that’s exciting. We don’t want to be on there too long – we don’t want it to be a long-winded affair. I’d like it to be short and powerful. But we always try to do our best, put in a few strong songs that are fan favourites. My own favourites? I’ve been involved with them since the beginning, so I love them all…

INTERVIEW: JOHN ROBINSON

Hear The Pop Group’s first single in 35 years, “Mad Truth”

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Hear The Pop Group’s first single in 35 years, “Mad Truth”

Band are working with producer Paul Epworth on new album... The Pop Group have released their first single in 35 years – click below to listen. The track, titled "Mad Truth", is set to feature on the band's forthcoming new album Citizen Zombie. The LP will be produced by Paul Epworth and is set for release on February 23 this year. In a previous statement announcing the release of the album, frontman Mark Stewart praised producer Epworth, who has worked with Adele, Paul McCartney, Florence + The Machine and Lorde. "[Paul] gave us the freedom to create and, with his help, destiny rides again for the Pop Group," he said. Epworth, meanwhile, maintains that the band retain the same power they had three decades ago. "The energy [of The Pop Group] is still there, the ideas are still there, it still fizzes with a life that most young bands just don’t have." The Bristol group formed in 1978 and split in 1980 before getting back together again in 2010. In October the band reissued their 1980 album We Are Time and Cabinet Of Curiosities, a nine-track compilation of rarities and previously unreleased material. Mark Stewart talks about Citizen Zombie in our 2015 Albums Preview, in the new issue of Uncut - in shops now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAL4nhHDKz0 Photo: Press/Chiara Meattelli/Dominic Lee

Band are working with producer Paul Epworth on new album…

The Pop Group have released their first single in 35 years – click below to listen.

The track, titled “Mad Truth“, is set to feature on the band’s forthcoming new album Citizen Zombie. The LP will be produced by Paul Epworth and is set for release on February 23 this year.

In a previous statement announcing the release of the album, frontman Mark Stewart praised producer Epworth, who has worked with Adele, Paul McCartney, Florence + The Machine and Lorde. “[Paul] gave us the freedom to create and, with his help, destiny rides again for the Pop Group,” he said.

Epworth, meanwhile, maintains that the band retain the same power they had three decades ago. “The energy [of The Pop Group] is still there, the ideas are still there, it still fizzes with a life that most young bands just don’t have.”

The Bristol group formed in 1978 and split in 1980 before getting back together again in 2010. In October the band reissued their 1980 album We Are Time and Cabinet Of Curiosities, a nine-track compilation of rarities and previously unreleased material.

Mark Stewart talks about Citizen Zombie in our 2015 Albums Preview, in the new issue of Uncut – in shops now

Photo: Press/Chiara Meattelli/Dominic Lee

The White Stripes announce new live album…

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The White Stripes announce new live album…

The double LP was recorded in Brazil in 2005 and comes with DVD footage... A never-before-released White Stripes live album and DVD is set to be released. The package will focus on the band's 2005 tour of South America and come as part of the Third Man Records subscriber-only service, The Vault. It will include the double LP Under Amazonian Lights, which was recorded live in Manaus, Brazil on June 1, 2005, as well as a DVD featuring footage recorded at the gig at Teatro Amazonas Opera House. Scroll down for the LP's tracklisting, which includes a cover of Bob Dylan's "Lovesick Blues". A press release about the show reads: "Words do not ably describe the beauty of the Teatro Amazonas nor the furor riled up by the White Stripes appearance. Not only was there fear that the amplification of the band would cause the plaster in the building to crack and possible fall and injure attendees, but out of custom/fear/lord-knows-what the crowd remained seated until being explicitly asked to stand from the stage by Jack White himself. If that wasn’t enough, during the show Jack and Meg ventured outside the venue to play an entirely unamplified version of “We Are Going to Be Friends” for the assembled multitude of fans unable to purchase tickets and watching the performance via closed-circuit feed. It was recently announced that Jack White will be headlining this year's Coachella Festival in California. The event takes place across two weekends in April. The Under Amazonian Lights tracklisting is: 'Blue Orchid' 'Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground' 'Black Math' 'Lovesick Blues' (Bob Dylan) 'My Doorbell' 'Passive Manipulation' 'Hotel Yorba' 'The Same Boy You’ve Always Known' (electric) 'The Same Boy You’ve Always Known' (acoustic) 'Little Ghost' 'When I Hear My Name' 'I Asked For Water' (Howlin Wolf) 'Fell in Love With a Girl' 'The Nurse' 'Little Bird' 'Death Letter' (Son House) 'St. James Infirmary' (traditional) 'Screwdriver' 'Passive Manipulation' (reprise) 'I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself' '(I’ll Be With You) In Apple Blossom Time' (Albert Von Tilzer/Neville Fleeson) 'I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself' 'Seven Nation Army'

The double LP was recorded in Brazil in 2005 and comes with DVD footage…

A never-before-released White Stripes live album and DVD is set to be released.

The package will focus on the band’s 2005 tour of South America and come as part of the Third Man Records subscriber-only service, The Vault. It will include the double LP Under Amazonian Lights, which was recorded live in Manaus, Brazil on June 1, 2005, as well as a DVD featuring footage recorded at the gig at Teatro Amazonas Opera House.

Scroll down for the LP’s tracklisting, which includes a cover of Bob Dylan‘s “Lovesick Blues”. A press release about the show reads: “Words do not ably describe the beauty of the Teatro Amazonas nor the furor riled up by the White Stripes appearance. Not only was there fear that the amplification of the band would cause the plaster in the building to crack and possible fall and injure attendees, but out of custom/fear/lord-knows-what the crowd remained seated until being explicitly asked to stand from the stage by Jack White himself. If that wasn’t enough, during the show Jack and Meg ventured outside the venue to play an entirely unamplified version of “We Are Going to Be Friends” for the assembled multitude of fans unable to purchase tickets and watching the performance via closed-circuit feed.

It was recently announced that Jack White will be headlining this year’s Coachella Festival in California. The event takes place across two weekends in April.

The Under Amazonian Lights tracklisting is:

‘Blue Orchid’

‘Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground’

‘Black Math’

‘Lovesick Blues’ (Bob Dylan)

‘My Doorbell’

‘Passive Manipulation’

‘Hotel Yorba’

‘The Same Boy You’ve Always Known’ (electric)

‘The Same Boy You’ve Always Known’ (acoustic)

‘Little Ghost’

‘When I Hear My Name’

‘I Asked For Water’ (Howlin Wolf)

‘Fell in Love With a Girl’

‘The Nurse’

‘Little Bird’

‘Death Letter’ (Son House)

‘St. James Infirmary’ (traditional)

‘Screwdriver’

‘Passive Manipulation’ (reprise)

‘I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself’

‘(I’ll Be With You) In Apple Blossom Time’ (Albert Von Tilzer/Neville Fleeson)

‘I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself’

‘Seven Nation Army’

10 Essential Films For 2015

Michael Bonner
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10 Essential Films For 2015

2015 has already got off to a good start, with Foxcatcher and Whiplash coming later this month (although I’m afraid I really didn’t like either Birdman or American Sniper). But beyond those, there is a strong brace of films due to come in the next 12 months. Admittedly, I’ve only included films that currently have a trailer – which means, alas, I’ve not covered James Cooper’s documentary about The Who’s early managers,Lambert And Stamp, Jonathan Demme’s Ricki And The Flash, which stars Meryl Streep as an ageing rock star, or the Kurt Cobain documentary, Montage Of Heck. I’ve also steered clear of the very obvious films (with one critical exception…) so the focus is on what I hope will prove to be the main highlights of 2015: some strong UK and American indies, a terrific Iranian vampire drama and a weighty selection of promising rock documentaries. But as ever, do let me know if there’s anything coming up you’re looking forward to seeing… The Duke Of Burgundy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaTTr5-JmuU Peter Strickland’s preview film, Berberian Sound Studio, reached No 4 in our Films Of The Year for 2012; we have high hopes for this erotic drama starring Borgen’s Sidse Babett Knudsen... OPENS JANUARY 20 Hyena http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR1A2e7Vx8A London-set crime thriller, written and directed by Gerard Johnson, brother of The The’s Matt – who provides the soundtrack... OPENS MARCH 6 Blackhearts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZv3W3YRHqQ Music documentary, charting the international impact of Norwegian black metal, as far afield as Iran and Columbia… OPENING DATE TO BE CONFIRMED Top Five http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jejCmmawzLY Comedy, with Chris Rock stars as a stand-up, waylaid by an action movie franchise, trying to reconnect with his career... OPENS MARCH 20 While We Were Young http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRUcm9Qw9io Ben Stiller and Noah Baumbach reteam for this first time since Greenberg in this comedy about a middle aged couple attempting to reinvigorate their relationship... OPENS APRIL 3 A Girl Walks Home At Night http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmIQFcPXLXA Enticingly described as "The first Iranian vampire Western", this was one of my favourite films at last year’s London Film Festival… OPENING DATE TO BE CONFIRMED Industrial Soundtrack For The Urban Decay

2015 has already got off to a good start, with Foxcatcher and Whiplash coming later this month (although I’m afraid I really didn’t like either Birdman or American Sniper).

But beyond those, there is a strong brace of films due to come in the next 12 months. Admittedly, I’ve only included films that currently have a trailer – which means, alas, I’ve not covered James Cooper’s documentary about The Who’s early managers,Lambert And Stamp, Jonathan Demme’s Ricki And The Flash, which stars Meryl Streep as an ageing rock star, or the Kurt Cobain documentary, Montage Of Heck.

I’ve also steered clear of the very obvious films (with one critical exception…) so the focus is on what I hope will prove to be the main highlights of 2015: some strong UK and American indies, a terrific Iranian vampire drama and a weighty selection of promising rock documentaries. But as ever, do let me know if there’s anything coming up you’re looking forward to seeing…

The Duke Of Burgundy

Peter Strickland’s preview film, Berberian Sound Studio, reached No 4 in our Films Of The Year for 2012; we have high hopes for this erotic drama starring Borgen’s Sidse Babett Knudsen…

OPENS JANUARY 20

Hyena

London-set crime thriller, written and directed by Gerard Johnson, brother of The The’s Matt – who provides the soundtrack…

OPENS MARCH 6

Blackhearts

Music documentary, charting the international impact of Norwegian black metal, as far afield as Iran and Columbia…

OPENING DATE TO BE CONFIRMED

Top Five

Comedy, with Chris Rock stars as a stand-up, waylaid by an action movie franchise, trying to reconnect with his career…

OPENS MARCH 20

While We Were Young

Ben Stiller and Noah Baumbach reteam for this first time since Greenberg in this comedy about a middle aged couple attempting to reinvigorate their relationship…

OPENS APRIL 3

A Girl Walks Home At Night

Enticingly described as “The first Iranian vampire Western”, this was one of my favourite films at last year’s London Film Festival…

OPENING DATE TO BE CONFIRMED

Industrial Soundtrack For The Urban Decay

Industrial Soundtrack For The Urban Decay // Official Trailer from Am

Birdman

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Birdman

In Birdman, Michael Keaton plays Riggan Thomson, a veteran film actor who is eager to rebuild his reputation. Like Keaton, Thomson is largely remembered for playing a superhero 25 years ago. And, like Keaton, he has spent much of the intervening quarter of a century explaining why he abdicated from that role – in Thomson’s case, Birdman 4; Keaton, meanwhile, turned his back on Batman. Along with Keaton, the cast includes Edward Norton and Emma Stone, both also veterans of superhero movies. Robert Downey Jr’s fee for Iron Man 3 is broached. Woody Harrelson, Michael Fassbender and Jeremy Renner are all sought by Thomson; but, alas, they are too busy with their respective billion-dollar franchises. Writer/director Alejando Iñárritu’s hall-of-mirrors film revels in such postmodernisms; indeed, at times you might be forgiven for thinking that without such referential conceits would the film even have cause to exist. Initially, the plot is straightforward enough: it’s a backstage satire, set over a handful of days, as Thomson directs and acts in a Broadway adaptation of a Raymond Carver’s short story in a bid for artistic credibility. The first hour is essentially a Ray Cooney bedroom farce, full of rutting egos and romantic entanglements. All it lacks is for someone to accidentally drop their trousers in front a visiting vicar. Thomson’s co-star, Mike Shiner (Norton), is the epitome of strutting, Method-acting excess, he is also involved in a fraying relationship with the play’s leading lady, Leslie (Naomi Watts); even as Shiner upsets the production, Thomson learns that his girlfriend, Laura (Andrea Riseborough) – and second female lead – is pregnant, while his daughter Sam (Emma Stone) is fresh out of rehab and struggling. Gradually, strange kinks assert themselves in the narrative: moments where Thomson levitates cross-legged in mid air, or takes flight across the New York rooftops. Along the way, Iñárritu and director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki let the film appear as if unspooling in a single take. It’s a nice piece of artifice; but much like Birdman itself it is a superficial rather than substantial attraction. The actors digs at narcissism, ambition, insecurity, the wages of celebrity and the “cultural genocide” of Hollywood verge on the indulgent. “The play is starting to feel like a deranged, deformed version of myself,” Thomson says at one point. Ha, ha, yes; we get it! The second hour strips back every outstanding plot point to focus entirely on Thomson’s meltdown as opening night approaches. But it’s difficult to engage with Thomson’s plight: he is depthless and self-absorbed, and Iñárritu’s film isn’t half as clever as it thinks it is. Michael Bonner

In Birdman, Michael Keaton plays Riggan Thomson, a veteran film actor who is eager to rebuild his reputation. Like Keaton, Thomson is largely remembered for playing a superhero 25 years ago. And, like Keaton, he has spent much of the intervening quarter of a century explaining why he abdicated from that role – in Thomson’s case, Birdman 4; Keaton, meanwhile, turned his back on Batman.

Along with Keaton, the cast includes Edward Norton and Emma Stone, both also veterans of superhero movies. Robert Downey Jr’s fee for Iron Man 3 is broached. Woody Harrelson, Michael Fassbender and Jeremy Renner are all sought by Thomson; but, alas, they are too busy with their respective billion-dollar franchises. Writer/director Alejando Iñárritu’s hall-of-mirrors film revels in such postmodernisms; indeed, at times you might be forgiven for thinking that without such referential conceits would the film even have cause to exist.

Initially, the plot is straightforward enough: it’s a backstage satire, set over a handful of days, as Thomson directs and acts in a Broadway adaptation of a Raymond Carver’s short story in a bid for artistic credibility. The first hour is essentially a Ray Cooney bedroom farce, full of rutting egos and romantic entanglements. All it lacks is for someone to accidentally drop their trousers in front a visiting vicar. Thomson’s co-star, Mike Shiner (Norton), is the epitome of strutting, Method-acting excess, he is also involved in a fraying relationship with the play’s leading lady, Leslie (Naomi Watts); even as Shiner upsets the production, Thomson learns that his girlfriend, Laura (Andrea Riseborough) – and second female lead – is pregnant, while his daughter Sam (Emma Stone) is fresh out of rehab and struggling. Gradually, strange kinks assert themselves in the narrative: moments where Thomson levitates cross-legged in mid air, or takes flight across the New York rooftops. Along the way, Iñárritu and director of photography Emmanuel Lubezki let the film appear as if unspooling in a single take. It’s a nice piece of artifice; but much like Birdman itself it is a superficial rather than substantial attraction.

The actors digs at narcissism, ambition, insecurity, the wages of celebrity and the “cultural genocide” of Hollywood verge on the indulgent. “The play is starting to feel like a deranged, deformed version of myself,” Thomson says at one point. Ha, ha, yes; we get it! The second hour strips back every outstanding plot point to focus entirely on Thomson’s meltdown as opening night approaches. But it’s difficult to engage with Thomson’s plight: he is depthless and self-absorbed, and Iñárritu’s film isn’t half as clever as it thinks it is.

Michael Bonner

The 26 Best Albums Of 2015 (Thus Far…)

John Mulvey
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The 26 Best Albums Of 2015 (Thus Far…)

A belated happy new year, everyone; I trust the new issue of Uncut, with David Bowie on the cover, is easing you into 2015 in a relatively optimistic way. Not least, of course, because there's a hefty preview of some of the next 12 months' key albums, with plenty of quotes from the artists involved; Paul Weller, New Order, Laura Marling, My Morning Jacket, Matt White, Alabama Shakes, The Pop Group, Giorgio Moroder and so on. As a complementary piece here, I've put together a playlist of 26 forthcoming albums that I've been especially enjoying. Many will be familiar to regular readers of this blog, but I've hunted down as much music that I can find to give you a taste of these mostly excellent records. I put something similar together last year, to some degree as clickbait, but I think it turned out to be pretty useful, one way or another. Apologies for the craven title. I've had to leave out a few things to respect record company embargoes, while I've included the Blake Mills album, that some of you will already have, because it doesn’t get an official UK release until February. Also the Crying Lion LP erroneously figured in my Best Albums Of 2014 list, but I got the release date wrong, so I've thrown it back into the mix for 2015. I'll try and write about as many of these as I can over the next few weeks. For a start, I've contributed 1,000 words on Natalie Prass' debut to the current Uncut. Loads of things I've forgotten, for sure; please remind me in the comments below, and also let me know what you're most anticipating in 2015. Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnRMulvey 1. Badbadnotgood & Ghostface Killah - Sour Soul (Lex) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-qmZ_J7WGc 2. Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Just Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit (Anxiety/Marathon) 3. Sir Richard Bishop - Tangier Sessions (Drag City) 4. Crying Lion - The Golden Boat (Honest Jon's) 5. M Dwinell - Golden Ratio (Amish) 6. Elephant Micah - Where In Our Woods (Western Vinyl) 7. Duke Garwood - Heavy Love (Heavenly) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrcCGjIX6Zo 8. Rhiannon Giddens - Tomorrow Is My Turn (Nonesuch) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqwRro2G-qA 9. Steve Gunn & The Black Twig Pickers (Thrill Jockey) 10. Liam Hayes - Slurrup (Fat Possum) 11. Houndstooth - No News From Home (No Quarter) 12. Howlin Rain - Mansion Songs (Easy Sound Recording Co) 13. Laura Marling - Short Movie (Virgin) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdCdT_dcmUI 14. Blake Mills - Heigh Ho (Verve) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58tphQWdSZY 15. Moon Duo - Shadow Of The Sun (Sacred Bones) 16. Áine O'Dwyer - Music For Church Cleaners Vol. I & II (MIE) 17. Panda Bear - Panda Bear Vs The Grim Reaper (Domino) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmXIIL2tmR8 18. Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass (Spacebomb) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h50Q47W80ao 19. Jessica Pratt - On Your Own Love Again (Drag City) 20. Alasdair Roberts - Alastair Roberts (Drag City) 21. Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love (Sub Pop) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRNDB9VqI3Q 22. Samba Toure - Gandadiko (Glitterbeat) 23. The Unthanks - Mount The Air (Rabble Rouser) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYiMUUNu0QM 24. Ryley Walker - Primrose Green (Dead Oceans) 25. Matthew E White - Fresh Blood (Spacebomb/Domino) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZryzsrF_PRw 26. Various Artists - Imaginational Anthems 7 (Tompkins Square)

A belated happy new year, everyone; I trust the new issue of Uncut, with David Bowie on the cover, is easing you into 2015 in a relatively optimistic way. Not least, of course, because there’s a hefty preview of some of the next 12 months’ key albums, with plenty of quotes from the artists involved; Paul Weller, New Order, Laura Marling, My Morning Jacket, Matt White, Alabama Shakes, The Pop Group, Giorgio Moroder and so on.

As a complementary piece here, I’ve put together a playlist of 26 forthcoming albums that I’ve been especially enjoying. Many will be familiar to regular readers of this blog, but I’ve hunted down as much music that I can find to give you a taste of these mostly excellent records. I put something similar together last year, to some degree as clickbait, but I think it turned out to be pretty useful, one way or another. Apologies for the craven title.

I’ve had to leave out a few things to respect record company embargoes, while I’ve included the Blake Mills album, that some of you will already have, because it doesn’t get an official UK release until February. Also the Crying Lion LP erroneously figured in my Best Albums Of 2014 list, but I got the release date wrong, so I’ve thrown it back into the mix for 2015. I’ll try and write about as many of these as I can over the next few weeks. For a start, I’ve contributed 1,000 words on Natalie Prass’ debut to the current Uncut.

Loads of things I’ve forgotten, for sure; please remind me in the comments below, and also let me know what you’re most anticipating in 2015.

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnRMulvey

1. Badbadnotgood & Ghostface Killah – Sour Soul (Lex)

2. Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Just Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit (Anxiety/Marathon)

3. Sir Richard Bishop – Tangier Sessions (Drag City)

4. Crying Lion – The Golden Boat (Honest Jon’s)

5. M Dwinell – Golden Ratio (Amish)

6. Elephant Micah – Where In Our Woods (Western Vinyl)

7. Duke Garwood – Heavy Love (Heavenly)

8. Rhiannon Giddens – Tomorrow Is My Turn (Nonesuch)

9. Steve Gunn & The Black Twig Pickers (Thrill Jockey)

10. Liam Hayes – Slurrup (Fat Possum)

11. Houndstooth – No News From Home (No Quarter)

12. Howlin Rain – Mansion Songs (Easy Sound Recording Co)

13. Laura Marling – Short Movie (Virgin)

14. Blake Mills – Heigh Ho (Verve)

15. Moon Duo – Shadow Of The Sun (Sacred Bones)

16. Áine O’Dwyer – Music For Church Cleaners Vol. I & II (MIE)

17. Panda Bear – Panda Bear Vs The Grim Reaper (Domino)

18. Natalie Prass – Natalie Prass (Spacebomb)

19. Jessica Pratt – On Your Own Love Again (Drag City)

20. Alasdair Roberts – Alastair Roberts (Drag City)

21. Sleater-Kinney – No Cities To Love (Sub Pop)

22. Samba Toure – Gandadiko (Glitterbeat)

23. The Unthanks – Mount The Air (Rabble Rouser)

24. Ryley Walker – Primrose Green (Dead Oceans)

25. Matthew E White – Fresh Blood (Spacebomb/Domino)

26. Various Artists – Imaginational Anthems 7 (Tompkins Square)

Watch unseen footage of The Clash’s 1977 New Year’s concert at the Roxy

Uncut
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Watch unseen footage of The Clash’s 1977 New Year’s concert at the Roxy

Band's performance filmed by Julien Temple... Footage of The Clash's 1977 New Year's concert at infamous Covent Garden venue the Roxy has surfaced for the first time. The clip, captured by filmmaker Julien Temple, has been revealed in a new BBC documentary about punk in '70s England. It also includes other archival footage including media broadcasts. The January 1 concert cemented The Clash and the Roxy venue's historic place in London's exploding punk scene. It also saw the band debut new drummer Rob Harper and a new song, "I'm So Bored With the USA". The full documentary can be watched below. Last month, an updated version of The Clash's "Rock The Casbah" featuring Ranking Roger on vocals was released to raise money for Joe Strummer's charity, Strummerville. Ranking Roger recorded an alternative version of the song in 1981 with Clash members Strummer and Mick Jones but it was never released. An EP features two versions of 'Rock The Casbah' plus 'Muscle Ska', co-composed by Neville Staple from The Specials. The five-track EP is available now through PledgeMusic and will raise funds for Strummerville, the charity set up by Strummer before his death to help aspiring young musicians. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDVIM2iBqdc

Band’s performance filmed by Julien Temple…

Footage of The Clash‘s 1977 New Year’s concert at infamous Covent Garden venue the Roxy has surfaced for the first time.

The clip, captured by filmmaker Julien Temple, has been revealed in a new BBC documentary about punk in ’70s England. It also includes other archival footage including media broadcasts.

The January 1 concert cemented The Clash and the Roxy venue’s historic place in London’s exploding punk scene. It also saw the band debut new drummer Rob Harper and a new song, “I’m So Bored With the USA”. The full documentary can be watched below.

Last month, an updated version of The Clash’s “Rock The Casbah” featuring Ranking Roger on vocals was released to raise money for Joe Strummer’s charity, Strummerville. Ranking Roger recorded an alternative version of the song in 1981 with Clash members Strummer and Mick Jones but it was never released.

An EP features two versions of ‘Rock The Casbah’ plus ‘Muscle Ska’, co-composed by Neville Staple from The Specials. The five-track EP is available now through PledgeMusic and will raise funds for Strummerville, the charity set up by Strummer before his death to help aspiring young musicians.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDVIM2iBqdc

Thom Yorke may have made $20 million from downloads of Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes

Uncut
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Thom Yorke may have made $20 million from downloads of Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes

Yorke was most legally-downloaded BitTorrent artist in 2014... Thom Yorke might have made $20 million from his solo album Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, which he released last September using new model BitTorrent Bundles. The singer charged $6 (£3.68) per record when he released the album last September on Bundles, a new product launched by BitTorrent in 2013 that allows musicians and other artists to combine free downloads with paid products. As Gigoam, BitTorrent has now revealed that Tomorrow's Modern Boxes was downloaded 4.4 million times, making Yorke the most legally-downloaded BitTorrent artist in 2014, and - presuming that everyone who downloaded the bundle paid for it - the recipient of around $20 million in profits. When the album was released, Yorke described it as "an experiment". In a press release co-authored with producer Nigel Godrich, he said: "As an experiment we are using a new version of BitTorrent to distribute a new Thom Yorke record. The new Torrent files have a pay gate to access a bundle of files. The files can be anything, but in this case is an 'album'. It’s an experiment to see if the mechanics of the system are something that the general public can get its head around. "If it works well it could be an effective way of handing some control of internet commerce back to people who are creating the work." Tomorrow's Modern Boxes was Yorke's first solo album since 2006's The Eraser. Last month, Nigel Godrich posted a picture of Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood working on Radiohead's new album. Earlier, Greenwood had said the sessions for the new album were at the "fumbling stage". Asked by BBC Radio Oxford whether the band are in the studio, Greenwood said: "I’m late, they’ve all gone there now. We're currently playing and recording and it’s fun to see everyone again, it's been a long time coming, we've been waiting all of us for a long time."

Yorke was most legally-downloaded BitTorrent artist in 2014…

Thom Yorke might have made $20 million from his solo album Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes, which he released last September using new model BitTorrent Bundles.

The singer charged $6 (£3.68) per record when he released the album last September on Bundles, a new product launched by BitTorrent in 2013 that allows musicians and other artists to combine free downloads with paid products.

As Gigoam, BitTorrent has now revealed that Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes was downloaded 4.4 million times, making Yorke the most legally-downloaded BitTorrent artist in 2014, and – presuming that everyone who downloaded the bundle paid for it – the recipient of around $20 million in profits.

When the album was released, Yorke described it as “an experiment”. In a press release co-authored with producer Nigel Godrich, he said: “As an experiment we are using a new version of BitTorrent to distribute a new Thom Yorke record. The new Torrent files have a pay gate to access a bundle of files. The files can be anything, but in this case is an ‘album’. It’s an experiment to see if the mechanics of the system are something that the general public can get its head around.

“If it works well it could be an effective way of handing some control of internet commerce back to people who are creating the work.”

Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes was Yorke’s first solo album since 2006’s The Eraser. Last month, Nigel Godrich posted a picture of Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood working on Radiohead’s new album. Earlier, Greenwood had said the sessions for the new album were at the “fumbling stage”.

Asked by BBC Radio Oxford whether the band are in the studio, Greenwood said: “I’m late, they’ve all gone there now. We’re currently playing and recording and it’s fun to see everyone again, it’s been a long time coming, we’ve been waiting all of us for a long time.”

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