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Six Organs Of Admittance, Comets On Fire, Purling Hiss…

John Mulvey
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Six Organs Of Admittance, Comets On Fire, Purling Hiss…

A while back, I read somewhere that Ben Chasny’s next Six Organs Of Admittance record would feature the heavy involvement of his old bandmates from Comets On Fire: it would be a kind of Comets reunion, was the speculation, albeit with Chasny in the driving seat rather than Ethan Miller. Amazing news, which makes it pretty ridiculous that I forgot all about it ‘til yesterday, when the first fruit of the sessions landed. The album is called “Ascent”, and you can hear/download the tremendous opening track, Waswasa, here. I’m not sure quite which Comets are along for the ride, but it sounds like Miller’s there, on day release from Howlin Rain, tracking Chasny’s needling leads with.some deeper rhythms behind the general foot-to-the-gas jamming vibes of it all. I’ve just got the whole album, which is excellent and deserves a proper listen before I write more. Don’t expect a return to the Comets’ early psych-hardcore thing, though (Chasny touches on some of that in Rangda, I guess; which reminds me there’s a new Richard Bishop album to write about): as “Waswasa” suggests, “Ascent” mostly feels like a continuation of the more classically-structured “Avatar” sound (you could see the overdriven choogle of “Waswasa” as being a sequel of sorts to “Sour Smoke”), obviously mixed with Chasny’s intricate, incantatory and pretty personal way with a song (I’m thinking “Sun Awakens” might be a good reference point). Playing right now is the monstrous “Close To The Sky”, which plants a fantastically edgy Chasny solo into terrain reminiscent of Crazy Horse, “Down By The River”. Something else reminded me of “LA Woman” yesterday, and a decent contemporary analogue might be Rick Tomlinson’s Voice Of The Seven Thunders. But I’ll write more soon: out in August, I believe. One more thing to check out today, though. I’ve written before at length about Purling Hiss and chucked about Comets On Fire references with regard to them and Mike Pollize’s parent band, Birds Of Maya – also root of another recent favourite, Spacin’ (click on the link) (Spacin’s “Sunshine, No Shoes” is on the next Uncut CD, by the way, issue out next Tuesday). Anyhow, Pollize has been guesting with War On Drugs before the current Purling Hiss tour with Wilco, and Adam Granduciel seems to have convinced the band to try a relatively hi-fi approach. You can download the superb result, “Lolita”, here. On a Blue Cheer>Mudhoney>Queens Of The Stone Age>Jeff The Brotherhood trajectory, I think. Great stuff. Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnRMulvey

A while back, I read somewhere that Ben Chasny’s next Six Organs Of Admittance record would feature the heavy involvement of his old bandmates from Comets On Fire: it would be a kind of Comets reunion, was the speculation, albeit with Chasny in the driving seat rather than Ethan Miller.

Amazing news, which makes it pretty ridiculous that I forgot all about it ‘til yesterday, when the first fruit of the sessions landed. The album is called “Ascent”, and you can hear/download the tremendous opening track, Waswasa, here. I’m not sure quite which Comets are along for the ride, but it sounds like Miller’s there, on day release from Howlin Rain, tracking Chasny’s needling leads with.some deeper rhythms behind the general foot-to-the-gas jamming vibes of it all.

I’ve just got the whole album, which is excellent and deserves a proper listen before I write more. Don’t expect a return to the Comets’ early psych-hardcore thing, though (Chasny touches on some of that in Rangda, I guess; which reminds me there’s a new Richard Bishop album to write about): as “Waswasa” suggests, “Ascent” mostly feels like a continuation of the more classically-structured “Avatar” sound (you could see the overdriven choogle of “Waswasa” as being a sequel of sorts to “Sour Smoke”), obviously mixed with Chasny’s intricate, incantatory and pretty personal way with a song (I’m thinking “Sun Awakens” might be a good reference point).

Playing right now is the monstrous “Close To The Sky”, which plants a fantastically edgy Chasny solo into terrain reminiscent of Crazy Horse, “Down By The River”. Something else reminded me of “LA Woman” yesterday, and a decent contemporary analogue might be Rick Tomlinson’s Voice Of The Seven Thunders. But I’ll write more soon: out in August, I believe.

One more thing to check out today, though. I’ve written before at length about Purling Hiss and chucked about Comets On Fire references with regard to them and Mike Pollize’s parent band, Birds Of Maya – also root of another recent favourite, Spacin’ (click on the link) (Spacin’s “Sunshine, No Shoes” is on the next Uncut CD, by the way, issue out next Tuesday).

Anyhow, Pollize has been guesting with War On Drugs before the current Purling Hiss tour with Wilco, and Adam Granduciel seems to have convinced the band to try a relatively hi-fi approach. You can download the superb result, “Lolita”, here. On a Blue Cheer>Mudhoney>Queens Of The Stone Age>Jeff The Brotherhood trajectory, I think. Great stuff.

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

Dirty Projectors reveal new album details

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Dirty Projectors reveal new album details
Dirty Projectors have announced the tracklisting to their forthcoming LP, Swing Lo Magellan, which will be released via Domino on July 9. The tracklisting is: Offspring Are Blank About to Die Gun Has No Trigger Swing Lo Magellan Just From Chevron Dance For You Maybe That Was It Impregnable ...

Dirty Projectors have announced the tracklisting to their forthcoming LP, Swing Lo Magellan, which will be released via Domino on July 9.

The tracklisting is:

Offspring Are Blank

About to Die

Gun Has No Trigger

Swing Lo Magellan

Just From Chevron

Dance For You

Maybe That Was It

Impregnable Question

See What She’s Seeing

The Socialites

Unto Caesar

Irresponsible Tune

You can hear “Gun Has No Trigger” here; http://soundcloud.com/dominorecordco/dirty_projectors-gun_has_no_trigger

The album was written, recorded, produced and mixed by frontman Dave Longstreth.

It will be their first full length studio album since 2009’s Bitte Orca.

Paul McCartney – Ram [reissue]

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Paul McCartney – Ram [reissue]

Historically fascinating post-Beatles mish-mash... Recorded under a hostile gaze – Paul was The Man Who Split The Beatles, after all, and had even sued his bandmates – 1971’s Ram was McCartney’s real return to the pop arena after his demo-faced debut. The publicity for this latest reissue, full of extras and flummery, calls it “legendary” but it’s not that, just occasionally brilliant and historically fascinating. The main problem for listeners used to the coherence of the Beatles is that, from the brilliant (the anti-Lennon “Too Many People”, the mini-Abbey Road of “Admiral Halsey/Uncle Albert” to the ordinary (the boogie of “Smile Away”, the woogie of “Monkberry Moon Delight”), nothing quite gels. Even the single “Back Seat Of My Car”, which is better than 90% of Let It Be, seems to chase its tail for four minutes. That said, separated from its era and the defensiveness (“We believe that we can’t be wrong”) which spawned it, Ram sounds great (the remaster adds nothing) and we don’t have to compare it to Imagine or All Things Must Pass. EXTRAS: 7/10 This reissue also contains several decent unreleased or rare songs from the period, as well as the single “Another Day” (subject of Lennon’s imminent ire in “How Do You Sleep”), but also the bizarrely great Thrillington album, McCartney’s 1997 orchestral version of Ram. DAVID QUANTICK

Historically fascinating post-Beatles mish-mash…

Recorded under a hostile gaze – Paul was The Man Who Split The Beatles, after all, and had even sued his bandmates – 1971’s Ram was McCartney’s real return to the pop arena after his demo-faced debut.

The publicity for this latest reissue, full of extras and flummery, calls it “legendary” but it’s not that, just occasionally brilliant and historically fascinating. The main problem for listeners used to the coherence of the Beatles is that, from the brilliant (the anti-Lennon “Too Many People”, the mini-Abbey Road of “Admiral Halsey/Uncle Albert” to the ordinary (the boogie of “Smile Away”, the woogie of “Monkberry Moon Delight”), nothing quite gels. Even the single “Back Seat Of My Car”, which is better than 90% of Let It Be, seems to chase its tail for four minutes.

That said, separated from its era and the defensiveness (“We believe that we can’t be wrong”) which spawned it, Ram sounds great (the remaster adds nothing) and we don’t have to compare it to Imagine or All Things Must Pass.

EXTRAS: 7/10 This reissue also contains several decent unreleased or rare songs from the period, as well as the single “Another Day” (subject of Lennon’s imminent ire in “How Do You Sleep”), but also the bizarrely great Thrillington album, McCartney’s 1997 orchestral version of Ram.

DAVID QUANTICK

Leonard Cohen announces new UK date

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Leonard Cohen announces new UK date
Leonard Cohen has announced an additional date to his UK show, A Day At The Hop Farm. Cohen will now play Sunday, September 9 in addition to the previously announced show on Saturday, September 8. Both shows are part of his world tour and will be Cohen’s only UK dates in 2012. Meanwhile, Bob Dy...

Leonard Cohen has announced an additional date to his UK show, A Day At The Hop Farm.

Cohen will now play Sunday, September 9 in addition to the previously announced show on Saturday, September 8.

Both shows are part of his world tour and will be Cohen’s only UK dates in 2012.

Meanwhile, Bob Dylan plays at Hop Farm Festival on Saturday June 30. Other acts include Peter Gabriel, Suede, Patti Smith and Ray Davies.

Doug Dillard dies

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Doug Dillard dies
Doug Dillard, the pioneering country rock banjo-player, has died aged aged 75, according to reports. Dillard had first found fame in the Dillards, a bluegrass group formed with his brother Rodney, who made regular appearances on successful American sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show, where they played ...

Doug Dillard, the pioneering country rock banjo-player, has died aged aged 75, according to reports.

Dillard had first found fame in the Dillards, a bluegrass group formed with his brother Rodney, who made regular appearances on successful American sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show, where they played a fictional band called ‘The Darlings’.

After leaving the Dillards in 1968, Doug Dillard teamed up with former Byrd, Gene Clark, to form Dillard & Clark.

Dillard & Clark released two albums – The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark (1968) and Through The Morning, Through The Night (1969) – which are both considered country rock classics.

The musicians who played on Dillard & Clark’s two albums reads like a Who’s Who of country rock’s A list: The Byrds‘ Chris Hillman and Michael Clark, The Eagles’ Bernie Leadon and Flying Burrito Brothers’ Sneaky Pete Kleinow.

Two tracks from Through The Morning, Through The Night – the title song itself and “Polly” – were later covered by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss on their 2007 album, Raising Sand.

In 2011, Dillard had been admitted to a Nashville hospital suffering from a collapsed lung.

According to country and bluegrass website The Boot, a family spokesperson confirmed that Dillard was taken to a Nashville emergency room on Wednesday night [May 16] and died shortly thereafter.

Jack White hits out at Guinness Book Of Records

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Jack White hits out at Guinness Book Of Records
Jack White has delivered a bizarre rant against the compilers of the Guinness Book Of World Records. White, who released his debut solo album Blunderbuss last month, told Interview Magazine that he believes he holds the record for he shortest concert in history, but was denied his place in the reco...

Jack White has delivered a bizarre rant against the compilers of the Guinness Book Of World Records.

White, who released his debut solo album Blunderbuss last month, told Interview Magazine that he believes he holds the record for he shortest concert in history, but was denied his place in the record books by the company.

The singer revealed that he and former White Stripes bandmate Meg tried to make history by performing one single note, a clash of the cymbal, at a stop in Newfoundland, Canada. However, White revealed that the pair’s bid to have their names in the annual stocking filler failed and that he is convinced that the book’s compilers simply didn’t want to put him and Meg in the book.

Speaking about this, he said: “We were in Newfoundland and the idea that I came up with at breakfast was, ‘Let’s play one note today’. I told Meg as we were getting out of the car. I said, ‘Make sure you grab your cymbal and when you hit the cymbal, grab it so that the note only lasts a millisecond.'”

He continued: “I was thinking that afterwards we could contact the Guinness World Records people and see if we could get the record for shortest concert of all time. So we did it, but ultimately they turned us down.”

Then asked why, White said: “The thing is, though, that the Guinness book is a very elitist organisation. There’s nothing scientific about what they do. They just have an office full of people who decide what a record is and what isn’t. Most of the records in there – who has the biggest collection of salt-and-pepper shakers or whatever – are just whatever they want them to be.”

He went on: “So with something like the shortest concert of all time, they didn’t think whatever we did was interesting enough to make it a record. I don’t know why they get to decide that, but, you know, they own the book.”

Jack White returns to the UK next month for a series of live shows.

Leonard Cohen wins “Nobel Prize of the Arts”

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Leonard Cohen wins “Nobel Prize of the Arts”
Leonard Cohen has been awarded the prestigious Glenn Gould Prize, dubbed the "Nobel Prize of the Arts". The award is presented biennially to "an individual for a unique lifetime contribution that has enriched the human condition through the arts." Cohen was selected by an international panel of ju...

Leonard Cohen has been awarded the prestigious Glenn Gould Prize, dubbed the “Nobel Prize of the Arts”.

The award is presented biennially to “an individual for a unique lifetime contribution that has enriched the human condition through the arts.”

Cohen was selected by an international panel of judges, which included film director Atom Egoyan and Stephen Fry.

Cohen accepted the award on Monday night [May 14] at Toronto’s Massey Hall, along with the $50,000 prize money, which he then donated to the Canada Council for the Arts.

The Glenn Gould Prize is named after the Canadian classical pianist. Previous recipients of the Glenn Gould Prize have included jazz legend Oscar Peterson, Venezuelan conductor José Antonio Abreu and French composer Pierre Boulez.

Leonard Cohen plays his only UK date at Hop Farm on Saturday, September 8.

Willie Nelson – Heroes

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Willie Nelson – Heroes

Sepia-toned friends-and-family set from the living legend... Signing with Legacy, Sony’s the catalog label, in order to curate his own vast legacy, 78-year-old Willie Nelson kicks things off with a major new studio album. Populated by his old cronies, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, Ray Price and Billy Joe Shaver, as well as reverent younger artists like Jamey Johnson (capably filling in for the absent Waylon Jennings) and Sheryl Crow (at her most affectingly spontaneous), Heroes has the distinct feel of a last roundup. “The road ain’t gettin’ shorter/I think the weed is getting’ stronger”, Willie sings at the top of “No Place To Fly”, “And I’m tryin’ not to speak to no one who don’t care”, as if to make his intentions perfectly clear. The song was written not by Willie’s but by his sixth child, 22-year-old Lukas, one of three he penned for the record, while he trades verses with the old man on half of the 14 tracks, sounding uncannily like his dad at the same age. Lukas is very much the co-star of Heroes, suggesting that the album represents a passing of the torch. Heroes may be elegiac, but it’s as spirited as it is poignant. Snoop Dogg, an outlaw pothead from another idiom, sings a verse on Willie’s shit-kicking “Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die”. The Son of God Himself shows up twice – on Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan’s blues ballad “Come On Up To The House”, wherein Willie warbles, “Come down off the cross, we can use the wood”, and “Come On Back Jesus’ (co-written by Willie and another son, Micah), whose refrain continues, “…and pick up John Wayne on the way”. The first single, Pearl Jam’s “Just Breathe”, could have been written for him. It begins, “Yes I understand that every life must end/As we sit alone, I know someday we must go”, and ends, “Hold me till I die/Meet you on the other side”. Heroes ends with a burnished rendition of Coldplay’s “The Scientist,” Willie claiming it for himself, as he’s done so often during the last half century. BUD SCOPPA

Sepia-toned friends-and-family set from the living legend…

Signing with Legacy, Sony’s the catalog label, in order to curate his own vast legacy, 78-year-old Willie Nelson kicks things off with a major new studio album.

Populated by his old cronies, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, Ray Price and Billy Joe Shaver, as well as reverent younger artists like Jamey Johnson (capably filling in for the absent Waylon Jennings) and Sheryl Crow (at her most affectingly spontaneous), Heroes has the distinct feel of a last roundup.

“The road ain’t gettin’ shorter/I think the weed is getting’ stronger”, Willie sings at the top of “No Place To Fly”, “And I’m tryin’ not to speak to no one who don’t care”, as if to make his intentions perfectly clear. The song was written not by Willie’s but by his sixth child, 22-year-old Lukas, one of three he penned for the record, while he trades verses with the old man on half of the 14 tracks, sounding uncannily like his dad at the same age. Lukas is very much the co-star of Heroes, suggesting that the album represents a passing of the torch.

Heroes may be elegiac, but it’s as spirited as it is poignant. Snoop Dogg, an outlaw pothead from another idiom, sings a verse on Willie’s shit-kicking “Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die”. The Son of God Himself shows up twice – on Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan’s blues ballad “Come On Up To The House”, wherein Willie warbles, “Come down off the cross, we can use the wood”, and “Come On Back Jesus’ (co-written by Willie and another son, Micah), whose refrain continues, “…and pick up John Wayne on the way”.

The first single, Pearl Jam’s “Just Breathe”, could have been written for him. It begins, “Yes I understand that every life must end/As we sit alone, I know someday we must go”, and ends, “Hold me till I die/Meet you on the other side”. Heroes ends with a burnished rendition of Coldplay’s “The Scientist,” Willie claiming it for himself, as he’s done so often during the last half century.

BUD SCOPPA

Yeasayer reveal new track “Henrietta” – listen

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Yeasayer reveal new track “Henrietta” – listen
Yeasayer have debuted a brand new track titled "Henrietta", scroll down to the bottom of the page and click to listen to it. The track was sent out to members of the band's mailing list, with a physical CD containing the song sent to every person who had signed up to updates from Yeasayer. "Henrie...

Yeasayer have debuted a brand new track titled “Henrietta”, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click to listen to it.

The track was sent out to members of the band’s mailing list, with a physical CD containing the song sent to every person who had signed up to updates from Yeasayer.

“Henrietta” is the first new material to emerge from the band since their 2010 second album Odd Blood and its announcement was accompanied by a brief tweet from the band, which said: “Yes, record number three is in the works! Keeping it brief because it should be.”

Speaking previously about “Henrietta”, the band’s singer and keyboardist Chris Keating had said that the song was inspired by Henrietta Lacks, a Baltimore woman who had a rare form of cancer which meant her tumours and cells continued to grow after she died in 1951.

He explained: “Her tumors were somehow used in the polio vaccine, too, so basically this woman’s cells still exist. It’s an interesting story. So we turned it into a dubbed-out pseudo-science-fiction song.”

Late last year, the band spoke about their new album and said that it is shaping up to be “like a demented R&B record.”

Keating said of it: “It’s like an Aaliyah album if you played it backwards and slowed it down. Or David Bowie‘s ‘Lodger’. Those two are major influences.”

Photo credit: Guy Aroch

The 20th Uncut Playlist Of 2012

John Mulvey
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The 20th Uncut Playlist Of 2012

This week I’m recommending, among other things, Sir Richard Bishop and the Michael Mayer Hauschka remix, but plenty more to get your teeth into here. Your guesses welcome, too, as regards the identity of the artists in the photo above. One clue: it’s not Joni Mitchell under the sheet. Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnRMulvey 1 Neneh Cherry & The Thing – Dream Baby Dream (Four Tet Remix) (Smalltown Supersound) 2 Brian Eno With Daniel Lanois And Roger Eno – Apollo: Atmospheres And Soundtracks (Virgin) 3 Twin Shadow – Confess (4AD) 4 Peter Schleicher – Singt Rolling Stones (Bear Family) 5 Crystal Syphon – Family Evil (Roaratorio) 6 Hauschka – Salon Des Amateurs Remix EPs 1&2 (FatCat) 7 Various Artists – Philadelphia International: 40th Anniversary Box Set (Harmless) 8 Sir Richard Bishop – Intermezzo (Ideologic Organ) 9 Go-Kart Mozart – On The Hot Dog Streets (West Midlands) 10 Cypress Hill x Rusko – EP (V2) 11 Sylvester Anfang II – Untitled (Latitudes) 12 Blues Control – Valley Tangents (Drag City) 13 Moebius + Tietchens - Moebius + Tietchens (Bureau B) 14 Peter Tosh – 1978-1987 (EMI) 15 The Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse (In The Red) 16 Joni Mitchell – Court And Spark (Asylum) 17 Suspensers - Too Dumb to Live, Too Stoned to Die (Soft Abuse)

This week I’m recommending, among other things, Sir Richard Bishop and the Michael Mayer Hauschka remix, but plenty more to get your teeth into here.

Your guesses welcome, too, as regards the identity of the artists in the photo above. One clue: it’s not Joni Mitchell under the sheet.

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

1 Neneh Cherry & The Thing – Dream Baby Dream (Four Tet Remix) (Smalltown Supersound)

2 Brian Eno With Daniel Lanois And Roger Eno – Apollo: Atmospheres And Soundtracks (Virgin)

3 Twin Shadow – Confess (4AD)

4 Peter Schleicher – Singt Rolling Stones (Bear Family)

5 Crystal Syphon – Family Evil (Roaratorio)

6 Hauschka – Salon Des Amateurs Remix EPs 1&2 (FatCat)

7 Various Artists – Philadelphia International: 40th Anniversary Box Set (Harmless)

8 Sir Richard Bishop – Intermezzo (Ideologic Organ)

9 Go-Kart Mozart – On The Hot Dog Streets (West Midlands)

10 Cypress Hill x Rusko – EP (V2)

11 Sylvester Anfang II – Untitled (Latitudes)

12 Blues Control – Valley Tangents (Drag City)

13 Moebius + Tietchens – Moebius + Tietchens (Bureau B)

14 Peter Tosh – 1978-1987 (EMI)

15 The Ty Segall Band – Slaughterhouse (In The Red)

16 Joni Mitchell – Court And Spark (Asylum)

17 Suspensers – Too Dumb to Live, Too Stoned to Die (Soft Abuse)

Mani’s wife suggests Stone Roses are to blame for Manchester City’s Premier League title win

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Mani’s wife suggests Stone Roses are to blame for Manchester City’s Premier League title win

Flair, grit and determination - not to mention a nine-figure outlay on players - have all been cited in recent days as the reasons why Manchester City won the Premier League over the weekend. However, fans of the club actually have one man to thank for their first title win in 44 years - and it's apparently not manager Roberto Mancini. Nope, ironically it's staunch Manchester United fan Mani - who infamously said The Stone Roses wouldn't reform until the Blues tasted major success. Reminding fans of his prediction ahead of the band's huge reunion shows next month, the bassist's wife Imelda Mounfield described her husband as a modern day Nostradamus, tweeting: City's win is all down to Mani , he predicted yrs ago the stone roses would play again after city won the league !!!! Nostradamus or what .. While Mani will have been cursing his prediction, musicians from the Blue half of the City were in jubilant mood after City's dramatic title-clinching 3-2 win over QPR on Sunday. Noel Gallagher admitted he cried while watching the match in a bar in Chile, while his brother and former Oasis bandmate Liam Gallagher sprayed champagne in a private box at the game, before aiming a jibe at United manager Sir Alex Ferguson on Twitter. Meanwhile, QPR captain Joey Barton - who is facing a 10 game ban after being sent off for violent conduct during the match - tweeted Smiths lyrics in the aftermath. The Stone Roses kick off their reunion gigs with two warm-up shows at Club Razzmatazz in Barcelona on June 8 and 9, before moving on to dates in Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and France ahead of their trio of homecoming gigs at Heaton Park (29, 30 and July 1). Following the hometown shows, they'll then play at Dublin's Phoenix Park (5) and Spain's Benicassim (12-15), along with shows in Italy and the Far East. The Stone Roses are also playing at this year's T In The Park, which is taking place July 6-8 in Balado Park, Kinross.

Flair, grit and determination – not to mention a nine-figure outlay on players – have all been cited in recent days as the reasons why Manchester City won the Premier League over the weekend.

However, fans of the club actually have one man to thank for their first title win in 44 years – and it’s apparently not manager Roberto Mancini.

Nope, ironically it’s staunch Manchester United fan Mani – who infamously said The Stone Roses wouldn’t reform until the Blues tasted major success.

Reminding fans of his prediction ahead of the band’s huge reunion shows next month, the bassist’s wife Imelda Mounfield described her husband as a modern day Nostradamus, tweeting:

City’s win is all down to Mani , he predicted yrs ago the stone roses would play again after city won the league !!!! Nostradamus or what ..

While Mani will have been cursing his prediction, musicians from the Blue half of the City were in jubilant mood after City’s dramatic title-clinching 3-2 win over QPR on Sunday. Noel Gallagher admitted he cried while watching the match in a bar in Chile, while his brother and former Oasis bandmate Liam Gallagher sprayed champagne in a private box at the game, before aiming a jibe at United manager Sir Alex Ferguson on Twitter.

Meanwhile, QPR captain Joey Barton – who is facing a 10 game ban after being sent off for violent conduct during the match – tweeted Smiths lyrics in the aftermath.

The Stone Roses kick off their reunion gigs with two warm-up shows at Club Razzmatazz in Barcelona on June 8 and 9, before moving on to dates in Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and France ahead of their trio of homecoming gigs at Heaton Park (29, 30 and July 1).

Following the hometown shows, they’ll then play at Dublin’s Phoenix Park (5) and Spain’s Benicassim (12-15), along with shows in Italy and the Far East.

The Stone Roses are also playing at this year’s T In The Park, which is taking place July 6-8 in Balado Park, Kinross.

Bill Ward will not take part in any forthcoming Black Sabbath gigs

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Bill Ward will not take part in any forthcoming Black Sabbath gigs

Estranged Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has confirmed that he will not be taking part in any of the three Black Sabbath shows set for this summer. The drummer has released a statement on his website, Billward.com, saying that he will not be playing with the band at their Birmingham show on May 19, nor with them at Download Festival on June 10 or at Lollapalooza in Chicago on August 3. Ward had previously revealed he was unhappy with the contract for the band's new album and tour and claimed he would not take part in the new album sessions and shows if a 'fair agreement' was not met. As a result of this, the remaining members of the band vowed to carry on without him. In his new statement, Ward writes that last month he was offered the chance to play just three songs with the band at Download. He wrote: "I was not willing to participate in that offer. I was not prepared to watch another drummer play a Sabbath set, while I was to play only three songs." Ward then said that he was invited to take part in the band's show in Birmingham this Saturday at the O2 Academy for free, but that there would be no guarantee that he could play the following two festival shows. He explained: "Again, for me, it's all or nothing. I had to say 'no' to Birmingham on the principle of wanting to play all the shows. Saying no to Birmingham is very difficult for me. My family grew up in Birmingham. Black Sabbath grew up in Birmingham." He added: "I hold no malice or resentment towards the other band members. I love them; I'm tolerant of them; I'm frustrated with them, as they may be with me. My fight has never been with them. I'll love them forever. In my opinion, nobody wins this time; the band doesnt win; the fans for an original lineup don't win. Nobody wins, nobody. Even the ones who thought they did."' Read the statement in full at Billward.com.

Estranged Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has confirmed that he will not be taking part in any of the three Black Sabbath shows set for this summer.

The drummer has released a statement on his website, Billward.com, saying that he will not be playing with the band at their Birmingham show on May 19, nor with them at Download Festival on June 10 or at Lollapalooza in Chicago on August 3.

Ward had previously revealed he was unhappy with the contract for the band’s new album and tour and claimed he would not take part in the new album sessions and shows if a ‘fair agreement’ was not met. As a result of this, the remaining members of the band vowed to carry on without him.

In his new statement, Ward writes that last month he was offered the chance to play just three songs with the band at Download. He wrote: “I was not willing to participate in that offer. I was not prepared to watch another drummer play a Sabbath set, while I was to play only three songs.”

Ward then said that he was invited to take part in the band’s show in Birmingham this Saturday at the O2 Academy for free, but that there would be no guarantee that he could play the following two festival shows. He explained: “Again, for me, it’s all or nothing. I had to say ‘no’ to Birmingham on the principle of wanting to play all the shows. Saying no to Birmingham is very difficult for me. My family grew up in Birmingham. Black Sabbath grew up in Birmingham.”

He added: “I hold no malice or resentment towards the other band members. I love them; I’m tolerant of them; I’m frustrated with them, as they may be with me. My fight has never been with them. I’ll love them forever. In my opinion, nobody wins this time; the band doesnt win; the fans for an original lineup don’t win. Nobody wins, nobody. Even the ones who thought they did.”‘

Read the statement in full at Billward.com.

Rare photo of The Beatles walking ‘backwards’ across Abbey Road to be auctioned

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Rare photo of The Beatles walking ‘backwards’ across Abbey Road to be auctioned

A rare photograph showing The Beatles walking 'backwards' across Abbey Road is set to fetch up to £9,000 at auction. The snap, taken by late photographer Iain Macmillan, shows the band walking right to left across the zebra crossing outside the London studio where they made their 1969 album - the opposite direction to the picture which made it onto the sleeve. There are other notable differences, including the fact Paul McCartney is wearing sandals rather than walking with bare feet. The cigarette he's holding on the album version is also missing. The print is among a set of 25 being sold by a private collector. Sarah Wheeler of Bloomsbury Auctions in London explained the shot was composed in ten minutes while Macmillan was up a ladder. She told The Guardian: "The photo has been called an icon of the 1960s. I think the reason it became so popular is its simplicity. It's a very simple, stylised shot and is a shot people can relate to." The photo is going under the hammer on May 22. Beatles artefacts regularly fetch big prices at auctions - last year a document showing how the Fab Four refused to play to segregated crowds was sold for $23,000 (£14,407).

A rare photograph showing The Beatles walking ‘backwards’ across Abbey Road is set to fetch up to £9,000 at auction.

The snap, taken by late photographer Iain Macmillan, shows the band walking right to left across the zebra crossing outside the London studio where they made their 1969 album – the opposite direction to the picture which made it onto the sleeve.

There are other notable differences, including the fact Paul McCartney is wearing sandals rather than walking with bare feet. The cigarette he’s holding on the album version is also missing.

The print is among a set of 25 being sold by a private collector. Sarah Wheeler of Bloomsbury Auctions in London explained the shot was composed in ten minutes while Macmillan was up a ladder.

She told The Guardian: “The photo has been called an icon of the 1960s. I think the reason it became so popular is its simplicity. It’s a very simple, stylised shot and is a shot people can relate to.”

The photo is going under the hammer on May 22.

Beatles artefacts regularly fetch big prices at auctions – last year a document showing how the Fab Four refused to play to segregated crowds was sold for $23,000 (£14,407).

Ronnie Wood hints Rolling Stones will tour in “October

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Ronnie Wood hints Rolling Stones will tour in “October
The Rolling Stones are set to tour later this year after Ronnie Wood revealed he is "keeping October/November free". The band have long been rumoured to be playing live again this year to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Earlier this year, it appeared they would be delaying the celebrations until ...

The Rolling Stones are set to tour later this year after Ronnie Wood revealed he is “keeping October/November free”.

The band have long been rumoured to be playing live again this year to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Earlier this year, it appeared they would be delaying the celebrations until 2013 after guitarist Keith Richards suggested the band weren’t ready to go back on the road yet.

However, speaking earlier this week, Wood hinted the Stones could tour before the end of the year, telling The Sun:

“It looks like we are going to be doing more stuff. I am keeping October/November free, that’s what I’ve been told. I’m just awaiting more information.”

However, the guitarist scotched suggestions the band would be recording new material, adding: “New ones? Are you joking? We are familiarising ourselves with our back catalogue and have only scratched the surface.”

In April, Wood had to apologise to his bandmates after he was quoted as saying that the band will start recording new material later that month.

The Rolling Stones will release a new photo album to mark 50 years since their first ever gig this year. The tome – which is titled The Rolling Stones: 50 – will feature 700 shots and words from the band on their history, and will hit UK bookshelves on July 12.

Animal Collective: “We wrote our new album as a rock band”

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Animal Collective: “We wrote our new album as a rock band”
Animal Collective have spoken about the making of their new album Centipede Hz and revealed that they wrote their new record "as a rock band in a room". The Baltimore electro-psychedelic band will release the album, which is the 10th LP of their career, in September via Domino Records. Centipede H...

Animal Collective have spoken about the making of their new album Centipede Hz and revealed that they wrote their new record “as a rock band in a room”.

The Baltimore electro-psychedelic band will release the album, which is the 10th LP of their career, in September via Domino Records.

Centipede Hz is the band’s first full-length studio album since their 2009 effort Merriweather Post Pavillion and follows the release in 2010 of the band’s “visual album” ODDSAC.

Speaking on BBC Radio 1 last night [May 14], Brian Weitz said that the band had “gone back to their roots” on the new record and moved away from the sample-heavy direction of Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Asked how it differed from their previous albums, Weitz said: “We all moved back to Baltimore, the last few records we’ve written apart and by sending each other stuff. This time we all wanted to write in the same room together. We went back to our roots and we got a little practice space in this barn on Josh’s [Dibb – fellow band member] mum’s property and it was like being a garage band again.”

He continued: “Merriweather Post Pavilion was a very sample-heavy record, we made it piece by piece in the studio, we constructed it. This one we wrote as a rock band in a room and we wanted to record it that way.”

Weitz then said that the band had enjoyed all the success that their previous effort had brought with it, but that he wasn’t sure if he and his bandmates would be comfortable if Animal Collective got any more high profile.

He said of this: “The reaction to Merriweather Post Pavilion wasn’t out of hand, but as the shows and festivals got bigger and we got media attention, that was something we’ll have to come to grips with. I don’t know we’d be comfortable getting any bigger than that. It wasn’t a burden though.”

Animal Collective will precede the release of their new album with a two-track single next month. The tracks, which are titled “Gotham” and “Honeycomb“, will be released on June 26 via digital download and on 7” vinyl. It is unknown whether either track will feature on ‘Centipede Hz’, but you can hear them both by scrolling down to the bottom of the page and clicking.

Red Hot Chili Peppers speak about working with “profound” Damon Albarn

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Red Hot Chili Peppers speak about working with “profound” Damon Albarn
Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer has spoken about working with Blur and Gorillaz mainman Damon Albarn as part of Africa Express. The pair traveled to Ethiopia with Albarn for the project and described their experience of the country as "profound". Speaking to NME, ...

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer has spoken about working with Blur and Gorillaz mainman Damon Albarn as part of Africa Express.

The pair traveled to Ethiopia with Albarn for the project and described their experience of the country as “profound”.

Speaking to NME, Flea spoke at length about how much he enjoyed the trip.

He said: “Josh [Klinghoffer – guitarist] and I went to Ethiopia as part of Africa Express with Damon, who was so kind to invite us. What an amazing place it is. We meet all kind of people, artists, poets, intellectuals. It’s like another world.”

He continued: “We had such a good time. One time me and Josh went to this orphanage and we took these two little amps and we just started rocking and they left just started laughing. It was righteous man. It was a really profound experience.”

Red Hot Chili Peppers will return to the UK and Ireland this summer to play three huge outdoor shows. The band will play Knebworth Park near Stevenage on June 23, Sunderland’s Stadium Of Light on June 24 and Dublin’s Croke Park on June 26.

Alabama Shakes: “Jack White is our dream collaborator”

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Alabama Shakes: “Jack White is our dream collaborator”
Alabama Shakes have said that Jack White and My Morning Jacket's Jim James would be their dream collaboration. Speaking to NME, singer Brittany Howard says the pair would be her ultimate jamming partners. She says: "My dream collaboration would probably be Jim James and Jack White – all together...

Alabama Shakes have said that Jack White and My Morning Jacket’s Jim James would be their dream collaboration.

Speaking to NME, singer Brittany Howard says the pair would be her ultimate jamming partners. She says:

“My dream collaboration would probably be Jim James and Jack White – all together and we’d just come up with some stuff. The way Jim James arranges his songs – that’s perfect. He’s already a great songwriter and then you throw Jack White in the mix and he’s got this crazy way he plays guitar, I just feel like we would all have a lot of ideas, it would kind of be endless.”

The band have previously worked with White, who asked them to play a gig at his Nashville record store to record a single for a new line of seven inches for his Third Man Records label. The band will also support White on tour this week.

Last week, Alabama Shakes told NME that their success is because they’ve focused on sincerity, rather than trying to be “original” or “different”.

Howard said: “A lot of people are like, ‘I want to be different, I want to be original, I want to be an electronic band that mixes this and this’, instead of just writing songs together as people and being sincere about it.”

Notes From The Great Escape Festival

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Notes From The Great Escape Festival

Things aren’t due to kick off for a couple of hours at the Pavilion Theatre where throughout this year’s Great Escape Festival Uncut is hosting a splendid line-up. So early Thursday evening I’m at the Dome, where Australian psyche rockers POND are making enough noise to wake the long-time dead. The racket they’re making is variously reminiscent of Zeppelin and Hendrix, with hints of early Pink Floyd and lashings towards the end of their brief set of the MC5, their two guitarists on their knees in front of their amplifiers like Wayne Kramer and Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith, the Dome now drenched in howling feedback, charismatic singer Nick Allbrook a bizarre mix of Simon Amstell and Iggy Pop. It’s a terrific start to three days of mostly great music. Back at the Pavilion Theatre, meanwhile, tonight’s bill has attracted quite a crowd, the place packed when I get there and a long queue outside, which is pretty much the story on Friday and Saturday as well. Admirably hairy Canadians THE SHEEPDOGS are first on. The hirsute five-piece is clearly in thrall to early-70s Southern rock - not so much the Muscle Shoals sound of Alabama Shakes as The Allman Brothers, post-Duane, when Dickie Betts was ascendant and his trilling guitar lines were their musical signature. They go down an absolute storm, as does WILLY MASON, looking extremely dapper in a black suit and neatly-trimmed hair. TOY have been much-written about recently, due to two excellent singles, “Left Myself Behind” and “Motoring”, highlights of their set, which put them in a place where The Velvet Underground of “What Goes On” meet a particularly mesmerising revisiting of vintage krautrock. When it works, this is exciting stuff – relentless guitar riffs underpinned by pounding motorik beats. When the band sounds slightly more lumpy than sleek, however, you may end up thinking this isn’t so much the much-vaunted Velvets-Kraftwerk interface you’ve read about than Gay Dad-meets-Status Quo. Last up tonight are DJANGO DJANGO, who are in the process of bringing down the house when with a very loud band their sampler blows up, bringing things to a temporary halt. They recover quickly enough, though, and the crowd by the end of their set is in euphoric mood. Friday morning, I wander over to somewhere called The Warren where new Sub Pop signings HUSKY are playing an early show to a crowd who seem initially rather bleary but are soon stirred to life by an excellent selection of songs from the Australian band’s new album, Forever So, stand-out among them “Fake Moustache” and “History’s Door”. Comparisons with Fleet Foxes are a little exaggerated, but probably a useful reference point. Saturday afternoon and at the Pavilion Theatre, Richard King is in conversation with Guardian music critic Alexis Petridis about his book How Soon Is Now, a colourful history of British indie music, which allows him to entertainingly recycle some amusing anecdotes. A few hours later, young Canadian band SLOW DOWN, MOLASSES blow more than a few minds with a brief but often spectacular set in a small room at the Prince Albert pub. There’s a more than passing musical resemblance to The War On Drugs in what they play, which several times also makes you think this is the kind of sound Toy might be after, achieved with half the grooming and a lot less hair flicking. A quick cab ride and I’m back at the Pavilion for tonight’s Club Uncut opening act, the rather fabulous BLACK BELLES, a trio from Nashville signed to Jack White’s Third Man Records, whose garage punk voodoo blues twang makes them a lot of new friends. Tonight’s other acts are BLANCK MASS, whose 45 minute set occupies a somewhat unchanging musical landscape made up principally of lengthily sustained chords, something that may have sounded rather more daring 50 years ago when La Monte Young first essayed such experiments in drone and subliminal repetition. The crowd, or what’s left of them, at least, is a bit subdued by the end of it all, but perk up a little for closing act FOREST SWORDS. Saturday provides nothing but highlights at the Pavilion, starting with a show-stopping performance by Uncut favourite HANS CHEW, whose brilliant shaggy dog song-stories are accompanied by only his own rollicking bar-room piano and electric guitar. Electronic duo SOLAR BEARS continue the evening’s upbeat mood, which BETH JEANS HOUGHTON & THE HOOVES OF DESTINY capitalise on with a wonderfully rousing set of largely joyous songs from debut album, Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose, including a stunning “Dodecahedron”, as featured on Uncut’s Watch That Man CD. Erika M Anderson, better known as EMA [pictured above] makes a quite stunning opening, dressed in an orange anorak with the hood pulled up and covering her face, which makes her look eerily like Kenny from South Park. Her first number is a stark thing called “Fargo”, a recitation reminiscent of Ani De Franco’s setting of Travis Bickle’s “some day a rain will come and wash the blood from the streets” monologue from Taxi Driver. It’s powerful, eerie stuff, as is most of what follows, largely drawn from last year’s Past Life Martyred Saints, all of it pretty fantastic. For more on The Great Escape, visit www.uncut.co.uk or see next month’s Uncut. All the best for now and have a good week. Allan EMA pic: Richard Johnson

Things aren’t due to kick off for a couple of hours at the Pavilion Theatre where throughout this year’s Great Escape Festival Uncut is hosting a splendid line-up. So early Thursday evening I’m at the Dome, where Australian psyche rockers POND are making enough noise to wake the long-time dead.

The racket they’re making is variously reminiscent of Zeppelin and Hendrix, with hints of early Pink Floyd and lashings towards the end of their brief set of the MC5, their two guitarists on their knees in front of their amplifiers like Wayne Kramer and Fred ‘Sonic’ Smith, the Dome now drenched in howling feedback, charismatic singer Nick Allbrook a bizarre mix of Simon Amstell and Iggy Pop. It’s a terrific start to three days of mostly great music.

Back at the Pavilion Theatre, meanwhile, tonight’s bill has attracted quite a crowd, the place packed when I get there and a long queue outside, which is pretty much the story on Friday and Saturday as well. Admirably hairy Canadians THE SHEEPDOGS are first on. The hirsute five-piece is clearly in thrall to early-70s Southern rock – not so much the Muscle Shoals sound of Alabama Shakes as The Allman Brothers, post-Duane, when Dickie Betts was ascendant and his trilling guitar lines were their musical signature.

They go down an absolute storm, as does WILLY MASON, looking extremely dapper in a black suit and neatly-trimmed hair. TOY have been much-written about recently, due to two excellent singles, “Left Myself Behind” and “Motoring”, highlights of their set, which put them in a place where The Velvet Underground of “What Goes On” meet a particularly mesmerising revisiting of vintage krautrock.

When it works, this is exciting stuff – relentless guitar riffs underpinned by pounding motorik beats. When the band sounds slightly more lumpy than sleek, however, you may end up thinking this isn’t so much the much-vaunted Velvets-Kraftwerk interface you’ve read about than Gay Dad-meets-Status Quo.

Last up tonight are DJANGO DJANGO, who are in the process of bringing down the house when with a very loud band their sampler blows up, bringing things to a temporary halt. They recover quickly enough, though, and the crowd by the end of their set is in euphoric mood.

Friday morning, I wander over to somewhere called The Warren where new Sub Pop signings HUSKY are playing an early show to a crowd who seem initially rather bleary but are soon stirred to life by an excellent selection of songs from the Australian band’s new album, Forever So, stand-out among them “Fake Moustache” and “History’s Door”. Comparisons with Fleet Foxes are a little exaggerated, but probably a useful reference point.

Saturday afternoon and at the Pavilion Theatre, Richard King is in conversation with Guardian music critic Alexis Petridis about his book How Soon Is Now, a colourful history of British indie music, which allows him to entertainingly recycle some amusing anecdotes. A few hours later, young Canadian band SLOW DOWN, MOLASSES blow more than a few minds with a brief but often spectacular set in a small room at the Prince Albert pub. There’s a more than passing musical resemblance to The War On Drugs in what they play, which several times also makes you think this is the kind of sound Toy might be after, achieved with half the grooming and a lot less hair flicking.

A quick cab ride and I’m back at the Pavilion for tonight’s Club Uncut opening act, the rather fabulous BLACK BELLES, a trio from Nashville signed to Jack White’s Third Man Records, whose garage punk voodoo blues twang makes them a lot of new friends. Tonight’s other acts are BLANCK MASS, whose 45 minute set occupies a somewhat unchanging musical landscape made up principally of lengthily sustained chords, something that may have sounded rather more daring 50 years ago when La Monte Young first essayed such experiments in drone and subliminal repetition. The crowd, or what’s left of them, at least, is a bit subdued by the end of it all, but perk up a little for closing act FOREST SWORDS.

Saturday provides nothing but highlights at the Pavilion, starting with a show-stopping performance by Uncut favourite HANS CHEW, whose brilliant shaggy dog song-stories are accompanied by only his own rollicking bar-room piano and electric guitar. Electronic duo SOLAR BEARS continue the evening’s upbeat mood, which BETH JEANS HOUGHTON & THE HOOVES OF DESTINY capitalise on with a wonderfully rousing set of largely joyous songs from debut album, Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose, including a stunning “Dodecahedron”, as featured on Uncut’s Watch That Man CD.

Erika M Anderson, better known as EMA [pictured above] makes a quite stunning opening, dressed in an orange anorak with the hood pulled up and covering her face, which makes her look eerily like Kenny from South Park. Her first number is a stark thing called “Fargo”, a recitation reminiscent of Ani De Franco’s setting of Travis Bickle’s “some day a rain will come and wash the blood from the streets” monologue from Taxi Driver. It’s powerful, eerie stuff, as is most of what follows, largely drawn from last year’s Past Life Martyred Saints, all of it pretty fantastic.

For more on The Great Escape, visit www.uncut.co.uk or see next month’s Uncut.

All the best for now and have a good week.

Allan

EMA pic: Richard Johnson

The Eagles awarded honorary doctorates

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The Eagles awarded honorary doctorates
The Eagles have been awarded honorary doctorates of music by the Berklee School of Music. The ceremony, held in Boston on Saturday May 12, also saw Alison Krauss and Ethiopian musician Malatu Astatke honoured. Previously, Berklee, the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world,...

The Eagles have been awarded honorary doctorates of music by the Berklee School of Music.

The ceremony, held in Boston on Saturday May 12, also saw Alison Krauss and Ethiopian musician Malatu Astatke honoured.

Previously, Berklee, the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world, has awarded honorary doctorates of music to David Bowie, BB King, Aretha Franklin and Quincy Jones among other.

More than 900 students from 58 countries graduated from Berklee this year. On Friday night, the Eagles attended a concert given by the students. Speaking at the ceremony, Don Henley said, “Sometimes I worry about the future of music and culture. But, after what we all witnessed here last night, I have renewed hope and faith in the future of music. It was truly inspiring.”

Keith Richards won’t join Mick Jagger on Saturday Night Live

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Keith Richards won’t join Mick Jagger on Saturday Night Live
Keith Richards has confirmed that he won't be joining Mick Jagger, when the Stones' singer presents the May 19 season finale of American sketch show, Saturday Night Live. There has been speculation that Jagger would invite his bandmate to participate in the show, but speaking to Rolling Stone magaz...

Keith Richards has confirmed that he won’t be joining Mick Jagger, when the Stones’ singer presents the May 19 season finale of American sketch show, Saturday Night Live.

There has been speculation that Jagger would invite his bandmate to participate in the show, but speaking to Rolling Stone magazine, Richards had confirmed he won’t be involved.

“I spoke to Mick and he said it’s something that he said yes to many months ago, so he’s just doing it,” Richards told the magazine. “He’s on his own.”

This will be Jagger’s first time hosting the long-running series, but his third appearance as a performer.

Jagger and the rest of the Rolling Stones co-hosted and performed, as well as appearing in a handful of sketches, in 1978.

Jagger again appeared on the programme in 2001.

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