Chic

From the beginning the Kinks’ career was intimately entwined with the BBC. In the year following the August 1964 success of “You Really Got Me” the band were called in to record eight radio sessions, broadcast to the nation and around the world. When the BBC commissioned Ray Davies to write topical tunes for shows like The 11th Hour and Where Was Spring?, we got the first inkling of the Kinks’ future direction, somewhere between Dennis Potter and Lionel Bart.

The full story of the ill-fated Southern rockers

This month’s issue of Uncut (September 2012, Take 184) features Joe Strummer on the cover – inside is an in-depth exploration of his secret history, after The Clash split up to his redemption in the late ’90s. To complement this, our archive feature this week finds Strummer looking at the demise of The Clash – from their epic Sandinista! album to their bitter disintegration. This excerpt is taken from a longer piece in the September 1999 (Take 28) issue of Uncut. Words: Gavin Martin __________________________________

Soundgarden have confirmed that their long-awaited comeback studio album will be released in November. The grunge veterans, who split up in 1996, last released an album in that same year and have been working on its follow-up since they reunited in 2010. Speaking to Rolling Stone about their new album, guitarist Kim Thayil promised that the band's as yet untitled new LP will be "little weird". He also confirmed a release date of November 12 in the UK and November 13 in the US for the record.

Metallica, Iron Maiden and The Flaming Lips have all signed up to contribute tracks to a new Deep Purple tribute album. The record, which is titled Re-Machined: A Tribute to Machine Head, will see a selection of acts covering each of the tracks on Deep Purple's classic 1972 album Machine Head. Also confirmed to appear are Black Label Society, guitar virtuoso Carlos Santana and rock supergroup Chickenfoot.

Cat Power has announced a north American tour to coincide with the September release of her new album, Sun. She plays: Thursday, October 11 – Miami, Florida – Grand Central Saturday, 13 – Mexico City, Mexico – Corona Capital Music Festival Friday, 19 – Montreal, Quebec – Metropolis Saturday, 20 – Toronto, Ontario – Kool Haus Monday, 22 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club Tuesday, 23 – New York, New York – Hammerstein Ballroom Wednesday, 24 – Boston, Massachusetts – House Of Blues Thursday, 25 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Electric Factory