end of the road

The stars put aside their troubles to perform at ceremony

"Good to see you up there Stevie" yells a fan from the crowd. "Well, it's better than the alternative" snarls Steve Earle back. This is how the great Americana survivor began his sold-out show in London Monday night. Singing stories about war, drug-taking and alcoholism, Earle has the look and tone of someone who has obviously stared oblivion in the face and lived to tell the tale. Albeit in a semi-cautionary, I've-been-married-seven-times and I still have to go to AA and NA, but I've bagged two Grammys and a bit-part on The Wire kinda way.

Le 'Scratch' Perry, Chic and Roni Size all confirmed for the world music bash

The Mercury Music Prize winners to collaborate at Awards ceremony

There's a moment during CSNY: Déjà Vu, Neil Young's document of the supergroup's 2006 Freedom Of Speech tour, when one furious ticket holder outside the Philips Arena, Atlanta spits: "Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young can suck my fucking dick!"

I mentioned last week that John ‘Speedo’ Reis had a new band, The Night Marchers, who sound pretty great on Myspace. This week, a new album by his most famous old band, Rocket From The Crypt, has turned up; a live set that reminds me many of the best gigs I saw in the mid to late ‘90s were played by this awesome band.

Acoustic shows include UK to promote new novel

MN, Tennessee that is, Bonnaroo line-up is announced

Slow-burning desert rock from Kurt Cobain’s old drugs-and-guns chum

Lennon/McCartney classic to celebrate 50 years of NASA