FESTIVAL UPDATE: VANILLA ICE confirmed for Glastonbury, tells you all you need to know about Glastonbury doesn’t it really, don’t forget yuor picnic hamper, your green wellies and most importantly your credit card...

FESTIVAL UPDATE:  LATITUDE FESTIVAL, Henham Park Estate, Suffolk, 16-18 Jul: The Temper Trap, Wild Beasts, Darwin Deez and Frank Turner head up the latest additions for this summer's Latitude. Other acts added to the line-up are Dirty Projectors, Spook, James, Midlake, Archie Bronson Outfit, Lupen Crook and Active Child. www.latitudefestival.co.uk 

With the release of CASTROVALVA's debut album "We Are A Unit" just around the corner, “we're proud to announce dates for the band's upcoming UK and European tour which includes 2 dates at the Great Escape and also Live at Leeds.” So says a man who probably has a cup of tea in his hand. The album, on Leeds label Brew records, is out on April 12th, it rules say us! If you want to disagree we’ll be sending Cruncher round your place to remove all your marbles and trample through your greenhouse with his second best chainsaw. Here’s  what some other people are saying... 
            "Castrovalva are clearly not for the faint of anything; heart, mind, body, whatever. Musically we’re in Lightning Bolt territory but with added funk and stomp (Thuglife, for example, where the fist slamming bass riff winds down into a synthoid crush that Cypress Hill would love to have done)." 8/10 Die Shellsuit
           "Three-piece gang of mates CASTROVALVA have ripped off the Brew Records underachiever vest and knocked out a blistering and original album with shocking self confidence and really crafty implants from all over the shop." 8/10 Whisperin & Hollerin
           "Now we were expecting good from the new album, we were expecting different, the unexpected, didn’t expect this good though (how could we?)." Organ 
               The dates: 14th April - The Gaff – London, 16th April - Royal Park Cellars - Leeds w/Friendship, 17th April - Stereo – York, 18th April - Northumberland Arms – Newcastle, 19th April - Sneaky Petes – Edinburgh, 22nd April - Tudor Hotel – Wigan, 23rd April - The Sanctuary – Burnely, 24th April - Mad Ferret – Preston, 25th April - The Victoria – Birmingham, 1st April - Live at Leeds - Leeds w/ The Bronx, 65daysofstatic, 13th May - Great Escape – Brighton, 14th May - Great Escape – Brighton, 31st May - The Gaff - London

KORN SIGN TO ROADRUNNER.... Korn have apparently signed a new deal with Roadrunner Records... 

LIARS ANNOUNCE UK SHOWS... Liars will be in the UK in May for various shows, including a headline spot at London's Shepherds Bush Empire (did we tell you this already?) The band also release a new single, 'The Overachievers', from their latest album, 'Sisterworld', on 24 May and feature on the fourth edition of Beck's Record Club, which sees Beck and various guests covering INXS's 1987 album, 'Kick'. More info on that here - www.beck.com/recordclub
                  Tour dates:  7 May: Matt Groening's ATP, 21 May: Manchester, Dot To Dot festival, 27 May: London, Shepherd's Bush Empire, 29 May: Bristol, Dot To Dot festival , 30 May: Nottingham, Dot To Dot festival

FESTIVAL UPDATE: LAND OF KINGS FESTIVAL, various venues, Dalston, London, 23 Apr: Artists playing this year's festival include Black Rainbow, The Detachments, Hackney Colliery Band, Magnets, Sexbeat, Tayo and Yuck. www.landofkings.co.uk

FESTIVAL UPDATE: NASS, Royal bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, 9-11 Jul: Plan B, Tinie Tempah and Wiley are amongst the latest acts confirmed for this year's Nass. Also added to the bill are the likes of The Skints, The Ghost Of A Thousand, Young Guns and Devlin. www.relentlessnass.com 

FESTIVAL UPDATE: BOARDMASTERS, Watergate bay, Cornwall, 4-8 Aug: Xavier Budd, Plan B and Tinie Tempah have all been added to the Boardmasters line-up, along with Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, Alan Pownall, Fenech Soler and Matthew P. www.relentlessboardmasters.com 

FESTIVAL UPDATE: TRUCK FESTIVAL, Steventon, nr Abingdon, Oxfordshire, 23-25 Jul: Stornaway, Future Of The Left and Good Shoes have all been added to this year's Truck Festival line-up, as well as Esben And The Witch, Egyptian Hip Hop, Fonda 500 and Los Campesinos! www.thisistruck.com
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FESTIVAL UPDATE: LIVE AT LEEDS, various venues, Leeds, 30 Apr-2 May: Wild Beasts and The Cheek head up the latest bunch of acts announced for Live At Leeds. Other new additions include Eliza Doolittle, Kill It Kid, Sound Of Guns, Blood Red Shoes, The Boy Who Trapped The Sun and We Have Band. www.liveatleeds.com

25th March: CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG ANNOUNCES FIRST EVER UK SHOWS - Charlotte Gainsbourg has never played live in the UK before, or so I'm told. However, she will correct that situation later this year by playing a headline show at the Shepherds Bush Empire in London on 22 Jun, and a set at the Latitude Festival in July. Gainsbourg is also set to release another single from the recent Beck-produced 'IRM' album. 'Time Of The Assassins' will be in stores on 10 May with remixes Outlines, Matthew Dear, Gentlemen Drivers and XXXchange.

FESTIVAL UPDATE: LAND OF KINGS FESTIVAL, various venues, Dalston, London, 23 Apr: Fuck Buttons, Faze Action, Idjut Boys, Drums Of Death and New Young Pony Club are all set to play at the second Land Of King's Festival in Dalston, along with Cheetahs, The Detachments, Yuck and Soft Rocks. - www.landofkings.co.uk

FESTIVAL UPDATE: SUMMER SUNDAE WEEKENDER, De Montfort Hall & Gardens, Leicester, 13-15 Aug: Following yesterday's new additions, The Low Anthem, Tunng and Turin Brakes are the latest acts added to the Summer Sundae line-up. Other acts confirmed include the Invisible, Fanfarlo, Johnny Flynn, The Sussex Wit and Lissie. www.summersundae.com
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ORGAN RECOMMENDS: CARETAKER, THUMPERMONKEY LIVES @ The Miller, Borough High Street, London Bridge on 24th March – various slices of post-hardcore guitar rock adventure from the ever evolving better than ever Southern English band we call Caretaker, full on proper prog rock from London’s rather excellent Thumpermonkey Lives... There is a third band opening the bill but we are just a tiny bit picky here when it comes to recommending things... 

ORGAN RECOMMENDS: DIVORCE, BITCHES @ the Stag’s Head, 55 Orsman Road, London N1 on 25th March - free gig Divorce and Bitches, two of the very best of the new noise making in your face bands around, free entry, you read it here, the pints are on you, catch us at the bar! Divorce bring their glorious confrontation down from Glasgow, Bitches are from London, worth going if just one of them was playing and you had to pay actual money to get in! You get them both and you get in free! Come on, United aren’t playing, what else are you gonna do!?   www.myspace.com/puredivorced or www.myspace.com/peaceandbitches – what else you gonna do? Well there’s this as well, November Fleet say they’re on at 8.20, can we make both?  ORGAN RECOMMENDS: NOVEMBER FLEET @ The Legion, Shoreditch, East London on 25th March – Three girls, great big slice of rather fine emotional post-hardcore open hearted goodness from the already rather accomplished London three piece – www.myspace.com/novemberfleet

Meanwhile in other shipping news....

TEENAGE FANCLUB RETURN WITH ALBUM AND TOUR - Teenage Fanclub have announced that they will return with their first album for five years this May. 'Shadows', will be released on 31 May, the week after the first single, 'Baby Lee'. You can listen to 'Baby Lee' here. The band will play a headline show at Koko during this year's hell that is the dreadful cram them in and grab the money fest called Camden Crawl (Shoreditch never felt so welcoming as it does on the day of the Camden Crawl!). Teenage Fanclub flow the Crawl with a full UK tour starting later in the month. Here are the tour dates: 1 May: London, Koko (Camden Crawl), 27 May: Manchester, Academy 2, 28 May: Sheffield, Leadmill, 30 May: Dublin, Academy, 1 Jun: Aberdeen, The Warehouse, 2 Jun: Glasgow, ABC, 3 Jun: Edinburgh, The Picture House, 4 Jun: Leeds, The Cockpit, 6 Jun: Bristol, Academy, 7 Jun: Birmingham, Academy 2

FESTIVAL UPDATE: 1234 FESTIVAL, Shoreditch Park, London, 24 July: Rolo Tomassi, Comanechi, Vic Goddard & The Subway Sect and Screaming Tea Party are amongst the latest bands announced for this shambolic mini-festival. They join the likes of These New Puritans, Vivian Girls, We Have Band, Dum Dum Girls, Wavves, A1 Bassline, SCUM and more. www.the1234shoreditch.com

FESTIVAL UPDATE: DOWNLOAD, Donington Park, 11-13 Jun: Coheed & Cambria, Aurbourne, The Dillinger Escape Plan and HIM are amongst the latest acts confirmed for this year's fleece the cynically glossy Kerrang metal kids marketing fest they call Download. Other acts added to the line-up include We Are The Fallen, 36 Crazyfists, A Day To Remember and The Blackout., if you really want to be treated like a consuming fool take your wallet over to www.downloadfestival.co.uk

FESTIVAL UPDATE: HIGH VOLTAGE, Victoria park, London, 24-25 Jul: Orange Goblin, Audrey Horne, New Device and Lethargy have all been confirmed to play the new rock festival High Voltage, joining the previously confirmed headliners ZZ Top, Emerson, Lake And Palmer. www.highvoltagefestival.com

FESTIVAL UPDATE: INDIETRACKS FESTIVAL, Butterley Station, Derbyshire, 23-25 Jul: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart have been announced as headliners for this summer's Indietracks, with Fanfarlo, MJ Hibbett, Betty And The Werewolves, Boy Genius and many more also added to the bill for the indie fest that takes in stream train rides and happy smiling indie bands - www.indietracks.co.uk

FESTIVAL UPDATE: SUMMER SUNDAE WEEKENDER, De Montfort Hall & Gardens, Leicester, 13-15 Aug: The Futureheads, Los Campesinos!, Frightened Rabbit and Errors have all been added to the Summer Sundae line-up. www.summersundae.com

FESTIVAL UPDATE: WAKESTOCK, Abersoch, North Wales, 2-4 Jul: The Ting Tings, Eric Prydz, Tinie Tempah, Band Of Skulls and Skream have been added to the line-up. The festival that combines the biggest event in the sport of wakeboarding with a music line-up also includes acts like Chase & Status, Plan B & Wiley www.wakestock.co.uk

IGGY QUITS STAGEDIVING - Iggy Pop has given up stagediving at the age of 62. The Stooges frontman said that he made the decision to stop hurling himself off stage after injuring himself during a recent gig at New York's Carnegie Hall. Pop told WENN: "When I landed it hurt and I made a mental note that Carnegie Hall would be a good place for my last stage dive. The audience were just like: 'What are you doing?'" Now, if he'll just give up making embarrassing car insurance adverts, all will be well again. 
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HTRK bassist Sean Stewart died last week, so the band have announced. He was 29. Details of the cause of his death have not yet been released, though it is thought to have been suicide. A statement is expected to be made later this week.
         Pronounced 'hate rock', HTRK formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2003 out of a shared love of krautrock and David Lynch movies. The resulting music was driven by slow, mechanical percussion (courtesy of an old drum machine) and Stewart's repetitive but infectious bass lines, with razor sharp guitar noise from Nigel Yang and distracted vocals from frontwoman Jonnine Standish. 
         The group released a seven track EP, 'Nostalgia', in 2007, followed by their debut album, 'Marry Me Tonight', last year, courtesy of Blast First Petite, which led to tour support slots with Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Horrors. Sean is survived by his mother, Gloria Stewart. (CMU)

THE BUNDLES ANNOUNCE UK TOUR... The Bundles, a kind of lo-fi anti-folk supergroup whose line-up consists of former Moldy Peach Kimya Dawson, alongside Jeffrey Lewis and his brother Jack, ubiquitous New York drummer Anders Griffen and prolific singer-songwriter Karl Blau, have announced that they will be over in the UK for some gigs in May. Their eponymous debut album is out this month via K Records, the Organ review is to be found on this page and here come the tour dates: . 15 May: Leeds - Brudenell Social Club, 16 May: Glasgow - ABC2, 17 May: Manchester - The Deaf Institute, 18 May: Bristol - Trinity Arts Centre, 19 May: London - Union Chapel, 20 May: Brighton -  Komedia

FESTIVAL UPDATE: REDFEST, Robin Cook Farm, Redhill, 23-24 Jul: Little Comets, Twin Atlantic and Floors And Walls are amongst the first acts announced for  this year's Redfest. Other acts confirmed to play include Tiffany Page, Citadels, Kurran And The Wolfnotes, The Vivians and Subsource. - www.redfest.co.uk

ARTISTS PAY TRIBUTE TO ALEX CHILTON AT SXSW... REM'S Mike Mills, the Meat Puppets' Kurt Kirkwood, The Watson Twins and The Lemonheads' Evan Dando were among the artists to pay tribute this weekend to Big Star frontman Alex Chilton, who, as previously reported, died last week. 
          Chilton had been due to play with his band at South By Southwest this year, so his former bandmates used their slot at the music convention to stage an impromptu tribute gig, with various artists stepping forward to perform with the band singing Big Star songs. 
       According to Reuters, fellow Big Star founder Jody Stephens told the show he was still "stunned and shocked" by Chilton's sudden death, but added that he and his bandmates really appreciated the support of fellow musicians at SxSW, adding: "It feels like the whole, broad music community has wrapped its arms around us".

FESTIVAL UPDATE: 2000TREES FESTIVAL, Upcote Farm, Withington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, 16-17 Jul: The Brute Chorus have been announced for the early entry Thursday line-up at 2000Trees, along with SixNationState, Lets Tea Party, Wojtek Godzisz, Che, John Crampton and Howard James Kennedy. www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk

FESTIVAL UPDATE: LATITUDE, Henham park Estate, Suffolk, 16-18 Jul: Richard Hawley and Jonsi have been added to the line-up for this summer's Latitude, joining the previously announced headliners Florence And The Machine, Belle & Sebastian and Vampire Weekend. www.latitudefestival.co.uk
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FESTIVAL UPDATE: BESTIVAL, Robin Hill Country Park, Isle Of Wight, 9-12 Sep: Sigur Ros' Jonsi and Back To The Phuture are the latest acts confirmed for Bestival, joining the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Hot Chip, Flaming Lips and The Prodigy. www.bestival.net

NEW YOUR DOLLS for London.... Following hot on the heels of their critically acclaimed 2009 UK Tour, and their Todd Rundgren produced studio album ‘Cause I Sez So’, the legendary New York Dolls return to the UK for a special one-off concert at London’s Koko on Monday April 19th (their only UK date on the forthcoming European tour).

ALEX CHILTON has died.... The genuinely sad news just reached us. Seems the Big Star leader has died. That is genuinely sad news...
          “Chilton died at a hospital in New Orleans after experiencing what appeared to be heart problems, said his longtime friend John Fry. Fry said Chilton's wife, Laura, was very distressed by the unexpected death.
"Alex was an amazingly talented person, not just as a musician and vocalist and a songwriter, but he was intelligent and well read and interested in a wide number of music genres," said Fry, the owner of Memphis-based Ardent Studios.
           As the teenage singer for the pop-soul band the Box Tops, Chilton topped the charts with the band's song "The Letter" in 1967. Their other hits were "Soul Deep" and "Cry Like a Baby." Chilton grew up in one of rockmusic's most celebrated cities, Memphis, Tennessee, and formed the band with friends from school.
    His short run with Big Star brought less mainstream success but made him a cult hero to other rock musicians. Big Star's three 1970s albums all earned spots on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest. Chilton had been scheduled to perform with Big Star on Saturday at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas”. 
     "Alex Chilton always messed with your head, charming and amazing you while doing so. His gift for melody was second to none, yet he frequently seemed in disdain of that gift," said the festival's creative director, Brent Gulke (Daily Telegraph)

17th March: HOLY F**K have announced that they will be playing shows in the UK in May. The band release their new album, 'Latin', on 10 May via XL. Tour dates look like this: 18 May: Manchester, Deaf Institute, 19 May: Glasgow, King Tut's, 19 May: Liverpool, Static Gallery, 20 May: Brighton, Digital, 21 May: Oxford, O2 Academy 2, 23 May: Bristol, Cooler, 24 May: London, Heaven

MORRISSEY WANTS HIRST'S HEAD IN A BAG... Morrissey has suggested that Damien Hirst's head should be kept in a bag as punishment for his use of dead animals in his art. I'm not sure if his head would still be attached to his shoulders or not, Morrissey did not say. He needs to be clearer about these things, if we're going to get anything done.
      The former Smiths frontman made the comment while interviewing artist Linder Sterling, the subject of the band's song 'Cemetery Gates', for Interview Magazine. He asked Sterling: "I dislike the 'use' of animals in art, such as in the work of Damien Hirst. But in your latest performance piece, 'Your Actions Are My Dreams', you have a woman serenely sitting atop a calmly satisfied horse, which is, of course, alive and healthy. Do you agree that Hirst's head should be kept in a bag for the way he's utilised - and sold - dead animals?"
     Sterling responded: "Dead butterflies, cows, horses, humans, sheep and sharks - it reads like the inventory of a funerary Noah. How many halved calves suspended in formaldehyde does the world need? To my way of thinking, none".(CMU)

PIL TO RECORD SHAKESPEARE AND LONG WALK INSPIRED ALBUM... John Lydon has said that the re-launched Public Image Ltd's current round of touring will raise enough cash for the band to record a new album, as he suggested was his aim last year.
        Lydon told Billboard last week: "We've got no backing - no record company, no sponsors, nothing like that. The only way we can make money is the touring, and then we can make a new album. It's sort of like the old days of PiL, when the Pistols went kaput; I had to scrimp and scrape out of my own pocket. Not much has changed".
              He added that there are new songs ready and waiting to be recorded: "I've got piles [of new material]. I never stop writing. Most of my influences have never really come from a musical act. It tends to be things like the poetic beat of a newscast. There's a rhythm to the way it's laid out. Movies can do that. Shakespeare and good poetry does that, and a bloody good book does that, or just a long walk".
     The band will play their first US show for seventeen years when they perform at Coachella on 16 Apr. This will be followed by nineteen more  US dates in May, before they return to Europe. (CMU)

CONVERGE ANNOUNCE UK TOUR DATES - Converge have announced UK and Ireland tour dates for July. Support will come from Kylesa, Gaz and Kvelertak.  Tour dates: 10 Jul: Brighton, Concorde 2, 11 Jul: Plymouth, White Rabbit (matinee show), 12 Jul: Dublin, Whelans, 13 Jul: Birmingham, Academy 2, 14 Jul: Glasgow, The Garage, 15 Jul: Manchester, Academy 2, 16 Jul: London, ULU, 17 Jul: Colchester, Arts Centre. 

15th March: FESTIVAL UPDATE: 2000TREES FESTIVAL, Upcote Farm, Withington, Cheltenham, Cloucestshire, 16-17 Jul: Flashguns, Your Twenties, And So I Watch You From Afar and Three Trapped Tigers are amongst the latest acts confirmed to play 2000Trees. Skeletons & The Empty Pockets, Little Fish, Vessels and Lo-fi Culture Scene have also been added to the bill. www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk

15th March: FESTIVAL UPDATE: ENDORSE IT IN DORSET, Shaftesbury, Dorset, 6-8 Aug: Macka B, Symarip, Henry's Phonograph and Purple Purge have all been announced to play at this year's Endorse It. www.endorseit.co.uk

15th March: FESTIVAL UPDATE: HEVY MUSIC FESTIVAL, Lympne Wildlife Park, Kent, 6-8 Aug: Gallows, The Subways and Sepultura head up the first acts confirmed to play the now three-day fest, along with Rolo Tomassi, Napalm Death, Polar Bear Club, Dead Swans, Lower Than Atlantis and Feed The Rhino. - www.festival.hevy.co.uk

15th March: FESTIVAL UPDATE: WICKHAM FESTIVAL, Hampshire Village, Wickham, Hampshire, 5-8 Aug: The Undertones, Hazel O'Connor and The Treacherous Orchestra have all been added to this year's Wickham Festival line-up, as well as Rachael MacShane, Dervish, and Asere. www.wickhamfestival.co.uk

14th March: CHICKENHAWK have a whole load of new dates alongside OUTCRY COLLECTIVE and THE COMPUTERS, dates look something like this... 15th March White Rabbit – Plymouth, 16th March The Cavern – Exeter, 17th March The Croft – Bristol, 18th March Rock City – Nottingham, 19th March Uncle Alberts - Middlesborough, 21th March Roadhouse – Manchester, 23th March Corporation – Sheffield, 24th March The Flapper – Birmingham, 25th March Club Ifor Bach – Cardiff, 26th March Ibar – Bournemouth The band say “We will be opening each night, so please make it down early in time to catch us!” They’re right of course, all down hill after the Hawk have done their thing, get their early and feast of the real deal... 

12th March: FESTIVAL UPDATE: SLAM DUNK FESTIVAL, Herefordshire University and Leeds University, 29-30 May: Alkaline Trio, Against Me! and Rolo Tomassi head up the latest acts confirmed for Slam Dunk, as well as We Are The Ocean, Skindred, My Passion, Hit the Lights, The Wonder Years and The Audition. - www.myspace.com/slamdunkclub

11th March: ATARI TEENAGE RIOT have announced that they will reform for a one-off show in London this May. The band will play the Electric Ballroom on 12 May. The band will also release a new single, 'Activate', on 17 May, via their own Digital Hardcore label. 

Conservation group SEA SHEPHERD today announced that Zoli Teglas, PENNYWISE frontman and Volunteer Music & Outreach Coordinator for SEA SHEPHERD and Kurt Lieber, SEA SHEPHERD board member; and Grace Ko, director of operations for PELICAN RESCUE TEAM, are organizing the Friday, March 12 protest during the lunchtime rush to educate patrons in Santa Monica that endangered whale species are being consumed at THE HUMP restaurant. 
      SEA SHEPHERD, the subject of ANIMAL PLANET'S hit show, WHALE WARS, inspired the team behind Oscar-winning documentary film, THE COVE, to orchestrate what the New York Times describes as “a covert operation to ferret out what the authorities say is illegal whale meat at one of this town’s most highly regarded sushi destinations.”
            When the story broke on  Monday and they heard that  operators of THE HUMP could at most be fined $20,000 and serve one year in prison for violating the MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT, Teglas, Lieber and Ko sprang into action, obtaining police approval and organizing a peaceful protest during the lunchtime rush on Friday to encourage Los Angeles area sushi lovers to help put an end to restaurants in the US and Japan selling endangered whale species as delicacies.
                The peaceful protest will take place on Friday, March 12, from 11:30am to 2pm at The Hump Restaurant at The Santa Monica Airport - 3221 Donald Douglas Loop South - Santa Monica, CA 90405, USA – More from www.seashepherd.org

FESTIVAL UPDATE: FIELD DAY FESTIVAL, Victoria Park, London, 31 Jul: The Fall, These New Puritans and Lightspeed Champion are amongst the latest acts confirmed for this summer's Field Day. Simian Mobile Disco, Chapel Club, Hudson Mohawke and No Age have also been added to the bill. - www.fielddayfestivals.com

FESTIVAL UPDATE: LATITUDE, Henham Park Estate, Suffolk, 16-18 Jul: Florence And The Machine, Belle & Sebastian and Vampire Weekend have been announced as headliners for this year's Latitude. Also confirmed to play are The xx, Grizzly Bear, Empire Of The Sun, The National, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, The Horrors and Charlotte Gainsbourg. www.latitudefestival.co.uk

FESTIVAL UPDATE: 1234 SHOREDITCH FESTIVAL, Shoreditch Park, London, 24 Jul: These New Puritans, Toddla T & MC Serocee, The Lovely Jonjo and Autokratz are amongst the first wave of acts announced for the 1234 Shoreditch Festival. Other acts confirmed for this year's line-up include A1 Bassline, Egyptian Hip Hop, A Grave With No Name and Action Beat. - www.the1234shoreditch.com
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Radiohead guitarist JONNY GREENWOOD will provide the soundtrack to the film adaptation of Haruki Murakami's novel 'Nowegian Wood'. The score will be based on a composition written by Greenwood for the BBC Concert Orchestra, which was debuted at Maida Vale Studios last month.
        Speaking about the piece, Greenwood said: "I wrote [it] mostly in hotels and dressing rooms while touring with Radiohead. This was more practical than glamorous - lots of time sitting indoors, lots of instruments about - and aside from picking up a few geographical working titles, I can't think that it had any effect where, on tour, it was written".
     The film is expected to be released in the autumn. It is being directed by Oscar nominated French director Tran Anh Hung and stars Kenichi Matsuyama, Rinko Kikuchi and Kiko Mizuhara. (CMU)

CHROME HOOF new album... Disco prog pioneers Chrome Hoof have announced that their forthcoming second album ‘Crush Depth’ will be released in June. Meanwhile Chrome Hoof are playing alongside Health, Zun Zun Egui and Andrew Weatherall at the Ether Festival on the South Bank, here in London, on April 22nd.

SONICS AND UNDERTONES CONFIRMED FOR LE BEAT BESPOKE - Legendary 60s garage rock band The Sonics will bring to a close Le Beat Bespoke Weekender, which will take place at 229 in London next month.  Also on the bill are The Undertones and The Polecats, the latter of which includes Morrissey collaborator Boz Boorer amongst their number.
          Full line-up details for the event are as follows: 1 Apr: James Hunter, 2 Apr: The Undertones, Thee Vicars, 3 Apr: Thee Exciters, David Peter & The Wild Sect (afternoon show), 3 Apr: The Polecats, Wau Y Los Arggghs!!! (evening show), 4 Apr: The Sonics

9th March: DRAGONFORCE split with singer...  Here comes the press release “It is with great regret that DragonForce announce a parting of the ways with singer, ZP Theart.  This is due to insurmountable differences of musical opinion, but the rest of the band sincerely wish ZP great success with his future projects. While the creative core members have begun writing the band’s fifth album, they have also started a worldwide search for a new vocalist.  ?We are looking for a powerful, melodic singer to write a new chapter of DragonForce with us." said guitarist Herman Li.   Anyone wishing to audition for the vacant position should apply following the instructions at this web address www.dragonforce.com/audition
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NEVER ENDING TORY  - With the next election looming large, it seems the time for political parties to start cranking up their pre-election spin machines and spew out vote grabbing promises has arrived. The Tories, ever aware of the electoral appeal of victimising minorities, are going back to basics by targeting their good ol' favourite victims, travellers and squatters. In an attempt to win over our lovely nation, David Cameron has put forward a proposal to create a criminal offence of 'intentional trespass' to allow travellers and squatters to be evicted by the police without the usual hassle of the landowner having to apply through the civil courts for an eviction. With immediate, fuss-free arrests on the cards, the proposals signal a sure fire end to the ability for squatters to stay one step ahead of the game.  The proposals will also curtail 'special treatment' on retrospective planning applications for traveller sites and axe Whitehall rules which call on local councils to provide sites for travellers to use. The Tories eh? Remember them? (SchNews)

DAG FÖR DAG CANCEL UK SHOWS AFTER ONE HALF FALLS - Swedish-American indie duo Dag för Dag have been forced to cancel their gigs in the UK this week because the female half of the brother/sister set up, Sarah Snavely suffered a slight fall at a gig in Sweden last week. Normally you'd be forgiven for telling Snavely that the "show must go on" and to just get up and get on with it, but if you did you'd feel like an inconsiderate fool once you realised that Sarah is eight months pregnant. 
              "It caused quite a fright”. Said Snacely “My body has grown so much over the past couple weeks and I've been caught totally off guard by the way I feel - both physically and emotionally. So out of safety for me and the mini guy still growing in the belly, I've decided to spend the next seven weeks at home". The duo hope to return to the UK in July and August once Sarah has recovered from that child birth ordeal thing. Their debut album was released two weeks ago by Cargo Records. (CMU)

WHY? ANNOUNCE UK DATES - Pysch-folk-hoppers Why? will be back in the UK later this month for their first shows on this side of the Atlantic since the release of their latest album, 'Eskimo Snow'. I suggest that you go to one or all of them. Tour dates: 16 Mar: London, Heaven, 17 Mar: Leeds, Brudenell Social Club, 18 Mar: Glasgow, Stereo, 19 Mar: Manchester, The Deaf Institute,  20 Mar: Bristol, Thekla, 21 Mar: Brighton, Komedia

7th March: RIP MARK LINKOUS... Sparklehorse man Mark Linkous has sadly committed suicide. His family have confirmed it this weekend. The Virginia born American singer/songwriter died yesterday (March 6), so reports Rolling Stone. The details of his death have not been released. Linkous’ age was not public, but he is believed to have been in his 40s.
         "It is with great sadness that we share the news that our dear friend and family member, Mark Linkous, took his own life today," Linkous' family said. "We are thankful for his time with us and will hold him forever in our hearts. May his journey be peaceful, happy and free. There's a heaven and there’s a star for you."
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FESTIVAL UPDATE:  TRUCK FESTIVAL, Steventon, nr Abingdon, Oxfordshire, 23-25 Jul: Mew are the first act to be confirmed for this year's Truck Festival. They will headline the main stage on Saturday. www.thisistruck.com

WOOD, Braziers Park, Oxfordshire, 21-23 May: Frank Turner has been announced as the headliner for this summer's Wood festival, joining the previously announced Fionn Regan, Tunng and Peggy Sue.
www.thisistruck.com/wood

HOLE ANNOUNCE UK TOUR (Oh anda FREE DOWNLOAD)... When not feuding with Lily Allen, Courtney Love also fronts a band that she insists on calling Hole. That band will be back in the UK for more live dates in May, ah shit, got it down in my diary to wash my hair that week.... Tour dates: 3 May: Glasgow, Academy, 5 May: London, Brixton Academy, 9 May: Birmingham, Academy. Should we bother with anymore Hole news? Hang on, there's a new track available as a free download (for a day only) go grab it here and make your own mind up, song called Skinny Little Bitch, not bad actually, sounds like standard issue Hole, bit of bite to it...

2nd March: Legendary Japanese avant-rock band THE BOREDOMS will bring their multi-drummer Boadrum performance to London’s Forum on Tuesday 11th May. More from www.atpfestival.com

PATTI SMITH, Legendary poet, writer, artist, performer and Godmother of U.S. punk rock Patti Smith will be playing an intimate show at Foyle’s bookshop on London’s Southbank Centre at 3pm on the 20th of March, to promote her new book, Just Kids. Recounting her friendship as a young artist with iconic US photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, the book tells how their mutual passion fuelled a lifelong love of art. As well as performing a couple of songs in the shop, Patti will also be signing some copies.

AKERCOCKE GUITARIST QUITS... Ackercocke guitarist Matt Wilcock has announced that he is leaving the extreme metal band due to musical differences. However, he insisted in a statement that there was no bad blood between him and the other members of the band, adding that he'll still work with drummer Dave Gray on their other project, The Antichrist Imperium. His final shows with the band will be four dates supporting Dark Funeral on their UK tour.
         Wilcock said: "After five years with Akercocke and a lot of good times, it's now time for me to move on. Musically, I'm differing a bit with the natural path that Akercocke's taking, so it's best for me to part ways now. There's no shit between anyone, and I'm thoroughly looking forward to going out with a bang (or blast) on these last four shows".

FOALS ANNOUNCE UK TOUR DATES..  Foals have announced that they will head out on a UK tour starting next month in support of the release of their second album, 'Total Life Forever', which is due out on 10 May. They will also be releasing a new single, 'This Orient', on 3 May. You can download another new track, 'Spanish Sahara', right now from www.foals.co.uk
        Tour dates: 29 Apr: Liverpool, Kazimier, 30 Apr: Newcastle, University, 2 May: Glasgow, ABC, 3 May: Leeds, Metropolitan University, 4 May: Manchester, Ritz, 6 May: Cambridge, The Junction, 7 May: Nottingham, Trent University, 8 May: Bristol, Anson Rooms, 10 May: London, Electric Ballroom, 12 May: Oxford, O2 Academy, and an Irish date on 14th May in Dublin at the Ambassador

FESTIVAL UPDATE: THE GREEN MAN FESTIVAL, Glanusk Park, Usk Valley, Powys, Wales, 20-22 Aug:  Singer and harpist Joanna Newsom has been confirmed as the Sunday night headliner for this year's Green Man. Other additions to the line-up include Fionn Regan, First Aid Kit, Henrys Funeral Shoe, Megafaun, The Unthanks and Voice Of The Seven Thunders - www.thegreenmanfestival.co.uk

1st March: FESTIVAL UPDATE: 2000 TREES FESTIVAL, Upcote Farm, Withington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, 16-17 Jul: Bombay Bicycle Club are the latest to be added to the 2000trees line-up, along with Metronomy, Crazy Arm, Kill It Kid, Maybeshewill and The Xcerts. www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk

END OF THE ROAD FESTIVAL, Larmer Tree Gardens, nr Salisbury, Wiltshire, 10-12 Sep: The New Pornographers have been announced for this year's End Of The Road. Also added to the line-up are Citay, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Emily Loizeau, Iron And Wine and Phosphorescent. www.endoftheroadfestival.com
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THOM YORKE has announced that his other band, which he pulled together last year to play some of his solo work, is to be called Atoms For Peace. As previously reported, the band features drummer Joey Waronker (who has previously worked with Beck, REM, Smashing Pumpkins and Elliott Smith), Forro In The Dark percussionist Mauro Refosco, Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, and Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea. Said Thom: "OK, so, in April the other band that I got together to do 'The Eraser' and other stuff ... is going back out to do some shows in the US, ending with playing with Coachella. We had too much fun [last year] to just leave it there...It has been decided that we call ourselves Atoms For Peace. Hope you like the name, it seemed bleedin' obvious". 
         We don’t make a habit of posting US tour dates but seeing as we’re here and they’re in front of me, may as well pass them on (we seem to have more readers, listeners in the U.S these days anyway, good morning  America..) These are the dates: 5 Apr: New York, Roseland Ballroom, 6 Apr: New York, Roseland Ballroom, 8 Apr: Boston, Citi Wang Theatre, 10 Apr: Chicago, Aragon Ballroom, 11 Apr: Chicago, Aragon Ballroom, 14 Apr:Oakland Fox Theatre, 15 Apr:Oakland Fox Theatre. 17 Apr: Santa Barbara Bowl

FESTIVAL UPDATE: ENDORSE IT IN DORSET, nr Shaftesbury, Dorset, 6-8 Aug: Eat Static have
been confirmed for this year's Endorse It, joining a previously announced line-up that includes The Damned, Subhumans, Pauline Black and SubGiant. www.endorseit.co.uk
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STEVE IGNORANT, he of CRASS, but yer knew that didn’t yer,  presents The Last Supper, Crass Songs 1977 – 1982. “Plus a few shocks, surprises, perhaps some slogans, no tantrums and maybe a bit of a laugh. A once-only tour, never to be repeated, cross-our-hearts-and-hope-to-die. Honest, guv”.
           In 2007, Steve Ignorant gathered some friends together and put on two shows at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London. Called The Feeding Of 5000, the show was a celebration of the Crass album of the same name, which was performed in its entirety. It most certainly was not a Crass reunion, and never sought to be. 
This tour will answer the calls that have come from around the globe in response to the Shepherd’s Bush gigs. Steve will be celebrating the period of Crass’ work with which he feels most closely aligned – the period when he feels the band were at their strongest, most productive and most hopeful. Steve will be performing with a full band as well as featuring Crass songs (plus a few other favourites) there will be some rather special visuals. 
Having started in London in 2007, this new EXPANDED show will now visit other parts of the UK, Europe, Japan and the USA before a FINALE in London in 2011. At which point the door will be firmly closed. (Steve has some other plans, don’t you worry…)
         The dates: SEP 24 Bristol Academy, SEP 25 Birmingham Academy, OCT 1 Manchester Academy, OCT 2 Edinburgh Liquid Rooms. Tickets available now from www.gigbox.co.uk  and the usual suspects. More Crassness here - not for us to reason why, we're just bringers of news, not sure if we're sure if this tastes right though? Think we'll maybe just wait for those next plans, is this one 'comeback' too many...? 

RED SPAROWES ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM... Instrumental post-rock band Red Sparowes, who count members of Isis amongst their line-up, have announced that they will release their third album, 'The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer', via Conspiracy Records on 5 Apr. Produced by Toshi Kasai (Comets On Fire, The Fucking Champs, The Melvins), it is also the band's first album with Nocturnes guitarist Emma Ruth Rundle.
           You may also be pleased to know that the band have eschewed the ridiculously long titles that featured on previous albums 'At The Soundless Dawn' and particularly second album 'Every Red Heart Shines Towards The Red Sun', which featured the catchy-sounding, 'And By Our Own Hand Did Every Last Bird Lie Silent In Their Puddles, The Air Barren Of Song As The Clouds Drifted Away. For Killing Their Greatest Enemy, The Locusts Noisily Thanked Us And Turned Their Jaws Toward Our Crops, Swallowing Our Greed Whole'. The new titles are positively monosyllabic in comparison...

FESTIVAL UPDATE: BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR, Catton Hall, Walton-on-Trent, South Derbyshire, 13-15 Aug: British thrash metallers Onslaught have been confirmed to play at this year's Bloodstock, This it seems will be their first UK festival appearance (really?). They will join previously announced headliners Twisted Sister, Children Of Bodom, Heaven & Hell and Fear Factory - www.bloodstock.uk.com

24th FEB: News news news... 

FOALS have a second album is more or less complete, and has been pencilled in for a 10 May release. It will be called 'Total Life Forever'.

FAIRPORT CONVENTION MAN TO LEAD MELTDOWN... Richard Thompson of Fairport Convention - one of the twenty greatest guitarists of all time if you believe Rolling Stone, and we don't see why you wouldn't on this occassion  - has been announced as the curator of this year's Meltdown, the arty music festival that takes place around London's Southbank Centre each June. Past curators have included John Peel, Nick Cave, David Bowie, Patti Smith, Massive Attack and Ornette Coleman.
         Confirming he was taking on the role this year, Thompson told The Guardian this: "I am very excited to be hosting this year's Meltdown at Southbank Centre. The wide-ranging programme reflects many of myinterests and influences across many musical, visual and literary styles, and should provide some unique moments, unusual collaborations and juxtapositions. All this in the place where I saw my first concert in 1961 - such an honour!" Thompson's Meltdown programme will be announced soon (CMU).
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You can find a new BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE track, yours as a free downlaoad, from the forthcoming album here at www.brokensocialscene.ca – another one of those give us your e.mail and we’ll give you a free download tracks then spam the hell out of your inbox for ever more... sign up, get the track then delete yourself from the mailing list when you get fed up with being marketed at...

THE TRUDY for RoTa.... And like we’ve said many times before, you find RoTa over at the Notting Hill Arts Club, London W11, just down the road from Notting Hill tube station, past the book shop and Barclays Bank and there’s some big wooden door that take you to the basement.  Thankfully the aggressively sexist and rather violent scumbag Arts Club bouncers aren’t around to bravely threaten female gig goers so much on a Saturday afternoon (the place is to be avoided mid week evenings though!) 
           RoTa takes place every Saturday, late afternoon, first band somewhere jsut after 4pm, entry free.  This Saturday March 6th you find THE TRUDY on the bill...  Full bill is The Trudy, The Wednesday Club, The Sequins and The Gresham Flyers. Each band will be doing a half hour set.  “The Trudy’s set will be half well known songs by The Trudy (well known by people who know us that is) and half new songs from our forthcoming album. Also, we have finally managed to finish the video we made for Oh! some time ago.  It unfortunately got stuck in editing hell, but is now done!  Here is a link to it on YouTube. 
      The Trudy also have a Japanese compilation CD on the way, featuring tracks recorded betweek 1982 -2007, “we worked very hard getting it all together and are very happy with it”. Some of you people with big yellow flowers on your t-shirts will know The Trudy from their shared bill and early line up connections with the Cardiacs family... Yes, that Trudy, still around and doing find indie pop things. Explore the colourful world of The Trudy over at www.thetrudy.co.uk
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F**K ART GIVE ME CASH, SAYS BLACK FRANCIS - Pixies frontman Black Francis has said that it "would be nice" to play further Don't Look Back shows to perform early albums 'Come On Pilgrim' and 'Surferosa' in full, as they did with 'Doolittle' last year. However, he adds, whether or not it happens will come down to how much money is on the table.
  Francis told The Quietus: "We're interested in anything that's going to earn us a fair wage. It's not to say it's not about art, but we made that art f**king twenty years ago. So forget the fucking goddamn art. This ain't about the art anymore. I did the arty farty part. Now it's time to talk about the money. How much do you think we should sell the tickets for? Where do you think we should play? How many shows do you think we should play?" (CMU)

No Organ radio show on Resonance FM next Sunday, Resonance is broadcasting live from the KILL YOUR TIMID NOTION festival next weekend...

KILL YOUR TIMID NOTION happens between Sunday 21st and Sunday 28th February at Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee, Scotland. A festival of open-ended proposals for image, sound and dialogue (For those unable to get to Dundee, KYTN highlights will be broadcast on Resonance104.4fm www.resonancefm.com on the final festival weekend of the 27th and 28th.)
       “So maybe art isn’t some object or performance or film or whatever that you look at: it’s the process that produced it. And so Kill Your Timid Notion is Arika's festival of experimental image, sound and dialogue. It's a week-long chance to spend time together and investigate artistic actions and processes that might speak about the world we live in today.  The programme comprises FILM screenings, live PERFORMANCES, INSTALLATIONS and a series of  INVESTIGATION  events that you can get involved in – we want you to get involved in the processes used by the artists at KYTN this year, and maybe help develop those processes together. In fact, some of the artists might need your help in delivering their performance at the weekend. 
      Featuring: Morgan Fisher, Jarrod Fowler, Loic Blairon, Taku Unami, Mattin, Emma Hedditch, Howard Slater, Christof Migone, Resonance Radio Orchestra, Marc Baron and much much more.
      For full programme information see www.arika.org.uk or tune in to Resonance next weekend to hear it. We Organs will be back on air the weekend after – March 7th - with Marina’s Other Rock Show and the further exploration of rock music that goes beyond  the conventions of 4/4 time... 

GENESIS BREYER P-ORRIDGE is sixty today, happy Birthday Genesis. There’s a celebration to mark the 60th birthday of the Throbbing Gristle / Psychic TV front person happening at the Renwick Gallery over in New York with performance artist Amir Nogharabi tonight. www.renwickgallery.com
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