NEWS: When Two Tribes... Play Acid Folk?

An innovative approach to touring is coming to the UK this September courtesy of leftfield promoters No-Fi and [No.Signal]. They're to unite some of underground music’s most eclectic artists from the US and Finland on stage.

Each of the nights on the eight date tour, dubbed concisely as ‘Approximately Infinite Universe – A Caravan of Raw Sound Magic From Finland and the US’, will be a unique performance of a never-before-seen collaboration.

The shows will see each of the Finnish acts inviting an American counterpart onto the stage to perform a piece composed in the months leading up to the tour, and after only two days of rehearsal.

The Finnish artists taking part in this wandering jam session are Islaja, Kemialliset Ystävät, Es and Tomuntonttu. They are joined from across the pond by Fursaxa (pictured), Samara Lubelski, Axolotl, Blevin Blectum and Skaters.

In a statement, No-Fi and [No.Signal] had this to say about the vision behind the tour:

“In conjunction with the artists themselves – [we] designed this approach as a way of taking the aforementioned trans-Atlantic influence exchange, trapping it in a vacuum and making it feedback on itself in order create a whole family of brand new musical beasts.”

Selected dates on the tour will feature screenings of specially commissioned work before the live performances.

Each concert will include two acts with the four groupings rotating during each date.

The concerts will also be recorded and released as digital-only compilations.

The dates of the tour are as follows:

• 19th September – Glasgow, CCA
• 20th September - Aberdeen, Lemon Tree
• 21st September – Sheffield, Bar Abbey
• 23rd September – Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
• 24th September – Newcastle, Gateshead Sage
• 25th September – Manchester, Contact Theatre
• 26th September – Bristol, The Cube
• 27th September – London, ICA

All tickets are available via TicketWeb, WeGotTickets, Venues' direct website, various national record shops. More info via the main website: http://no-signal.net/aiu

Have a look below for some exclusive footage of Islaja playing an exclusive instore show for Rough Trade:

This news story can be found on the Quietus with other pieces by Dean Samways.

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: AC/DC Doppelgangers To Invade Reading

‘Back To Skool’ styled rockers AC/DC have announced an exciting competition for all fans attending the Reading Festival later this month.

The festival will play host to two massive billboards advertising the Melbourne band’s new album, but , more specifically, one will have these words:

"Come to the AC/DC billboards dressed like Angus, let a friend take a picture of you in front of the 60x40 and upload it to www.acdcrocks.com/uk the best "Angus" wins a 2 person-trip to an AC/DC rehearsal in the USA."

So, does exactly what it says on the tin then?

The prize is a trip to the States where the winner will see the band perform an intimate, competition winners only gig before they start a full US tour proper.

When you’re next in Asda then, head for George, get yourself a blazer, a pair of shorts, cap and a satchel (all for a shilling) and get practising your best rock gurn and Angus devil horns.

For inspiration have a look at the classic 'Highway To Hell' video below:

This news story can be found on the Quietus with other pieces by Dean Samways.

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: The Prodigy Return To Jilt The Nation

Comeback kings of the concrete jungle, The Prodigy have announced their biggest UK tour in three years.

After a series of festival shows this summer the band are spending December taking in Carling Academy venues up and down the country on what is being called ‘The Invaders Academy Tour’.

The dates of the shows are as follows:

• 7th December - Carling Academy, Liverpool
• 8th December - Carling Academy, Glasgow
• 9th December - Carling Academy, Birmingham
• 11th December - Carling Academy, Sheffield
• 12th December - Carling Academy, London Brixton
• 13th December - Carling Academy, London Brixton

Tickets will go on general sale on Thursday 21st August with prices between £27.50 and £30. For the die hard fans, website members will be able to bag pre-sale tickets 24 hours earlier at www.theprodigy.com.

The greatness of The Prodigy’s greatness direct to your eyes below:

This news story can be found on the Quietus with other pieces by Dean Samways.

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: Hopper Does A Spector

Inspiration can be taken from anywhere and anything. Here at the Quietus it’s mostly pulled out of alcoholic pools of thought at our local. For a while now Hollywood has turned to the music industry and its cult figures for a spark of artistic stimulation.

Not so long ago Johnny Depp took on the guise of an inebriated Keith Richards in those pirate films before Heath Ledger slapped on some make-up and did his best Sid Vicious impression, apparently, opposite the big bad bat. Now it has been announced that Dennis Hopper is to imitate legendary music producer Phil Spector.

The star of Apocalypse Now, Easy Rider and, that classic, Speed, is to play a Spector-esque music producer in an episode of the US TV show Crash, a small screen spin-off of the movie of the same name.

Hopper said his character is “totally out of his mind.”

“It's really amazing because we don't have any restrictions, like language problems or sexual problems; we can do anything we want and we're really out there."

Spector, the producer of The Ramones and the controversial Leonard Cohen album Death Of A Ladies' Man, has certainly led a life of excess and Hopper's character looks set to be as self-destructive.

“In my episode we had an orgy. I'm doing drugs all the time. I'm smoking grass. I'm having orgies. Hey it's music, it's rock 'n' roll baby. It's gonna be an eye opener.”

As of yet it’s not known when the episode starring Hopper will air in the US but the Quietus is certainly looking for forward to seeing Hopper pull off that mad Spector afro if the make-up department feel like a challenge.

Watch a snippet of Hopper playing a very mad photojournalist in Apocalypse Now below:

This news story can be found on the Quietus with other pieces by Dean Samways.

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: Colin Greenwood Plays Bass In Hollywood

Just as Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk denied the employment of Radiohead as score supremos for his new flick Choke, one member of the band has been branching out into Hollywood on his own.

Thick-thumbed Colin Greenwood has contributed to a soundtrack for a new film released this year.

In amongst playing some massive outdoor dates, rewriting the textbook on how to release an album and recording groundbreaking videos the Radiohead bass player has found time to perform on the OST for new independent film Woodpecker.

Teaming up with Lee and Tyler Sargent of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and composer James Lavino, Colin has followed his younger brother into Hollywood after Jonny last year wrote the music for Let There Be Blood.

The film, directed by Alex Karpovsky, has already had screenings at a number of festivals including South By South West, Wisconsin and Maine International film festivals.

An official release date is yet to be announced.

Visit the official Woodpecker film website here.

This news story can be found on the Quietus with other pieces by Dean Samways.

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus