NEWS: Morrissey Pushed Veg At Wireless

Loveable buff rogue Morrissey apparently attempted to ban meat backstage at last weekend’s Wireless Festival.

The Manc vegetable lover demanded a ban on all fleshy products and went about fly-posting his trademark ‘Meat Is Murder’ imagery around the VIP area, according to Teletext. The Quietus can't quite recall any posters promoting the joys of a firm young carrot, but that might have something to do with the Samoan Fogcutters we'd had beforehand.

Morrissey also had a moan about the pal of burger smoke hanging over the Festival site from the Wireless stage.

A source said: "Liverpool band The Rascals lived up to their name and defaced the poster nearest Moz's enclosure so it read 'Meat is boss', and drew a load of burgers on it!" Does anyone else remember the time _Select_ magazine printed a painting of Morrissey sniffing a pie in a mock advertisement bearing the slogan "Meat Is Magic"?

To watch ‘Irish Blood, English Heart’ have a look below:


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

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: The Verve Release Mystery Video

A cryptic new video to accompany The Verve's new single ‘Love Is Noise’ has appeared on the band's mySpace.

From panoramic views of mountains to ladies playing with some rather big, mean looking birds and video of an Asian sporting ceremonials, the apparently random collection of images certainly aren't announcing any obvious messages.

What is of greater concern to fans is the fact that a typically gaunt Richard Ashcroft appears quite separately from his bandmates on screen.

Will this have fans concerned that Dicky & co's latest spell together might be a short one, or is it merely all in the editing? Philosophers of the world are troubled.

You can view the clip in question below:

The Verve - Love Is Noise

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

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: Free Seasick Steve Download

After a triumphant Glastonbury appearance lovable bum Seasick Steve returns with a new album.

His Pyramid Stage set may already be festival folklore but Steve’s new album Started Out With Nothin' and I Still Got Most of It Left may just cement his reputation as one of the great blues artists of modern times.

The follow-up to Dog House Music is released on September 29.

In the build up to the album Steve’s label Warner are offering a free download of ‘Roll and Tumble Blues’. Download ‘Roll and Tumble Blues’ here.

A montage of live footage including Steve’s adventures on Worthy Farm can also be watched online here.

The Yankee bluesman will be taking his DIY guitar to the Latitude Festival and has numerous other shows in the UK lined up throughout October. Full listing below:

• 1st October - Royal Albert Hall
  
• 3rd October - Southampton Guildhall
  
• 5th October - Bristol Carling Academy
  
• 6th October - Brighton Dome
  
• 9th October - Nottingham Rock City
  
• 19th October - Liverpool Carling Academy
  

Seasick Steve pic courtesy Shot2bits

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

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: Pumpkins Celebrate 20 Years With Live Shows

The folically (and members) challenged Smashing Pumpkins are to celebrate their 20th anniversary with a series of live dates in August.

The opening gig will take place in Hammond, Indiana at the Horseshoe Casino on August 9. This relatively small show will be will be followed by a handful of similarly modest sized dates.

An announcement on the Smashing Pumpkins website gives details of the anniversary tour proper which will take in the cities of Los Angeles, New York and their home town of Chicago. Information on the dates and venues will be given at a later.

In a statement on their website, lead singer Billy Corgan said: “The August tour is going to be a blast... Expect a very loud and raucous show from us...and we are very, very happy to know we will finally be playing our own shows come November in New York, L.A., and Chicago... The 20th Anniversary shows will be magical... We are already working on lots of surprises.”

The anniversary tour has put back the much anticipated Gish tour to early 2009 but fans will be happily consoled by the news that the band will be playing unique sets and songs.

A special box-set re-issue of the Pumpkins’ debut album Gish will also be released next year to accompany the tour.

Watch the ‘Siva’ video from Gish:

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

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: Boosh Fest "a success" say organisers

Despite reports in The Guardian that fans were left “bemused”, the organisers of The Mighty Boosh Festival have deemed it an overwhelming success.

It demonstrated a fantastic return to form from the ‘Godfather of Gigs’ Vince Power who masterminded the all-dayer for comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding.

The entertainment cocktail of comedy and music that took place last Saturday (July 5) was hampered by traffic problems which, we are reassured, are going to be looked at in the event of another Boosh Fest.

In an unexpected bout of blazing sun revellers plastered in face paint and fancy dress added a Boosh universe theme to the day.

Highlights included Ross Noble and Frankie Boyle’s ‘daft as’ sets in the rammed comedy tent and powerful performances from Robots in Disguise, White Denim, The Kills and the much-celebrated Gary Numan.

As the The Mighty Boosh Band took to the stage the site looked ready to explode with hundreds of sunburnt Bob Fossils and Nabos barging to catch a glimpse of their heroes.

So who went? Who enjoyed it? Who didn’t? Who was caught up in the traffic? Et cetera.

To see an on site interview with the Boosh boys have a look below:

This news story can be found on Drowned in Sound with other pieces by Dean Samways.

Words: Dean Samways

Image: BBC

NEWS: End Of The Road Announce Film Contest

The annual End Of The Road music festival will this year feature some exciting events for film buffs.

Joining forces with cult movie magazine Little White Lies, the Larmer Tree Gardens site will host a cinema tent showing only the most eclectic mix of films and shorts during the festival, which runs between September 12th and 14th.

The thrilling Brit flick Dead Man’s Shoes will be run in its entirety, amongst a selection of short films, music videos and other feature films past and present.

To celebrate Little White Lies involvement with this year’s festival the organisers are holding a film competition. The End Of The Reel challenges anyone to create a short 15 seconds ident to be screened on the main stage, in the cinema tent and online.

In a statement the organisers said: “In the spirit of the festival and the magazine, entries need to be fresh, innovative and thought provoking.”

Entries will be posted on the End Of The Reel YouTube page

The winners will bag two tickets to End Of The Road, one year’s subscription to Little White Lies and several armfuls of Rough Trade and Carhartt goodies.

The rules are as follows:

1. The piece can be animated, filmed or graphically produced.
2. The content must relate to End Of The Road theme and ‘Truth and Movies’ (Little White Lies’ tagline).
3. Entries must be uploaded to any video sharing website, and the link emailed to: endofthereel@littlewhitelies.co.uk.
4. Deadline for entries is August 29.
5. Winners will be announced September 1.

This year’s festival includes performances from Calexico, Bon Iver, Tindersticks, Mercury Rev, Dirty Three, Richard Hawley, British Sea Power and Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band, among others. For the last remaining tickets to the festival go to the site here. Oh, and stay tuned to The Quietus for more exciting End Of The Road information very soon.

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

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: My Morning Jacket Begin Writing New Album

Reverb royalty My Morning Jacket have already put their creative caps on and begun work on their next album.

It was only last month when the band’s latest LP, Evil Urges, was released, but frontman Jim James today gave details of plans afoot for the next full-length release.

Talking to BBC 6 Music James said: “I’m already writing songs for the new record and stuff. The process is weird because whenever we make a record, the songs come from one or two years of life that you’ve lived.

"Then by the time you get to make that record you’re in that zone but when it comes out, it’s a year or two later. So, for me personally, I’m working on the next thing."

Despite all the media love for ‘Evil Urges’ the guitarist has said that he’s tried to avoid reading the reviews.

“I guess as a band you try to not hear too much of what people say because it feels good when somebody says something good but it feels bad when someone says something bad.”

“We’ve had a lot of people say some nice things about it and some that haven’t liked it so I feel like we’re always kinda in the middle. But we’re really happy with it.”

Watch the video to ‘I’m Amazed’ from Evil Urges below:

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

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: Gang Of Four To Headline Offset Fest

Ye Olde Yorkshire post-punk outfit Gang Of Four are headlining this year’s tube-trip-home-friendly Offset festival.

The band join the likes of astute minimalists Wire and robed lunatics Chrome Hoof at the festival, which will take place over August 30 and 31 in Hainault Forest, Essex.

Also on the line-up are Brighton’s The Maccabees, Andy Gill favourites The Young Knives, Metronomy, and Johnny Foreigner. The Experimental Circle club will headline a stage of stern sounds from rising acts including Ulterior, ddd, Ipso Facto and Prinzhorn Dance School.

In the past the festival has showcased bands such as Biffy Clyro, The Duke Spirit and Art Brut.

With 150 bands over seven stages tickets are priced around the £50 mark for full camping over the weekend and are available here.

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

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: You're the next Lil Wayne? Barack Obama doesn't think so

US President in waiting Barack Obama today name checked superstar rapper Lil Wayne during a speech intended to encourage young people to stay in school.

The ‘tough love’ message directed toward the nation’s African American youth was an attempt to illustrate the importance of a high school education above an attempt at employment in the professional sports arena or the music industry.

“You are probably not that good a rapper. Maybe you are the next Lil Wayne, but probably not, in which case you need to stay in school,” announced Obama to a cheering crowd in Powder Springs, Georgia.

In the speech the Democratic nominee spoke of high school drop-out rates and the need for students to be more committed to their education in order to develop a successful career post-school years.

Crossing the pop culture/political divide is a dangerous move for any figure, but for the most celebrated rap artist of 2008 it’s a bit of a coup.

For a bit of Lil' Wayne look below:

This news story can be found on Drowned in Sound with other pieces by Dean Samways.

Words: Dean Samways

Image: BBC

NEWS: Capital return: Howling Bells in London tonight

Australian four-piece Howling Bells are set to make their return to the London live scene tonight (July 9) when they roll up to The Hoxton Bar and Kitchen.

To celebrate, DrownedinSound got cosy with Juanita Stein (pictured) in the July rain to talk about their new album, the follow-up to their Bella Union-released self-titled (review).

When asked what progress had been made on their second album, the vocalist said:

“We’re about three quarters through mixing the second record now. Been a really inspired and exciting process making this album.

“Where the debut was charcoal and blood red, this one is gold and silver. Diamond shaped as opposed to circular. More optimistic minus the naivety that comes with it.”

Sounds interesting and nicely angular, but can people expect? What about influences?

“In terms of influences, the band seems to have re-connected with the music that first inspired us as individuals. Pink Floyd, The Doors, Hendrix, Love, The Byrds, all the stuff we used to get stoned to combined with all the fun, progressive electronic music we listen to today.

“As this record has been a way more collaborative affair, all those influences combined have definitely made their mark.”

Hopefully all this promise will manifest itself on stage tonight.

The LP was laid down at Sound Factory Studios in Los Angeles with producer Dan Grech-Marguerat, whose past credits include Radiohead and Paul McCartney.

In addition to tonight's London show, you can catch Howling Bells at the following festivals:

• 18 July - Southwold Latitude Festival
• 20 July - London Lovebox
• 9 August - London Field Day
• 10 August - Leicester Summer Sundae
• 29 August - Scotland Hydro Connect

'Low' by Howling Bells is playing below:



This news story can be found on Drowned in Sound with other pieces by Dean Samways.

Words: Dean Samways

Image: Google