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

NEWS: Oberst Streams Entire New Album On Official Site

Bright Eyes star Conor Oberst has made his new, self-titled solo album available to all via a stream on his website.

Conor Oberst will be officially released through Wichita Recordings on August 4 but it is already up on his official website as a live stream for those who’re too impatient to wait a week or two.

A single, ‘Souled Out!!!’, will follow on August 25 as a special one-track 7” with a special etching on the B-side by artist Kaite Murphy, creator of the Grace McSorely comics.

ASAD is told the track will also be made available via all the normal digital outlets.

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

Words: Dean Samways

Image: Google

EP REVIEW: One Day As A Lion, One Day As A Lion (Released: Out Now)

The trouble leaving something familiar is forming a new cohesion with the unfamiliar. This almost always take time and often compromise and, however rarely, heartbreak.

The One Day As A Lion partnership between Zack De La Rocha and Jon Theodore (former Mars Volta drummer) has produced familiar substance of little groundbreaking worth. Listening to the self-entitled EP it’s difficult to hear anything new beyond the distinctive vocal chord assault.

Like Audioslave, this could be Rage with new faces conforming to what was already a successful but ageing sound.

The biggest flaw in all the tracks is the oppression upon them, not allowing them to become, to drop into a heavier, faster form. Sure ‘Ocean View’ has a breakdown with some hastier drums but no sooner do you want it to liftoff into a thrashing solo to that stirs moshpits, it finishes.

There’s still some powerful stuff though. ‘Last Letter’ is an anti-religious wake-up call, ‘Wild International’ is the customary anti-war war cry and ‘If You Fear Dying’ is a kick up the arse to all the paranoid victims of this quietly hysterical terrorist era.

Watch Rage Against The Machines 'Killing In The Name Of' below:

More interesting than these long-time Rage romanticised themes is De La Rocha’s vocal experimentation. Blurting what are some impressive melodies for the usually shouty MC his efforts unfortunately end up sounding like Ozzy Osbourne, albeit, early Ozzy.

The thing about familiarity is that sometimes you want it back so badly eventually the change heartbreaks your heart. There’s little compromise here. Potential to turn these songs into anthems is squandered, the sound shows little progression but then despite this refusal to move forward it still sounds as angry as ever, which will do us.

This review can be found on Thrash Hits with other pieces by Dean Samways.

Words: Dean Samways

Image: Google

NEWS: Slayer To Split

Thrash-metal's forefather Tom Araya has hinted that Slayer may split after they have finished recording a new album.

Araya spoke exclusively to the Quietus’ moshier sibling Thrash Hits declaring there may not be a future for Slayer after the band complete their recording commitments with American Recordings.

In the interview Araya said: “Let's put it this way, this is the final record of our commitment with Rick Rubin. When we first signed a deal with him back in 1986, we never sat down and said, ‘How long do you guys want to keep this together?’

“We signed the deal and we've just been doing records since. Then, by the time we did Seasons In The Abyss, our third record with Rubin, we had a manager (Rick Sales) who did a really good job of renegotiating an entire new deal for ten records.

“We just continued making records with no game plan other than ‘We're gonna do a record and then tour’, ‘We're gonna do another record after the tour’ and so on.”

The end isn’t as close as fans might fear though with plans continuing for what may be the band’s final album.

“We're working on new ideas now just so that people can have a taste of what's coming. Kerry (King) and Jeff (Hanneman) are putting together ideas, so what the end result of this next two and a half months is, I don't know. Once we've put together new material, we can get together and discuss our future plans.

“Seeing a 50 year old man headbanging on stage would make me cringe. If I was watching that, I'd think, ‘Dude, you're a little too old for that, aren't you? You're gonna fall off!’”

A live performance of 'Eyes Of The Insane' by Slayer is available below:

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

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: Rhys Sticks His Oar In Racial Row

In the ongoing ‘racism fued’ between Bloc Party’s Kele Okereke and The Sex Pistols’ John Lydon, Super Furry Animals singer Gruff Rhys (pictured left) has stepped forward and made a statement.

Earlier this week the Bloc Party singer alleged he was the victim of an "unprovoked racial attack" by Lydon and his entourage at a Spanish festival.

As a witness to the incident the Neon Neon collaborator told MTV: “Kele is a very brave man and what he said is exactly what happened. The statements Kele has said are absolutely true. It did happen.”

The Quietus understands that Rhys is yet to make an official statement to police.

Currently touring with his Mercury Award-nominated side project Rhys described the attack as "horrific".

Lydon has denied reports branding Okereke a "liar" and claiming the singer is using the incident to seek "publicity".

Watch Neon Neon's 'I Lust U' below:

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

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus

NEWS: Skinner Hits The Streets

After exciting fans with a little teaser of new material, The Streets have announced a full nationwide tour for October.

The tour is expected to showcase new songs from the forthcoming album Everything Is Borrowed.

The Quietus was among the first to announce a medley of new music taken from the album which was made available on Mike Skinner’s mySpace earlier this month.

Skinner and the gang kick things off in Glasgow on 4th October and finish things up in typically raucous fashion in Leeds in the 19th.

The Streets’ fourth LP is due for release around the same time as the live dates.

The tour will take in the following cities:

• 4th October - Glasgow Barrowlands
• 5th October - Manchester Academy
• 6th October - Sheffield Plug
• 9th October - Birmingham Academy
• 10th October - Newcastle Academy
• 11th October - Oxford Academy
• 13th October - Southampton Guildhall
• 14th October - Preston 53 Degrees
• 15th October - Norwich UEA
• 17th October - Bristol Academy
• 18th October - Nottingham Rock City
• 19th October - Leeds Academy

Or click here to be taken straight to the See Tickets website.

The Streets new video 'Escapist', complete with intercontinental wanderings that would make Ian Botham proud, can be seen below:

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

Words: Dean Samways

Image: the Quietus