It’s become a popular trend in recent times for celebrities to use their notoriety in order to publicise some cause or other. A lot of these instances can be pretty irritating, due to all too frequent prerequisite dollop of self-promotion that comes along in the bargain. Thom Yorke, on the other hand, – whose band Radiohead recently played a Los Angeles show in support of the recent Haiti disaster – has long associated himself with the fight against climate change in an earnest and non-flashy way. Yorke, 41, who has appeared on BBC television to speak about the issue, and recently travelled to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference with British Green Party delegate Tony Juniper, is now offering his musical services to the cause. He will play a show at Cambridge, England’s Corn Exchange on February 25th as a benefit for the Green Party, and as a way of showing that, unlike the politicians he refers to as “paying lip service to climate change”, there are a group of people actually working towards making a difference. That, and, as Yorke jokingly added, Juniper “bought me a pint and twisted my arm”. Good on ya Thom.
The Archives
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Bits & Pieces
Lou Reed to Tour Europe With Set Inspired by 1975 Metal Music Machine Album
01.29.10Legendary rocker Lou Reed is gearing up to tour his Metal Machine Trio project this coming April. The tour will commence in Cambridge, England on the 17th, ending in Mallorca, Spain on the 30th. The set will reportedly consist of songs influenced by his 1975 Metal Music Machine album, but “won’t duplicate the original”, and joining him on the tour will be self styled “electronic alchemist” Sarth Calhoun and saxophonist Ulrich Krieger. The original Metal Music Machine LP is also due for a reissue that will coincide with the tour, and will be made available on 180g vinyl, audio DVD and Blu-Ray. Lou Reed’s site is currently taking orders. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
Pete Doherty Back in Court to Face Drugs Charges Incurred at Last Court Hearing
01.27.10As we reported back in December, Pete Doherty, the troubled former Babyshambles frontman managed to get himself arrested for possession of heroin while at a hearing to face charges of reckless driving. Today, Doherty was back in the dock at Gloucester Magistrates Court in the West of England; this time to answer the charges he incurred on leaving his last court date. Still following? To say that the magistrates were unimpressed would be an understatement, giving short shrift to Doherty’s lawyer’s claim that perhaps the blame lay with his styling team, because the “residual drugs which he had left in one coat pocket” were present due to the fact that he “didn’t necessarily choose the coat for himself”. Reacting with a mixture of bemusement and disbelief, magistrate Joti Boparai stated that Doherty’s actions were either “sheer stupidity or a ploy to get more publicity.” This news comes as the latest in a long line of brushes that the British star has had with the law. Sadly, until he cleans up his act, the tabloid column inches will most likely go on and on.
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Bits & Pieces
Amy Winehouse Arrested For Assault
12.23.09This past weekend found Amy Winehouse in trouble with the law once again, as the British boozehound allegedly assaulted the owner of a theatre where a performance of Cinderella was taking place. The owner of the Milton Keynes Theatre in Buckinghamshire, England, apparently asked Winehouse to change seats, which led to the singer punching, kicking and pulling the man’s hair. A scene in the play where a character sneaks up on another character, sprung Winehouse to holler “He’s fucking behind you!”, while also showing her disdain for the step sisters, calling them “bitches”. Following the singer’s multiple outbursts, manager Richard Pound asked Winehouse to move seats, which led to the UFC style lashing. Winehouse has been charged for assault under the name Amy Civil, the last name of her ex-husband and apparently current main squeeze.
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CD Reviews
Charlotte Gainsbourg – IRM
12.12.09Factotum and French wonder Charlotte Gainsbourg bounces to IRM, her third studio album as she fits in an international acting career and plays mom to two children. Born in England and raised in France, there has always been an ease to the Gainsbourg croon, a weightless elegance and charm of quiet self-reflection. (more…)
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Bits & Pieces
Pop Queen and English Queen Rub Elbows?
12.08.09Blackpool, England witnessed the unlikely meeting between current pop queen Lady Gaga and the Queen of England. Gaga wore a red latex gown with a ruffled collar and a 20-foot-long train, all the while performing on piano with 10-foot-long legs; consequently resembling Salvador Dali’s painting, The Temptation of St. Anthony. “Good evening Blackpool. Let me hear you rattle your jewelry,” announced Gaga, quickly jumping into a performance of Speechless. “I have had to tone down my act generally,” Lady Gaga expressed to the press, “But all of that doesn’t matter because I’m a massive fan of the Queen. When I first came up with what I was doing, I said, ‘Oh my fucking God, I hope she likes it!’” Gaga wasn’t the only performer present, gracing the royal variety show was also modern day crooner Michael Buble and young pop sensation Miley Cyrus. Nothing has been confirmed but it seems the Queen of England was sporting her poker face throughout the performance.
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Bits & Pieces
Strokes Announce First Live Gig Since 2007
11.30.09Only a week ago we were happy to report that The Strokes were heading back into the studio to kick off a new album. Now comes news that The Strokes are booked over in Newport, England to headline the Isle of Wight Festival on June 12th. The show will mark the first time the band has played together on stage since 2007. Joining The Strokes in the UK will be Blondie, Pink, Orbital, and Squeeze, all on the 12th. The other headliner of the June 11-13th affair will be Jay-Z. If The Strokes are really building momentum, I suspect we will be hearing about a few more dates in the near future.
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Bits & Pieces
Imogen Heap – Last Night @ Le National
11.28.09Performance eletronica pop at its finest, England’s Imogen Heap laid out her roots and preened her feathers at Le National last night. Fly back for the magical photos and verse.
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Bits & Pieces
Bleep.com Readies Photo/Music Compilation for Release
11.19.09Beat-fueled electronic music is being produced all over the world. Bleep.com has decided to showcase the major areas of production in their hybrid compilation North/South/East/West. The release features music from the North and South of England, and the East and West Coast of the US. Packaged with the tunes will be photos of the territories providing the beats. On December 1st, the limited edition comp will be made available on Bleep’s website, and the public will have a shot at picking up the collaboration between performers like Flying Lotus, Skream, and Daedelus, photographer Shaun Bloodworth, and designer Stuart Hammersly. This ambitious project collects mostly unreleased tracks from the artists, and shows off the producers, clubs, and labels that are driving the scene. The standard edition comes with the CD and 14 prints in a custom made box. The deluxe package is hand numbered, and has a bonus poster. A digital copy is also available. Check out the track list below. Pretty cool stuff from Bleep.com. Well done.
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Bits & Pieces
Morrissey Collapses: Said To Be Recovering Well
10.26.09Former Smiths’ frontman Morrissey collapsed during his October 24th performance at the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon, England. Shortly after completing the first song of the set, This Charming Man, the seasoned artist reportedly fell to his knees with difficulty breathing. As he was carried off stage the crowd converged in a chorus of boos, as the seasoned rocker’s track record for cancelling shows precedes him. A Great Western Hospital spokesperson gave a statement saying, “Morrissey became unwell last night. He was admitted overnight as a precautionary measure. He was seen this morning and was much improved and has now been discharged.” Although said to be recovering well, Morrissey has cancelled tonight’s show at Bournemouth’s Opera House according to doctor’s orders.
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Bits & Pieces
Sex Pistols Sue Icecreamists Over ‘God Save the Cream’ Artwork
10.14.09Lawsuits are so punk rock it hurts. The Sex Pistols’ have lawyers, and they are being sic’d on an ice cream company. An online ad, by British company Icecreamists, featuring the Queen of England in front of the Union Jack, ice cream spoon in her mouth, and the words “God Save the Cream” scrawled across her face, is being accused of being too derivative of Jamie Reid’s artwork on the Pistols’ singles. A letter from the band’s holding company, Glitterbest, demanded that the ice cream company cease using the Sex Pistols infused images to sell their wares, which include deck chairs, as well as iced treats. Founder of The Icecreamists, Matt O’Connor raises an interesting point. “We are a bit dumbfounded that a group that made its reputation for being banned is trying to ban one of our ice creams,” he said. The Sex Lawyers may also be interested to know that there is an absinth ice cream cocktail called the Sex Pistol in the Icecreamists catalogue. I would have used that Bob Gruen photo, of the band with straws… drinking milk? A little photoshop… Ice cream floats! The legal department and Glitterbest would have a field day.
