In today’s Soundbites – Live4ever’s look back at the past week’s news, reviews, and tabloid gossip – another UK festival bites the dust, Lady Gaga goes into mourning for the world, Damon Albarn bums out Blur fans, Maximo Park’s new album will save the nation, the pick of our new videos is selected and we look at the new track from Tom Williams & The Boat.
Debuting a new song with Graham Coxon. Headline appearance booked for Hyde Park this summer. Alex James telling the world they’ve got a new ‘hymn’ ready to unleash. All things seemed to be pointing to an exciting year for Blur fans. Unfortunately, Damon Albarn has this week told The Quietus: “ I don’t really do anything with Blur anymore – there’s this concert this year but it’s not a full time thing at all. Maybe this tune’s a last little coda to the whole story.” Damn. Read the full story here.
It’s turning into a tough year for UK festivals. With Oxegen and Big Chill amongst the events which have already cancelled for 2012, Sonisphere has announced its own cancellation, despite impressively securing the services of Queen – or Brian May, Roger Taylor and Adam Lambert – for what would have been their only UK appearance of the year. “We want to express our deepest regrets to the artists and to thank all the staff, suppliers and contractors who worked so hard with us to try and pull off what has proven to be an impossible task and we know how much they share in our disappointment,” organisers said. Check out our thoughts on these tough times for festivals here.
Kaiser Chiefs announced plans for a new Greatest Hits collection this week, and have also premiered the video for their latest single ‘On The Run‘, which showcases footage of the band playing live during their recent spate of touring. Visit our Videos section to sort through all of the week’s new and classic videos.
Beady Eye and Primal Scream were confirmed as support acts for The Stone Roses this week after months of speculation and rumour. Beady Eye will provide the main support on Saturday, June 30th, with Primal Scream due up on the first night, June 29th. Click here to see the full list of support for what is probably going to be the event of the summer.
So, Lady Gaga. Is it fair to say she’s a bit bonkers? This week, she’s addressed the pressing issue of why she partial to wearing a veil. “People ask me why I wear veils,” she wrote on Twitter. “I reply, I’m mourning. Mourning what? Well I figure something shitty must be going on somewhere.” Fair enough, glad that’s cleared up any confusion.
Maximo Park are bringing their excitable brand of indie back, and have announced the details of their first album since 2009’s ‘Quicken The Heart‘. Frontman Paul Smith is after saving this planet. “The nation is out of control and the record is about taking back control, and being a force for change in your own life. It can’t speak for everybody but it has its eyes and ears all around us, that’s always been a Maximo Park thing: look at yourself.” Comments in full right here.
“Nicky Wire’s wrong. So is Billy Bragg. There’s zillions of artists with loads to say. More pressing is why they don’t get heard, played and written about at all? Then the same people who bitch down political bands will moan there isn’t any! A thousand fuckries.” That’s the Reverend himself Jon McClure on the, ahem, ‘death of rock and roll’ debate. Amongst other things, he also tells us about being chased around Facebook by the police and why his new single is ‘hotter than Tulisa’s sex tape’. If you haven’t read it all yet, make sure you check it out – it’s a cracker!
Tom Williams & The Boat will release the title track to their new album on April 9th. ‘Teenage Blood‘ again showcases a winning blend of country angst and stomping rock, led along by the frontman’s brand of bittersweet lyrics which always hint at an intriguing history which demands to be explored. ‘Teenage Blood’ is featured in today’s New Tunes Guide. Take a look, have a listen.