Articles by Michael Bonner - Uncut.co.uk

The Flying Burrito Brothers' Chris Ethridge dies

Chris Ethridge, bass player with The Flying Burrito Brothers, has died at the age of 65, from complications from pancreatic cancer according to the Los Angeles Times.

Ethridge also played with the Willie Nelson Family Band, and it was Nelson who confirmed news of his bandmate's death, via Twitter, writing:

WN&F are sad to hear of the passing of Family member & friend Chris Ethridge he was a talented musician & we were honored to call him Family

T. Rex - Electric Warrior Deluxe Edition

Glamiversary! Bolan's seminal rocker remastered with B-sides, demos and outtakes...

Bob Dylan pays tribute to Levon Helm

Bob Dylan has paid tribute to Levon Helm, the former drummer with The Band, who passed away on Thursday April 19, aged 71.

Dylan collaborated with The Band over the course of their career, first on Dylan's 1965 American tour. They worked together on the 1967 sessions that were eventually released as The Basement Tapes, and also a joint 1974 tour.

Writing on bobdylan.com, Dylan said:
"He was my bosom buddy friend to the end, one of the last true great spirits of my or any other generation.
This is just so sad to talk about.

Spiritualized announce UK tour

Spiritualized have announced a six-date UK tour for November.

The band - whose new album, Sweet Heart Sweet Light, entered the UK Album Charts yesterday at No 11 - will play the following dates:

Thu 1 November Gateshead, The Sage Gateshead

Fri 2 November Cambridge, The Junction

Sat 3 November Leeds, Metropolitan University

Sun 4 November Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre

Mon 5 November London, Roundhouse

Tue 6 November Brighton, Corn Exchange

Iggy Pop covers The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Edith Piaf on new album

Iggy Pop has announced that he will release a new covers album next month, which will feature renditions of tracks by the likes of Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and Edith Piaf.

The album, which is titled Apres, will be released on May 9 and contains 10 tracks in total.

Among them are covers of Sinatra's "Only The Lonely", The Beatles' "Michelle", Edith Piaf's "La Vie En Rose", Serge Gainsbourg's "La Javanaise" and Yoko Ono's "I'm Going Away Smiling".

The album is the follow-up to Iggy Pop's 2009 album, Préliminaires.

Paul McCartney pays tribute to Bert Weedon

Paul McCartney has paid tribute to Bert Weedon, who died on Friday [April 20] aged 91.

Known as Mr Guitar, Weedon was a huge influence on some of the biggest names in music.

Eric Clapton has said that he had "never met a player of any consequence" who had not learned from Weedon's 'Play In A Day' books.

Paul McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon all admitted to using Weeden's manuals to help them learn guitar.

In a message on his website, paulmccartney.com, the former Beatle wrote:

Flaming Lips' Record Store Day album for iTunes release

Flaming Lips' frontman Wayne Coyne has confirmed that Heady Fewnds, the Lips' vinyl-only collaboration with Bon Iver, Nick Cave, Yoko Ono, Ke$ha, Neon Indian and others is due for a future digital release.

Coyne confirmed in a Twitter conversation with Ke$ha that the album, released for Record Store Day, will be released via iTunes in "about a month".

The full tracklisting for Heady Fewnds is:

1. '2012 (You Must Be Upgraded)' (featuring Ke$ha and Biz Markie)
2. 'Ashes in the Air' (featuring Bon Iver)

Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst to open his own bar

Bright Eyes mainman Conor Oberst is to open his own bar in his home state of Omaha.

The singer, who released his latest album The People's Key in early 2011, is planning the venture with friend and fellow Omaha musician, Phil Schaffart.

The bar, which will not host live music, is set to be named The Pageturners Lounge after the bookshop which previously inhabited the space. Oberst and Schaffert bought the premises in February.

Radiohead's Thom Yorke joins Modeselektor on stage at Coachella

Radiohead's Thom Yorke joined Modeselektor on stage at the final night of Coachella last night [April 22].

The singer performed at the end of the German electro duo's set to perform "Shipwreck", from their latest album Monkeytown, contributing vocals to "This" and "Shipwreck".

Alabama Shakes top the first ever Record Store Chart

Alabama Shakes have topped the first ever Record Store Chart with their debut album Boys And Girls.

The chart, which launched on Friday, is calculated on physical sales from independent record shops and is being overseen by the Official Charts Company.

The Georgia band's debut came out on top this week, narrowly ahead of Adele's 21, which is Number Two and Trembling Bells' The Marble Downs, which is Number Three.