Chan Marshall’s new album, Sun, is reviewed in the latest issue of Uncut (Take 185, October 2012) – this week’s archive feature, from December 2006 (Take 115), finds Marshall recovering from a breakdown after perhaps her most successful year to date. Here, she tells Marc Spitz how she pulled herself back from the edge…
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Blur's Alex James has revealed that he wants to work with Johnny Marr.
Talking to the Daily Star, James – who is organising his own food and music event, The Big Feastival, from his Oxfordshire farm this weekend – said that while he wouldn't be interested in pursuing a solo career, he'd like to join Marr and Nile Rodgers in a supergroup.
The former Smiths guitarist joined the Chic man onstage earlier this year at Manchester's Parklife Weekender, with Marr later hinting that the pair could continue their collaboration by entering the studio together.
Legendary lyricist Hal David has died at the age of 91.
David passed away yesterday (September 1) following complications from a stroke at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, reports Rolling Stone.
David was Burt Bacharach's songwriting partner and wrote the lyrics for such classic tracks as "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head", "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", "Do You Know The Way To San Jose", "Walk On By", "What The World Needs Now Is Love", "I Say A Little Prayer" and "(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me".
The xx's Jamie Smith has revealed that he is working on building a brand new instrument based on both an MPC sequencer and an iPad.
The producer and DJ told the Observer that he is planning on making a see-through device which will make music via "colourful graphics" and finger taps.
The band's vocalist Oliver Sim also explained that he has written a song for Beyonce. He said that he has written a track which isn't right for The xx, but which he hopes Beyonce would like to record "if he can work up the courage to ask".
Stevie Wonder has spoken out about comments he made regarding the sexuality of soul singer Frank Ocean last week.
Speaking to the Guardian, Wonder had said that he thought Ocean – who publicly revealed that his first love had been a man earlier this year – might be 'confused'. He said: "I think honestly, some people who think they're gay, they're confused. People can misconstrue closeness for love. People can feel connected, they bond."
Even though each artist gets at least a 45-minute slot - and everyone on the main stage gets an hour or more - there's still a lack of epic outros at End Of The Road.
The second day of Dorset's End Of The Road is a scorcher – not bad for the first day of autumn. Van Dyke Parks must be pleasantly surprised, if he's still around.
It's the last day of summer, as Van Dyke Parks tells us, repeatedly. He's right, of course, but it's also true that there are still two days left of End Of The Road, pretty much the last festival of 2012.
The first set of Zappa’s mammoth series of reissues is reviewed in the new issue of Uncut, dated October 2012, and in shops now. To accompany David Cavanagh’s in-depth, three-page examination of the dozen re-releases, here’s a feature from November 2010’s Uncut (Take 162), in which members of the guitarist and composer’s various bands recall the madness and precision that went into some of his most important works. Interviews: John Lewis
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As she releases her new album, The Devil You Know, singular LA singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones is set to answer your questions in Uncut as part of our regular Audience With… feature.
So is there anything you’ve always wanted to ask her?
What was it like working with musicians as diverse as Dr John and Mike Watt?
Just how hard was the protracted writing and recording of Pirates?
What happened to all those berets and spandex suits?
Send your questions to us by noon, Wednesday August 29 to uncutaudiencewith@ipcmedia.com.
