News

The Replacements' Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson have reunited to record a four-song EP to help pay guitarist Slim Dunlap's medical bills. The singer and bassist of the US punk band spent a day in a Minneapolis studio late last month to cut four cover songs that will be released as a limited-edition 10-inch vinyl, reports Rolling Stone. 250 copies of the EP will be auctioned online and the proceeds will be donated to Slim Dunlap, The Replacements' guitarist from 1987 to 1991, who had a severe stroke in February this year.

Donna Summer, Kraftwerk and Public Enemy are among the nominations for 2013's Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame. The other hopefuls are Chic, Rush, Albert King, Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Black Sabbath, The Marvellettes, The Meters, NWA, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Procul Harum and Randy Newman.

Estranged Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has spoken out after parting ways with the heavy metal titans over the summer. Speaking to Eagles Of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes in On The Road - Black Sabbath and the Birth of Heavy Metal - which you can view at Vice.com - Ward said that he hopes to make amends with the band, who recently played a number of comeback shows without him.

The Pogues will celebrate their 30th anniversary with a one-off UK date this year. The band will play London's 02 Arena on December 20. The current line up is Shane MacGowan, Spider Stacy, Jem Finer, James Fearnley, Andrew Ranken, Philip Chevron, Terry Woods and Darryl Hunt. Tickets are £45.00/£35.00/£32.50 and go on sale on Friday, October 5 at 9:30am. They're available from http://www.gigsandtours.com/Tour/THE-POGUES/.

The Shins, The Kills and Seasick Steve are to record live albums at shows at Jack White's Third Man Records complex during "Rocktober". The Shins are to appear on October 6, while The Kills will perform on October 10, Olivia Watt on October 23 and Seasick Steve on October 26. The shows being recorded and released individually on the Third Man label.

Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has released a statement concerning rumours that the rock titans were to split. On Saturday (September 30), during the band's set at the Global Citizen Festival in New York's Central Park, Grohl told the 60,000 strong crowd: "This is it, man. We don't have any [shows] after this."

Damon Albarn last night [October 1] performed a secret, last-minute show with soul singer Bobby Womack at the Notting Hill Arts Club. The impromptu gig was announced via the XL Recordings Twitter account on Friday evening [October 29], and followers were invited to email for the chance to win tickets.

Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has confirmed that the metallers will start work on their new album "soon". The band, who are currently working on a 3D film project, which is helmed by Predators director Nimród Antal, will start work on the follow-up to 2008's Death Magnetic soon, Hammett told Rolling Stone. Following drummer Lars Ulrich's comments that the band already had "tons of ideas sitting around", he said:

Johnny Marr's manager, Joe Moss, has flatly denied any truth in the latest Smiths reunion rumours, telling NME: "It isn't happening. We are fully focused on preparing Johnny's new album for release and booking shows for 2013." Yesterday (October 1), celebrity gossip site Holy Moly created an online buzz by posting an article claiming "several credible sources" had confirmed that The Smiths would reform for four 2013 shows, including Glastonbury Festival.

With The Beatles set to reissue their 1967 film Magical Mystery Tour, previously unseen footage of the band making the film is being shown online.