David Bowie has broken his silence to say he is not involved in a retrospective of his costumes at London's Victoria & Albert Museum. The Observer reported this week that the legendary singer would co-curate an exhibition of his life and work told through his extravagant costumes next year. The show was said to chart his rise to cult status, using his collection of outfits to document his changing identity, with him selecting outfits for the retrospective.

50 years is a long time to wait for a book. In September 1956, Alan Garner started writing his debut novel, a children’s book set among the landscape and folklore he’d known all his life – Alderley Edge in Cheshire, 12 miles south of Manchester. First published in 1960, The Weirdstone Of Brisingamen followed the adventures of 12 year-old twins, Colin and Susan, on the Edge – “a long-backed hill… high and sombre and black.”

One bright morning a couple of weeks ago, I was unpacking CDs in my new house and found Four Tet’s “Pause” as an ideal soundtrack. Eleven years old, it still sounded wonderful: beatific but fleet of foot; contemporary in spite of folktronica, or whatever it was called (the pricelessly daft “Idylltronica” was even better), being a very fleeting fad. I think Kieran Hebden once blamed me for coming up with that folktronica tag; wrongly, I hope.

Real life slice of Texan noir...

Eddie Van Halen could be out of action for six months after undergoing emergency surgery. Van Halen, lead guitarist in the band of the same name, had been suffering from a severe case of Diverticulitis. The disease is a digestive disorder which involves an inflammation and infection of the colon.

Bob Dylan has unveiled the video for his brand new single "Duquesne Whistle". Click above to watch the video, directed by Nash Edgerton and set on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. The promo features a number of appearances from the legendary singer songwriter, who is seen strolling through the city at night.

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 __________________________

Metallica have unveiled their cover of Deep Purple's "When A Blind Man Cries". Click above to listen to the track in full. The track is taken from to a new Deep Purple tribute album, which is titled Re-Machined: A Tribute to Machine Head, and will see a selection of acts including Iron Maiden, Chickenfoot and The Flaming Lips covering each of the tracks on Deep Purple's classic 1972 album Machine Head.

Elbow singer Guy Garvey has announced that he will be launching a vinyl-only record label. In an interview with the BBC, the singer said he will be releasing a series of four-track EPs – one of which will be instrumental and one will be spoken word. Each release will feature a free download code too.

Red Hot Chili Peppers have unveiled the next two tracks in the set of 18 new singles they are set to release over the next six months. The tracks are titled "Magpie's On Fire" and "Victorian Machinery" and you can hear them by scrolling down to the bottom of the page and clicking. They will be formally released on September 11. The band released tracks titled 'Strange Man' and 'Long Progession' earlier this month and will release another two tracks, this time titled 'Never Is A Long Time' and 'Love Of Your Life', on October 2.