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Clive Owen Q & A

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Clive Owen Q & A

UNCUT: How far from real life do you think this is? OWEN: Not far. I think that is the point of the movie. I think it is a very clever way of discussing things that are happening now. It is a film set in the future where the future is like now - but worse. It’s almost a warning that we have to be careful about where we are heading. UNCUT:But there is also the feeling of hope, how important is that? OWEN: It’s hugely important. That’s really what the film is about. There’s this sort of thing that has crept into everybody’s life now. We feel pretty hopeless about things and we’ve kinda given in to it. This film is about hope being reawakened. There’s this thing called The Human Project which is the one safe place. Everything else is chaotic, ugly, aggressive and awful. But there is this one thing that no one in the film knows for sure if it really exists. It’s a symbol of hope, a place where there’s good people and where good things can happen. The Human Project is a hugely symbolic thing in the film. UNCUT: Can you tell us about the mental journey your character goes through? OWEN: He’s a very unusual lead character for a movie, because for the first part of the movie he doesn’t want to be there. He’s dragged into the situation. Any opportunity to bail out, he would. Then he finds himself in a situation where he literally has the future of the world in his hands - and suddenly there’s a glimpse of hope and potential, and he wakes up and becomes engaged with the world again. To read Uncut's 4* review of Children Of Men - click here for Mark Spitz's piece

UNCUT: How far from real life do you think this is?

OWEN: Not far. I think that is the point of the movie. I think it is a very clever way of discussing things that are happening now. It is a film set in the future where the future is like now – but worse. It’s almost a warning that we have to be careful about where we are heading.

UNCUT:But there is also the feeling of hope, how important is that?

OWEN: It’s hugely important. That’s really what the film is about. There’s this sort of thing that has crept into everybody’s life now. We feel pretty hopeless about things and we’ve kinda given in to it. This film is about hope being reawakened. There’s this thing called The Human Project which is the one safe place. Everything else is chaotic, ugly, aggressive and awful. But there is this one thing that no one in the film knows for sure if it really exists. It’s a symbol of hope, a place where there’s good people and where good things can happen. The Human Project is a hugely symbolic thing in the film.

UNCUT: Can you tell us about the mental journey your character goes through?

OWEN: He’s a very unusual lead character for a movie, because for the first part of the movie he doesn’t want to be there. He’s dragged into the situation. Any opportunity to bail out, he would. Then he finds himself in a situation where he literally has the future of the world in his hands – and suddenly there’s a glimpse of hope and potential, and he wakes up and becomes engaged with the world again.

To read Uncut’s 4* review of Children Of Men – click here for Mark Spitz’s piece

The Sopranos – Season 6 – Vol 1

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The Sopranos – Season 6 – Vol 1

With The Sopranos, what you see is not what you get. In fact, it's hard to imagine another drama so dedicated to the art of lying. Throughout its six seasons, there's scarcely a scene in which the characters' words could be taken at face value. David Chase's series is about the Mob, yes, but mostly it's about untruths and their consequences. That, and selfishness. And greed. And self-deception. And denial. And death. The values of the average American family. Small wonder Tony needed therapy. At the outset, when Chase decided to retool Scorsese's GoodFellas as a morality play about the family affairs of the Mob, Tony was a Mafioso of the middle-rank, his ambitions held in check by Uncle Junior, while his abusive mother yanked the chains of his mental stability. This season begins with everything under control. Tony is boss. His mother is long dead, and Uncle Junior is paddling on the pebbled shores of dementia. Tony's marriage to Carmela has been repaired - she will swallow her conscience in return for a new house - and the family prevails. It's still midlife, but the crisis has been quelled. Then, blam! Tony ends up in a coma, prompting power plays among his soldiers. The struggle is unseemly, but it does offer extended airtime to some of the supporting characters. The elegantly-coiffured Sil - played like a Tex Avery cartoon by Steven Van Zandt - steps up, but quickly discovers that ambition is a curse. Vito (Joe Gannascoli) - his confidence stoked by the success of a recent diet - looks well-placed for promotion, but is hampered by some unwise sexual adventures. Being a "fenucca" is not a smart move for a made man, and neither is it a good idea to squabble with the irascible Paulie Walnuts. Paulie's sense of injustice is almost thermonuclear, but Tony Sirico plays him with such tender self-mockery that he comes across as a lonely soul, rather than the beast his actions might suggest. The therapist, Dr Melfi, used to operate as a kind of secular priest, offering Tony a kind of confession without guilt, but she is less central here. The role of Carmela, is more significant. Apart from the occasional intervention by her daughter, Meadow, Tony's wife is the only character capable of imagining a different way of life. On vacation in Paris, she visits the remains of some old Roman baths, and turns tearful: "We worry so much, sometimes it seems like that's all we do. But in the end it just gets washed away." But even the saintly Carmela has her price. And then there's Tony: a vicious, violent thug who thinks of nothing but his own gratification. So what's not to like? James Gandolfini has the brutal charisma of Jack Nicholson, but he's also capable of looking boyish and pathetic, or merely dissolute, as he shuffles to the fridge in his white towelling robe. He is physically diminished, but that only makes him less predictable, more dangerous. Chase has faced some criticism that Series 6 is slow, and that nothing significant happens. The first charge has some validity, but the measured pace is a mark of quality. The opening three episodes do offer a challenge to the viewer, but they're works of bold invention, with half of the action unfurling from inside the imagination of the comatose Tony. Not since Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective has there been a drama in which the storyline was hitched so obviously to the delusions of the central character. It's confusing, but it works, and the effect isn't based on suspense. Watch it twice and you can appreciate the quality of the writing, the richness of the language, and the way every action is prefigured by another event. The script is springloaded with consequences, and the prevailing mood is one of doom. As a piece, Season 6 is incomplete. These four discs house the first 12 episodes. The final eight are due in Spring 2007, and a judgment on the conclusion of the series will have to wait. As it stands, everything is finely poised. The end, surely, is nigh. The signs are all around that the old ways don't count for anything in corporate America. Even the priorities of the Feds have changed. They're now more interested with the War on Terror than organised crime. It's all good, and it's all bad. Best moment? The scene where Christopher and his scuzzy pal Corky inject heroin, while Fred Neil's mournful "Dolphins" plays on the soundtrack. Cut to Tony, in therapy, lying, as always, to sexy Dr Melfi. "Every day is a gift," he tells her. "It just ... doesn't have to be a pair of socks." ALASTAIR McKAY To hear what the writer/producer has to say about The Sopranos Series Six - Click here to read a Q & A with David Chase

With The Sopranos, what you see is not what you get. In fact, it’s hard to imagine another drama so dedicated to the art of lying. Throughout its six seasons, there’s scarcely a scene in which the characters’ words could be taken at face value. David Chase’s series is about the Mob, yes, but mostly it’s about untruths and their consequences. That, and selfishness. And greed. And self-deception. And denial. And death. The values of the average American family. Small wonder Tony needed therapy.

At the outset, when Chase decided to retool Scorsese’s GoodFellas as a morality play about the family affairs of the Mob, Tony was a Mafioso of the middle-rank, his ambitions held in check by Uncle Junior, while his abusive mother yanked the chains of his mental stability.

This season begins with everything under control. Tony is boss. His mother is long dead, and Uncle Junior is paddling on the pebbled shores of dementia. Tony’s marriage to Carmela has been repaired – she will swallow her conscience in return for a new house – and the family prevails. It’s still midlife, but the crisis has been quelled. Then, blam! Tony ends up in a coma, prompting power plays among his soldiers.

The struggle is unseemly, but it does offer extended airtime to some of the supporting characters. The elegantly-coiffured Sil – played like a Tex Avery cartoon by Steven Van Zandt – steps up, but quickly discovers that ambition is a curse. Vito (Joe Gannascoli) – his confidence stoked by the success of a recent diet – looks well-placed for promotion, but is hampered by some unwise sexual adventures. Being a “fenucca” is not a smart move for a made man, and neither is it a good idea to squabble with the irascible Paulie Walnuts. Paulie’s sense of injustice is almost thermonuclear, but Tony Sirico plays him with such tender self-mockery that he comes across as a lonely soul, rather than the beast his actions might suggest.

The therapist, Dr Melfi, used to operate as a kind of secular priest, offering Tony a kind of confession without guilt, but she is less central here. The role of Carmela, is more significant. Apart from the occasional intervention by her daughter, Meadow, Tony’s wife is the only character capable of imagining a different way of life. On vacation in Paris, she visits the remains of some old Roman baths, and turns tearful: “We worry so much, sometimes it seems like that’s all we do. But in the end it just gets washed away.” But even the saintly Carmela has her price.

And then there’s Tony: a vicious, violent thug who thinks of nothing but his own gratification. So what’s not to like? James Gandolfini has the brutal charisma of Jack Nicholson, but he’s also capable of looking boyish and pathetic, or merely dissolute, as he shuffles to the fridge in his white towelling robe. He is physically diminished, but that only makes him less predictable, more dangerous.

Chase has faced some criticism that Series 6 is slow, and that nothing significant happens. The first charge has some validity, but the measured pace is a mark of quality. The opening three episodes do offer a challenge to the viewer, but they’re works of bold invention, with half of the action unfurling from inside the imagination of the comatose Tony. Not since Dennis Potter’s The Singing Detective has there been a drama in which the storyline was hitched so obviously to the delusions of the central character.

It’s confusing, but it works, and the effect isn’t based on suspense. Watch it twice and you can appreciate the quality of the writing, the richness of the language, and the way every action is prefigured by another event. The script is springloaded with consequences, and the prevailing mood is one of doom.

As a piece, Season 6 is incomplete. These four discs house the first 12 episodes. The final eight are due in Spring 2007, and a judgment on the conclusion of the series will have to wait. As it stands, everything is finely poised.

The end, surely, is nigh. The signs are all around that the old ways don’t count for anything in corporate America. Even the priorities of the Feds have changed. They’re now more interested with the War on Terror than organised crime.

It’s all good, and it’s all bad. Best moment? The scene where Christopher and his scuzzy pal Corky inject heroin, while Fred Neil’s mournful “Dolphins” plays on the soundtrack. Cut to Tony, in therapy, lying, as always, to sexy Dr Melfi. “Every day is a gift,” he tells her. “It just … doesn’t have to be a pair of socks.”

ALASTAIR McKAY

To hear what the writer/producer has to say about The Sopranos Series Six – Click here to read a Q & A with David Chase

David Chase Q & A

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David Chase Q & A

UNCUT: Tony seems indecisive – why is that? CHASE: If you want to believe that there’s a reality to Tony, that he’s intelligent, that he’s an effective gang boss, there would be times when he would not act on his destructive impulses. He’s also diplomatic. He’s a statesman. He has more than one tool in his toolbox. If he didn’t, we wouldn’t still be on the air. You could have him blasting away at everything in sight with a gun, but it would be a short-term fix. UNCUT: Who is your favourite character? CHASE: One of the keys to the writing of this show is that everyone’s thinking about themselves all the time. There’s a tremendous amount of narcissism and self-involvement. I would say that Junior is all the writers’ favourite character to write. He’s completely out there. It’s like writing a six-year-old child. He doesn’t hold anything back. UNCUT: What can we read into the ending of Season 6? CHASE: Some people have said it was a sentimental happy ending. How you can look at this scene and say things are happy I have no idea. In the life of the Sopranos we’ve seen that human life is cheap. It doesn’t seem like an optimistic Christmas card to me. To read Uncut's 5* review of The Soprano's Series 6 Vol 1 - Click here

UNCUT: Tony seems indecisive – why is that?

CHASE: If you want to believe that there’s a reality to Tony, that he’s intelligent, that he’s an effective gang boss, there would be times when he would not act on his destructive impulses. He’s also diplomatic. He’s a statesman. He has more than one tool in his toolbox. If he didn’t, we wouldn’t still be on the air. You could have him blasting away at everything in sight with a gun, but it would be a short-term fix.

UNCUT: Who is your favourite character?

CHASE: One of the keys to the writing of this show is that everyone’s thinking about themselves all the time. There’s a tremendous amount of narcissism and self-involvement. I would say that Junior is all the writers’ favourite character to write. He’s completely out there. It’s like writing a six-year-old child. He doesn’t hold anything back.

UNCUT: What can we read into the ending of Season 6?

CHASE: Some people have said it was a sentimental happy ending. How you can look at this scene and say things are happy I have no idea. In the life of the Sopranos we’ve seen that human life is cheap. It doesn’t seem like an optimistic Christmas card to me.

To read Uncut’s 5* review of The Soprano’s Series 6 Vol 1 – Click here

Lee And Nancy Get Gothic Makeover

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Lee And Nancy Get Gothic Makeover

The Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra classic ‘Summer Wine’ has been given a gothic makeover by goth metaller Ville Valo and Polish singer Natalia Avelon. ‘Summer Wine’ originally appeared on the 1996 Reprise album ‘Nancy In London,’ and was just one of many commercially successful duets with Lee Hazlewood. The new version of the track by goth-metal band HIM's enigmatic frontman Ville Valo and Avelon is feautured in a forthcoming German film Das Wilde Liben (English title: Eight Miles High) - a biopic about German model and sixties sex symbol Uschi Obermaier. HIM began their career as a covers band their debut studio album contained pop-metal versions of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" and Blue Öyster Cult's "(Don't Fear) The Reaper". ‘Summer Wine’ is due for release on February 27 through Reprise. A trailer for Eight Miles High, which is yet to be scheduled for a UK release, can be viewed at by clicking here

The Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra classic ‘Summer Wine’ has been given a gothic makeover by goth metaller Ville Valo and Polish singer Natalia Avelon.

‘Summer Wine’ originally appeared on the 1996 Reprise album ‘Nancy In London,’ and was just one of many commercially successful duets with Lee Hazlewood.

The new version of the track by goth-metal band HIM’s enigmatic frontman Ville Valo and Avelon is feautured in a forthcoming German film Das Wilde Liben (English title: Eight Miles High) – a biopic about German model and sixties sex symbol Uschi Obermaier.

HIM began their career as a covers band their debut studio album contained pop-metal versions of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” and Blue Öyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”.

‘Summer Wine’ is due for release on February 27 through Reprise.

A trailer for Eight Miles High, which is yet to be scheduled for a UK release, can be viewed at by clicking here

Watch Iggy Pop Get Demonic Over Peanut Butter

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Watch Iggy Pop Get Demonic Over Peanut Butter

Everyday, we bring you the best thing we've seen on YouTube -- a great piece of archive footage, a music promo or a clip from one of our favourite movies of TV shows. Today: See Iggy Pop and his Stooges perform 'TV Eye' live at the Cincinnati Pop Festival in 1970. Pop stage dives into the crowd – leaving the live commentators unsure of what to say. They even cut to an advert break! Watch out for Pop rubbing his chest with peanut butter and throwing it into the eager crowd. Foodstuffs can be rock ‘n’ roll! See the Stooges play with their food – by clicking here now

Everyday, we bring you the best thing we’ve seen on YouTube — a great piece of archive footage, a music promo or a clip from one of our favourite movies of TV shows.

Today: See Iggy Pop and his Stooges perform ‘TV Eye’ live at the Cincinnati Pop Festival in 1970.

Pop stage dives into the crowd – leaving the live commentators unsure of what to say. They even cut to an advert break!

Watch out for Pop rubbing his chest with peanut butter and throwing it into the eager crowd.

Foodstuffs can be rock ‘n’ roll!

See the Stooges play with their food – by clicking here now

Uncut’s 2007 Album Preview Special

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Uncut’s 2007 Album Preview Special

UNCUT: What were the things that you were listening to that were hitting you for the album? JONNIE RUSSELL: There’s definitely a lot of variety of things that I think we were listening to as a band. When we first came together and started playing a couple of years ago there are certain albums we were listening to at the time. A lot of Tom Waits records, Bone Machine and records like that which were seminal records for us. At the same time we were listening to things like Sam Cooke and Nina Simone. Rock music too, from the Velvet Underground to The Modern Lovers. I think we have a lot of reference points and they’re the high points. UNCUT: So how can we expect all that to work into the album? JR: (haha) I’m not sure, I’m not sure how much of those are actually soundalised in there, or kind of conceptionally or stylistically factored in there. I think there’s a little bit of everything there if you listen hard enough. UNCUT: What can we expect from the album then? JR: It’s twelve songs, all of which kind of span the year and a half of our songwriting. There’s a good amount of variety from guitars, rock or blues tunes to some slower, more piano driven songs and some drums and blues kind of prison chants. UNCUT: Do you have a favourite? JR: I don’t think so. UNCUT: What went on in SXSW because you got into quite a bit of a bidding war going on? JR: I think SXSW was probably the beginning to our exposure to the music industry in a more broad sense. Some of the people we spent time with were different labels that were based in LA. The most surprising thing was the interest from over here (UK). It was a really good chance to meet really good people from here in the UK which eventually led to a trip a few months ago to meet some of these people, labels and see them on their own turf. That was probably the most eye-opening experience, being opened up to the industry at large. UNCUT:; Did your experiences at SXSW check in with your opinion of the music industry? JR: I think it in some way coloured it in differently [than] if we'd had experience of being in a band for 15 years. I think it gave us a unique crash-course in it as far as the way people work and sell themselves. It was a really bizarre thing that all of a sudden they’re talking about some songs that you wrote in your basement. It’s a very bizarre to learn those things. UNCUT: What’s the best thing about being Cold War Kids at the moment? JR: That’s the easiest question you’ve asked yet. Getting to wake up in London and walk round the streets and get a coffee because people want to hear our songs over here. That’s like the biggest honour you can imagine, getting over to Europe. None of us ever thought we would, to be here and playing music and not spending your life savings is the best thing in the world about being in a band. Cold War Kids debut ‘Robbers & Cowards’ is released in February through V2 Records.

UNCUT: What were the things that you were listening to that were hitting you for the album?

JONNIE RUSSELL: There’s definitely a lot of variety of things that I think we were listening to as a band. When we first came together and started playing a couple of years ago there are certain albums we were listening to at the time. A lot of Tom Waits records, Bone Machine and records like that which were seminal records for us. At the same time we were listening to things like Sam Cooke and Nina Simone. Rock music too, from the Velvet Underground to The Modern Lovers. I think we have a lot of reference points and they’re the high points.

UNCUT: So how can we expect all that to work into the album?

JR: (haha) I’m not sure, I’m not sure how much of those are actually soundalised in there, or kind of conceptionally or stylistically factored in there. I think there’s a little bit of everything there if you listen hard enough.

UNCUT: What can we expect from the album then?

JR: It’s twelve songs, all of which kind of span the year and a half of our songwriting. There’s a good amount of variety from guitars, rock or blues tunes to some slower, more piano driven songs and some drums and blues kind of prison chants.

UNCUT: Do you have a favourite?

JR: I don’t think so.

UNCUT: What went on in SXSW because you got into quite a bit of a bidding war going on?

JR: I think SXSW was probably the beginning to our exposure to the music industry in a more broad sense. Some of the people we spent time with were different labels that were based in LA. The most surprising thing was the interest from over here (UK). It was a really good chance to meet really good people from here in the UK which eventually led to a trip a few months ago to meet some of these people, labels and see them on their own turf. That was probably the most eye-opening experience, being opened up to the industry at large.

UNCUT:; Did your experiences at SXSW check in with your opinion of the music industry?

JR: I think it in some way coloured it in differently [than] if we’d had experience of being in a band for 15 years. I think it gave us a unique crash-course in it as far as the way people work and sell themselves. It was a really bizarre thing that all of a sudden they’re talking about some songs that you wrote in your basement. It’s a very bizarre to learn those things.

UNCUT: What’s the best thing about being Cold War Kids at the moment?

JR: That’s the easiest question you’ve asked yet. Getting to wake up in London and walk round the streets and get a coffee because people want to hear our songs over here. That’s like the biggest honour you can imagine, getting over to Europe. None of us ever thought we would, to be here and playing music and not spending your life savings is the best thing in the world about being in a band.

Cold War Kids debut ‘Robbers & Cowards’ is released in February through V2 Records.

Dan Sartain Reschedules UK Tour

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Dan Sartain Reschedules UK Tour

Alabama music troubadour Dan Sartain has changed a few dates on his upcoming UK tour. The dates, previously announced on Uncut.co.uk, now includes an additional date in Edinburgh. Sartain’s London show has moved forward one night to February 7, meaning that alas, the planned show at Manchester’s Roadhouse is now cancelled. The full revised dates are as follows: Cambridge, The Loft (February 1) Oxford, Zodiac (2) Bristol, Thekla (3) Leeds, Cockpit (4) Edinburgh, Caberet Voltaire (5) Glasgow, Nice N Sleazy (6) London 100 Club (7) Dan sartian is supported at all shows by other Alabama band, Plate Six. To make up for the short notice change of date for his 100 Club show, Sartain is currently hosting a competition to win tickets to the private after-party at the venue. For the easy competition details – Click here to go to Sartain’s tour homepage Watch the video for Sartain’s new Liam Watson (White Stripes) produced single, ‘Flight of the Finch, released January 29 by clicking here

Alabama music troubadour Dan Sartain has changed a few dates on his upcoming UK tour.

The dates, previously announced on Uncut.co.uk, now includes an additional date in Edinburgh.

Sartain’s London show has moved forward one night to February 7, meaning that alas, the planned show at Manchester’s Roadhouse is now cancelled.

The full revised dates are as follows:

Cambridge, The Loft (February 1)

Oxford, Zodiac (2)

Bristol, Thekla (3)

Leeds, Cockpit (4)

Edinburgh, Caberet Voltaire (5)

Glasgow, Nice N Sleazy (6)

London 100 Club (7)

Dan sartian is supported at all shows by other Alabama band, Plate Six.

To make up for the short notice change of date for his 100 Club show, Sartain is currently hosting a competition to win tickets to the private after-party at the venue.

For the easy competition details – Click here to go to Sartain’s tour homepage

Watch the video for Sartain’s new Liam Watson (White Stripes) produced single, ‘Flight of the Finch, released January 29 by clicking here

Kanye West Keeps It Real

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Kanye West Keeps It Real

US Grammy Award winning rapper Kanye West is to star in a new sit-com, based loosely on his life. The show will centre on West's daily life as a hugely successful rapper and producer and West is helping develop the show with genius producers Larry Charles andf Rick Rubin. Contrary to reports on sites such as Allhiphop.com that the show would be the latest reality TV fodder, West speaking to MTV News, has said, "I wouldn't do something as clichéd as a reality show. At least give me the credit for being more creative than that... For the last couple of years, Larry, Rick and I have been developing this pilot. It's a situational half-hour comedy. It's fictional, and loosely based on my life." Charles previous' exec produced credits include HBO's hit series Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld and more recently the international hit movie Borat.

US Grammy Award winning rapper Kanye West is to star in a new sit-com, based loosely on his life.

The show will centre on West’s daily life as a hugely successful rapper and producer and West is helping develop the show with genius producers Larry Charles andf Rick Rubin.

Contrary to reports on sites such as Allhiphop.com that the show would be the latest reality TV fodder, West speaking to MTV News, has said, “I wouldn’t do something as clichéd as a reality show. At least give me the credit for being more creative than that… For the last couple of years, Larry, Rick and I have been developing this pilot. It’s a situational half-hour comedy. It’s fictional, and loosely based on my life.”

Charles previous’ exec produced credits include HBO’s hit series Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld and more recently the international hit movie Borat.

US Folk Legend To Get UK Parliamentary Honour

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US Folk Legend To Get UK Parliamentary Honour

US folk legend, Tom Paxton will be honoured with an official Parliamentary tribute when he starts his UK tour at the end of the week. Paxton will be visiting the House of Commons on January 22, where his fans include former Labour Party leader Lord Kinnock and current Home Secretary John Reid. The visit to Parliament will take place prior to his show at the nearby Queen Elizabeth Hall. He will be received by a number of his fans in the House of Commons, as well as by many of his friends invited from the folk world. The man behind this warm acknowledgement is Alan Keen, MP for Feltham and Heston, who explained: “Tom has quite a number of fans in Parliament who are not just listeners, but who can also play and sing many of his best known songs." Alan Keen further emphasis the contribution that Paxton has made to popularise folk music, saying, “Tom Paxton has contributed so much to the world of contemporary folk song. His songs of protest against segregation in the southern states of the US in the sixties, apartheid in South Africa, the wars in Vietnam and Iraq through to the ethnic cleansing in the Balkans in the 90's. It was impossible not to be seriously moved by his recent tribute to New York City's fire fighters for their sacrifices following 9/11.” Paxton's UK tour starts this Saturday, and will play the following venues, some tickets are still available for the MP's favourite: Bristol St George’s Hall (Jan 20) London Queen Elizabeth Hall (22) Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (23) Salford Lowry (24) Milton Keynes The Stables (26) Worcester Huntingdon Hall (27) Worcester Huntingdon Hall (28) Gateshead The Sage Gateshead (29) For more information about the honour or for more show details - Click here to go to Tom's homepage

US folk legend, Tom Paxton will be honoured with an official Parliamentary tribute when he starts his UK tour at the end of the week.

Paxton will be visiting the House of Commons on January 22, where his fans include former Labour Party leader Lord Kinnock and current Home Secretary John Reid.

The visit to Parliament will take place prior to his show at the nearby Queen Elizabeth Hall. He will be received by a number of his fans in the House of Commons, as well as by many of his friends invited from the folk world.

The man behind this warm acknowledgement is Alan Keen, MP for Feltham and Heston, who explained: “Tom has quite a number of fans in Parliament who are not just listeners, but who can also play and sing many of his best known songs.”

Alan Keen further emphasis the contribution that Paxton has made to popularise folk music, saying, “Tom Paxton has contributed so much to the world of contemporary folk song. His songs of protest against segregation in the southern states of the US in the sixties, apartheid in South Africa, the wars in Vietnam and Iraq through to the ethnic cleansing in the Balkans in the 90’s. It was impossible not to be seriously moved by his recent tribute to New York City’s fire fighters for their sacrifices following 9/11.”

Paxton’s UK tour starts this Saturday, and will play the following venues, some tickets are still available for the MP’s favourite:

Bristol St George’s Hall (Jan 20)

London Queen Elizabeth Hall (22)

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (23)

Salford Lowry (24)

Milton Keynes The Stables (26)

Worcester Huntingdon Hall (27)

Worcester Huntingdon Hall (28)

Gateshead The Sage Gateshead (29)

For more information about the honour or for more show details – Click here to go to Tom’s homepage

Watch This Serene Leonard Cohen Perfomance

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Watch This Serene Leonard Cohen Perfomance

Everyday, we bring you the best thing we've seen on YouTube -- a great piece of archive footage, a music promo or a clip from one of our favourite movies of TV shows. Today: Watch Leonard Cohen perform a classic rendition of the Old Testament prayer reworking, ‘Who By Fire.’ Cohen is accompanied perfectly by legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins, and a backing choir. Simply beautiful. Check out Cohen and Rollins prayer – by clicking here now

Everyday, we bring you the best thing we’ve seen on YouTube — a great piece of archive footage, a music promo or a clip from one of our favourite movies of TV shows.

Today: Watch Leonard Cohen perform a classic rendition of the Old Testament prayer reworking, ‘Who By Fire.’

Cohen is accompanied perfectly by legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins, and a backing choir.

Simply beautiful.

Check out Cohen and Rollins prayer – by clicking here now

Unreleased Jim Morrison Song Is On Its Way

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Unreleased Jim Morrison Song Is On Its Way

The new album by Perry Farrell is set to feature a previously unreleased Jim Morrison vocal. Morrison's 'Woman In The Window' has been re-worked by former Jane's Addiction frontman Farrell on the debut album by his new band Satellite Party. 'Woman In The Window' is featured on the track 'Ultra Payloaded' from Satellite Party's album of the same name which is due for release in May. The album also features contributions from other stars including New Order's Peter Hook, Black Eyed Pea's Fergie, and Flea and John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Satellite Party are due to play tonight (January 15) as part of the ESPN Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado. They also played a special show last November with the Doors at LA's Whiskey-A-Go-Go as part of the Doors 40th anniversary.

The new album by Perry Farrell is set to feature a previously unreleased Jim Morrison vocal.

Morrison’s ‘Woman In The Window’ has been re-worked by former Jane’s Addiction frontman Farrell on the debut album by his new band Satellite Party.

‘Woman In The Window’ is featured on the track ‘Ultra Payloaded’ from Satellite Party’s album of the same name which is due for release in May.

The album also features contributions from other stars including New Order’s Peter Hook, Black Eyed Pea’s Fergie, and Flea and John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Satellite Party are due to play tonight (January 15) as part of the ESPN Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado.

They also played a special show last November with the Doors at LA’s Whiskey-A-Go-Go as part of the Doors 40th anniversary.

Kaiser Chiefs In Championship Darts Contest!

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Kaiser Chiefs In Championship Darts Contest!

The Kaiser Chiefs, named after a South African football team, have been showing off their sporting prowess, this time at darts. The indie rock group took on former World Dart's Champion Booby George in a doubles contest at the BDO World Championships, that are currently taking place in Lakeside, Essex. Check out the video footage of the Kaisers throwing darts by clicking here now

The Kaiser Chiefs, named after a South African football team, have been showing off their sporting prowess, this time at darts.

The indie rock group took on former World Dart’s Champion Booby George in a doubles contest at the BDO World Championships, that are currently taking place in Lakeside, Essex.

Check out the video footage of the Kaisers throwing darts by clicking here now

Yo La Tengo Cover Arthur Lee

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Yo La Tengo Cover Arthur Lee

Yo La Tengo have released a live session EP through iTunes this week. The four tracks include a live favourite of their cover of Arthur Lee's 'Luci Baines' by his pre-Love band, The American Four. The EP track-listing including the previously unreleased 'El Es Gay' is as follows: 1-El Es Gay 2-Pass the Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind 3-The Weakest Part 4-Luci Baines (Arthur Lee cover) The live version of "Pass The Hatchet, I Think I'm Goodkind" is even more mind-blowing than the rendition on the album, with perfectly executed improvisation. In contrast, 'The Weakest Part' is a stripped down version of the album track with piano and vocals by Georgia. 'I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass' - Yo La Tengo's latest album is available now.

Yo La Tengo have released a live session EP through iTunes this week.

The four tracks include a live favourite of their cover of Arthur Lee’s ‘Luci Baines’ by his pre-Love band, The American Four.

The EP track-listing including the previously unreleased ‘El Es Gay’ is as follows:

1-El Es Gay

2-Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind

3-The Weakest Part

4-Luci Baines (Arthur Lee cover)

The live version of “Pass The Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind” is even more mind-blowing than the rendition on the album, with perfectly executed improvisation.

In contrast, ‘The Weakest Part’ is a stripped down version of the album track with piano and vocals by Georgia.

‘I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass’ – Yo La Tengo’s latest album is available now.

Hold On For The Hold Steady

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Hold On For The Hold Steady

Currently the most talked about band in America, The Hold Steady have just announced an additional London date for their fast selling series of shows in the UK next month. As well being rated Album of The Month in Uncut, The Hold Steady have been acclaimed in pretty much every end of 2006 albums poll for their third album 'Boys And Girls In America' which was released in the US in October last year; from Blender to Village Voice and Billboard to Rolling Stone via David Letterman all singing their garage-rock praises. In the last issue of Uncut, Editor Allan Jones had the following to say, "Meet America’s best new band…..Acute observation, devastating detail, soiled vignettes. It's a holy noise that runs from bone-crunching riffs that recall the Stones, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, the E Street boys and The Replacements to swaggering doo-wop harmonies and hook-filled garage pop....Welcome to the first great album of 2007....5/5" (Album Of The Month) 'Boys and Girls In America' is released in the UK on January 22 and you better be quick if you want to catch them live to see for yourselves what all the fuss is about. The Hold Steady have only played one show in the UK, back in 2004, they supported Les Savy Sav! Catch The Hold Steady at the following venues next month if you can: Manchester Jabez Clegg (February 13) Glasgow Cathouse (14) London Hoxton Bar And Grill (15) (Sold Out) London Club NME @ Koko (16) London Borderline (17) (New added date) London Borderline (18) (Sold Out)

Currently the most talked about band in America, The Hold Steady have just announced an additional London date for their fast selling series of shows in the UK next month.

As well being rated Album of The Month in Uncut, The Hold Steady have been acclaimed in pretty much every end of 2006 albums poll for their third album ‘Boys And Girls In America’ which was released in the US in October last year; from Blender to Village Voice and Billboard to Rolling Stone via David Letterman all singing their garage-rock praises.

In the last issue of Uncut, Editor Allan Jones had the following to say, “Meet America’s best new band…..Acute observation, devastating detail, soiled vignettes. It’s a holy noise that runs from bone-crunching riffs that recall the Stones, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, the E Street boys and The Replacements to swaggering doo-wop harmonies and hook-filled garage pop….Welcome to the first great album of 2007….5/5” (Album Of The Month)

‘Boys and Girls In America’ is released in the UK on January 22 and you better be quick if you want to catch them live to see for yourselves what all the fuss is about.

The Hold Steady have only played one show in the UK, back in 2004, they supported Les Savy Sav!

Catch The Hold Steady at the following venues next month if you can:

Manchester Jabez Clegg (February 13)

Glasgow Cathouse (14)

London Hoxton Bar And Grill (15) (Sold Out)

London Club NME @ Koko (16)

London Borderline (17) (New added date)

London Borderline (18) (Sold Out)

Sonic Youth Among Guests On Secret Album

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Sonic Youth Among Guests On Secret Album

Sonic Youth are amongst the guest collaborators on the latest album from Future pilot AKA, 'Secrets From The Clockhouse.' The 16-tracked album due out on February 5, also features the talents of Belle & Sebastian, Can, Stooges, The Go-Betweens and karine Polwart. 'Secrets From The Clockhouse', is the fourth album conceived, written and produced by Sushil K Dade and is the follow up to 2004's 'Salute Your Soul' which also featured an eclectic range of artists. Glasgow based, Future Pilot AKA's debut album 'A Galaxy of Stars' was highly acclaimed in 1999 and in recent years has recorded with everyone from Cornershop to Alan Vega and Mikey Dread, James Kirk, Vic Godard, Philip Glass, Pastels and Bill Wells to name a handful of others. To coincide with the album's release, Future Pilot AKA will be performing a rare live date on January 28 at the Old Fruitmarket, City Halls in Glasgow. 'Secrets From The Clockhouse' is to be released through Creeping Bent Records.

Sonic Youth are amongst the guest collaborators on the latest album from Future pilot AKA, ‘Secrets From The Clockhouse.’

The 16-tracked album due out on February 5, also features the talents of Belle & Sebastian, Can, Stooges, The Go-Betweens and karine Polwart.

‘Secrets From The Clockhouse’, is the fourth album conceived, written and produced by Sushil K Dade and is the follow up to 2004’s ‘Salute Your Soul’ which also featured an eclectic range of artists.

Glasgow based, Future Pilot AKA’s debut album ‘A Galaxy of Stars’ was highly acclaimed in 1999 and in recent years has recorded with everyone from Cornershop to Alan Vega and Mikey Dread, James Kirk, Vic Godard, Philip Glass, Pastels and Bill Wells to name a handful of others.

To coincide with the album’s release, Future Pilot AKA will be performing a rare live date on January 28 at the Old Fruitmarket, City Halls in Glasgow.

‘Secrets From The Clockhouse’ is to be released through Creeping Bent Records.

Beatles Up For Auction

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Beatles Up For Auction

George Harrison's original handwritten lyrics for The Beatles' While My Guitar Gently Weeps go on sale on Monday January 15. The lyrics will be part of a Cooper Auctions sale in Scottsdale, Arizona and are expected to fetch as much as £400,000. Written for the White Album and recorded by The Beatles in July 1968 with Eric Clapton on guitar, While My Guitar Gently Weeps is one of Harrison's greatest Beatles songs. The lyrics are on sale alongside what is being described the last ever piece of Beatles memorabilia - Sir George Martin's orignal score for the version of the song created for The Beatles' Love album. Sir George has donated all proceeds from the sale of the score - which is signed by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison, Yoko Ono and Martin himself - to the George Martin Music Foundation charity.

George Harrison’s original handwritten lyrics for The Beatles’ While My Guitar Gently Weeps go on sale on Monday January 15.

The lyrics will be part of a Cooper Auctions sale in Scottsdale, Arizona and are expected to fetch as much as £400,000.

Written for the White Album and recorded by The Beatles in July 1968 with Eric Clapton on guitar, While My Guitar Gently Weeps is one of Harrison’s greatest Beatles songs.

The lyrics are on sale alongside what is being described the last ever piece of Beatles memorabilia – Sir George Martin’s orignal score for the version of the song created for The Beatles’ Love album.

Sir George has donated all proceeds from the sale of the score – which is signed by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison, Yoko Ono and Martin himself – to the George Martin Music Foundation charity.

Sneaky Pete Kleinow 1932-2007

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Sneaky Pete Kleinow 1932-2007

Uncut is deeply saddened to learn of the death of the Flying Burrito Brother's pioneering pedal-steel maestro in a Californian nursing home on January 6. He was 72 and had been ill with Alzheimer's Disease. Sneaky Pete Kleinow was a pioneer of the fusion of country and rock which Gram Parsons dubbed 'Cosmic American Music.' He took the pedal steel guitar - an instrument previously associated with lachrymose redneck ballads and hackneyed swing records - and applied it for the first time in a rock'n'roll context. His versatile playing, heard to potent effect on the Flying Burrito Brothers' 1969 masterpiece, The Gilded Palace Of Sin, sent ripples throughout the rock world that are still being felt today. Suddenly, everybody wanted a pedal steel: Jerry Garcia and Jimmy Page experimented with the instrument on albums by the Grateful Dead and Led Zeppelin, while Sneaky Pete's own skills adorned recordings by the likes of Joe Cocker, Delaney & Bonnie, Little Feat, John Lennon, Frank Zappa, Stevie Wonder and Jackson Browne among others. Unknown to many fans of his music, he also enjoyed a highly successful parallel career as a special effects animator, working on such films as The Empire Strikes Back, The Right Stuff, Gremlins, and Terminator I and II. Born on August 20, 1934, in South Bend, Indiana, he began playing the steel guitar at the age of 17 but spent the first decade of his working life as a maintenance man for the Michigan State Highway Department. In 1963, he relocated to Los Angeles to take a day job as an animator in films and television. His nights, however, were spent in the city's clubs, sitting in with country bands from the nearby Bakersfield scene. Spotted by Parsons and Chris Hillman in early 1968, he was invited to help them reinforce The Byrds' country leanings. In the event, the band's internal politics meant that he never became a fully-fledged member, although he played club dates as a sideman. However, when Hillman and Parsons left to form The Flying Burrito Brothers, Kleinow became a founder member. He stayed with the Burritos until 1971, appearing on the band's first three LPs. Three years later he helped to reform them with a different line-up and was a mainstay until the early 1980s. He subsequently participated in a number of Burritos reunions, in addition to releasing several solo LPs and working prolifically as an in-demand session man. He fell ill with Alzheimer's Disease in 2006 and spent the last six months of his life in a care home.

Uncut is deeply saddened to learn of the death of the Flying Burrito

Brother’s pioneering pedal-steel maestro in a Californian nursing home on

January 6. He was 72 and had been ill with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Sneaky Pete Kleinow was a pioneer of the fusion of country and rock which Gram Parsons dubbed ‘Cosmic American Music.’ He took the pedal steel guitar – an instrument previously associated with lachrymose redneck

ballads and hackneyed swing records – and applied it for the first time in

a rock’n’roll context. His versatile playing, heard to potent effect on

the Flying Burrito Brothers’ 1969 masterpiece, The Gilded Palace Of Sin,

sent ripples throughout the rock world that are still being felt today.

Suddenly, everybody wanted a pedal steel: Jerry Garcia and Jimmy Page

experimented with the instrument on albums by the Grateful Dead and Led

Zeppelin, while Sneaky Pete’s own skills adorned recordings by the likes of

Joe Cocker, Delaney & Bonnie, Little Feat, John Lennon, Frank Zappa, Stevie Wonder and Jackson Browne among others. Unknown to many fans of his music, he also enjoyed a highly successful parallel career as a special effects animator, working on such films as The Empire Strikes Back, The Right Stuff, Gremlins, and Terminator I and II.

Born on August 20, 1934, in South Bend, Indiana, he began playing the steel guitar at the age of 17 but spent the first decade of his working life as a maintenance man for the Michigan State Highway Department. In 1963, he relocated to Los Angeles to take a day job as an animator in films and television. His nights, however, were spent in the city’s clubs, sitting in with country bands from the nearby Bakersfield scene. Spotted by Parsons and Chris Hillman in early 1968, he was invited to help them reinforce The Byrds’ country leanings.

In the event, the band’s internal politics meant that he never became a fully-fledged member, although he played club dates as a sideman. However, when Hillman and Parsons left to form The Flying Burrito Brothers, Kleinow became a founder member. He stayed with the Burritos until 1971, appearing on the band’s first three LPs. Three years later he helped to reform them with a different line-up and was a mainstay until the early 1980s. He subsequently participated in a number of Burritos reunions, in addition to releasing several solo LPs and working prolifically as an in-demand session man.

He fell ill with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2006 and spent the last six months

of his life in a care home.

REM To Be Inducted In Hall of Fame

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REM To Be Inducted In Hall of Fame

REM are amongst the five chosen to be inducted in this years´ US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Patti Smith, Van Halen, The Ronettes and Grandmaster Flash will also be honoured in the annual ceremony in March. Artists are eligible for the honour of induction 25 years after their first music recording. R.E.M. released their debut single in 1982, later achieving commercial success with "Out of Time," their 1991 album that featured the worldwide hits, "Losing My Religion" and "Shiny Happy People." Patti Smith´s 1975 debut album "Horses" has repeatedly been voted one of the most influential rock albums of all time, and the punk icon was chosen to headline the finale bill at New York´s legendary venue CBGBs late last year.

REM are amongst the five chosen to be inducted in this years´ US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Patti Smith, Van Halen, The Ronettes and Grandmaster Flash will also be honoured in the annual ceremony in March.

Artists are eligible for the honour of induction 25 years after their first music recording.

R.E.M. released their debut single in 1982, later achieving commercial success with “Out of Time,” their 1991 album that featured the worldwide hits, “Losing My Religion” and “Shiny Happy People.”

Patti Smith´s 1975 debut album “Horses” has repeatedly been voted one of the most influential rock albums of all time, and the punk icon was chosen to headline the finale bill at New York´s legendary venue CBGBs late last year.

Experimental Bob Dylan Biopic Imminent

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Experimental Bob Dylan Biopic Imminent

The rights to Todd Haynes biopic of Uncut´s Man of 2006 Bob Dylan have been snapped up by former Miramax producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein. The film´s working title is "I´m Not There: Suppositions On A Film Concerning Bob Dylan" and will portray various parts of the troubadour´s life as well as featuring a soundtrack performed by the great man himself. Willie Nelson and Yo La Tengo, and other artists that have previously recorded cover versions of Dylan tracks are also said to be contributing to the soundtrack. The new film will star a host of Hollywood A-listers - Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett are all set to portray Bob Dylan at various times throughout his life. Julianne Moore, Adrien Brody and Charlotte Gainsbourg also have as yet unrevealed parts in the film. Maverick director Haynes´experimental film is scheduled for release in the US at the end of the year, with a UK release planned for early 2008.

The rights to Todd Haynes biopic of Uncut´s Man of 2006 Bob Dylan have been snapped up by former Miramax producers Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

The film´s working title is “I´m Not There: Suppositions On A Film Concerning Bob Dylan” and will portray various parts of the troubadour´s life as well as featuring a soundtrack performed by the great man himself.

Willie Nelson and Yo La Tengo, and other artists that have previously recorded cover versions of Dylan tracks are also said to be contributing to the soundtrack.

The new film will star a host of Hollywood A-listers – Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett are all set to portray Bob Dylan at various times throughout his life.

Julianne Moore, Adrien Brody and Charlotte Gainsbourg also have as yet unrevealed parts in the film.

Maverick director Haynes´experimental film is scheduled for release in the US at the end of the year, with a UK release planned for early 2008.

Punk Elvis Dan Sartain Returns To The UK

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Punk Elvis Dan Sartain Returns To The UK

Uncut favourite Dan Sartain is to return to the UK for a series of shows, including an already sold-out show in London, this February. Gaining much acclaim in 2006, Uncut, Rolling Stone, ID and Spin magazine all highly rate the rambling, poetic Alabama singer songwriter, and to tie in with the dates, January 29 also sees the release of his Liam Watson(White Stripes) produced new single, ´Flight Of The Finch.´ To watch the video for the new track which is already a live favourite, click here Sartain brings with him on tour fellow Birmingham band, Plate Six, who also emerged from independent Alabama label, The Bent Rail Foundation. You can catch the rockabilly troubadour and guests at the following venues next month: Cambridge, The Loft (February 1) Oxford, Zodiac (2) Bristol, Thekla (3) Leeds, Cockpit (4) Glasgow, Nice N Sleazy (6) Manchester, Roadhouse (7) London, 100 Club (8)

Uncut favourite Dan Sartain is to return to the UK for a series of shows, including an already sold-out show in London, this February.

Gaining much acclaim in 2006, Uncut, Rolling Stone, ID and Spin magazine all highly rate the rambling, poetic Alabama singer songwriter, and to tie in with the dates, January 29 also sees the release of his Liam Watson(White Stripes) produced new single, ´Flight Of The Finch.´

To watch the video for the new track which is already a live favourite, click here

Sartain brings with him on tour fellow Birmingham band, Plate Six, who also emerged from independent Alabama label, The Bent Rail Foundation.

You can catch the rockabilly troubadour and guests at the following venues next month:

Cambridge, The Loft (February 1)

Oxford, Zodiac (2)

Bristol, Thekla (3)

Leeds, Cockpit (4)

Glasgow, Nice N Sleazy (6)

Manchester, Roadhouse (7)

London, 100 Club (8)

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