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Ask Mike Scott!

Michael Bonner
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0
Ask Mike Scott!

Ahead of a UK dates to support the new Waterboys album, An Appointment With Mr Yates, Mike Scott will answer your questions in Uncut as part of our regular Audience With... feature. So is there anything you've always wanted to ask Scott..? What are his memories of living in the Findhorn commune? Does he ever get tired of "Whole Of The Moon"? Apart from Jimi Hendrix, are there any other dead rock stars he'd like to see come back to life for 24 hours? Send your questions to us by noon, Monday, January 23 to uncutaudiencewith@ipcmedia.com The best questions, and Scott's answers will be published in a future edition of Uncut magazine. Please include your name and location with your question.

Ahead of a UK dates to support the new Waterboys album, An Appointment With Mr Yates, Mike Scott will answer your questions in Uncut as part of our regular Audience With… feature.

So is there anything you’ve always wanted to ask Scott..?

What are his memories of living in the Findhorn commune?

Does he ever get tired of “Whole Of The Moon”?

Apart from Jimi Hendrix, are there any other dead rock stars he’d like to see come back to life for 24 hours?

Send your questions to us by noon, Monday, January 23 to uncutaudiencewith@ipcmedia.com

The best questions, and Scott’s answers will be published in a future edition of Uncut magazine.

Please include your name and location with your question.

A first listen to Bruce Springsteen’s “We Take Care Of Our Own”

John Mulvey
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0
A first listen to Bruce Springsteen’s “We Take Care Of Our Own”

Following on from yesterday’s news story about the new Bruce Springsteen album “Wrecking Ball”, “We Take Care Of Our Own” has surfaced this morning. I spotted a tweet overnight from one of our writers in the States, Bud Scoppa, who noted, “Re new Bruce cut: he's just copying The War On Drugs. Loving Slave Ambient after getting hooked on "Baby Missiles" off Uncut '11 best comp.” There’s certainly something akin to the War On Drugs’ whirring, reverberant depth of field on “We Take Care Of Our Own” (the intro, especially), though to these ears it seems to continue the mix of muscular celebration and vintage pop reverence that was so prominent on both “Working On A Dream” and the buried treasures of “The Promise”. Most strikingly – and the internet confirms that I’m hardly the first to spot this – the refrain is naggingly similar to “Always Something There To Remind Me”, or perhaps “Needles And Pins”. There’s a sense too – on my first couple of listens, at least – that this first single from “Wrecking Ball” has something of “Born In The USA”; a state-of-the-nation anthem that juxtaposes national pride with a sorrowful indictment of the current situation. It’s explicit in the lyrics – “The road of good intentions has gone dry as bone”, “We yelled ‘help’ but the cavalry stayed home”, and, frequently reasserted, “Where's the promise, from sea to shining sea?” Whether these nuances will be picked up by the entirety of a fist-pumping stadium crowd remains to be seen: as with so many of Springsteen’s most heartfelt and cunning big songs, there’s something here for everyone. Not least a tune that’ll stick in your head for the rest of the year. Have a listen, please, and let’s talk about it. Follow me on Twitter: @JohnRMulvey

Following on from yesterday’s news story about the new Bruce Springsteen album “Wrecking Ball”, “We Take Care Of Our Own” has surfaced this morning.

I spotted a tweet overnight from one of our writers in the States, Bud Scoppa, who noted, “Re new Bruce cut: he’s just copying The War On Drugs. Loving Slave Ambient after getting hooked on “Baby Missiles” off Uncut ’11 best comp.”

There’s certainly something akin to the War On Drugs’ whirring, reverberant depth of field on “We Take Care Of Our Own” (the intro, especially), though to these ears it seems to continue the mix of muscular celebration and vintage pop reverence that was so prominent on both “Working On A Dream” and the buried treasures of “The Promise”. Most strikingly – and the internet confirms that I’m hardly the first to spot this – the refrain is naggingly similar to “Always Something There To Remind Me”, or perhaps “Needles And Pins”.

There’s a sense too – on my first couple of listens, at least – that this first single from “Wrecking Ball” has something of “Born In The USA”; a state-of-the-nation anthem that juxtaposes national pride with a sorrowful indictment of the current situation. It’s explicit in the lyrics – “The road of good intentions has gone dry as bone”, “We yelled ‘help’ but the cavalry stayed home”, and, frequently reasserted, “Where’s the promise, from sea to shining sea?”

Whether these nuances will be picked up by the entirety of a fist-pumping stadium crowd remains to be seen: as with so many of Springsteen’s most heartfelt and cunning big songs, there’s something here for everyone. Not least a tune that’ll stick in your head for the rest of the year. Have a listen, please, and let’s talk about it.

Follow me on Twitter: @JohnRMulvey

Music video released for The Doors and Skrillex collaboration

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Music video released for The Doors and Skrillex collaboration

A music video for the collaboration between the remaining members of The Doors and DJ and producer Skrillex, 'Breakin' A Sweat', has been released. Scroll down to watch the video for the track – which was created the Re:Generation documentary, which also featured DJ Premier, Mark Ronson, Pretty Lights and The Crystal Method. Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger and John Densmore, the surviving members of The Doors, appear on the track with the US techno and dubstep artist. For more information on Re:Generation, which sees five DJs 'reimagining' different kinds of traditional music, visit regenerationmusicproject.com. A previously unheard track from The Doors was recently unearthed and will be included on the forthcoming reissue of the band's classic album 'LA Woman', which is released next week. The song, entitled, 'She Smells So Nice' was discovered by producer Bruce Botnick, while going through old session tapes in order to put together the reissue for the album's 40th anniversary. Last summer saw the 40th anniversary of the death of The Doors' frontman Jim Morrison, who passed away in Paris at age 27, on July 3, 1971.

A music video for the collaboration between the remaining members of The Doors and DJ and producer Skrillex, ‘Breakin’ A Sweat’, has been released.

Scroll down to watch the video for the track – which was created the Re:Generation documentary, which also featured DJ Premier, Mark Ronson, Pretty Lights and The Crystal Method.

Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger and John Densmore, the surviving members of The Doors, appear on the track with the US techno and dubstep artist.

For more information on Re:Generation, which sees five DJs ‘reimagining’ different kinds of traditional music, visit regenerationmusicproject.com.

A previously unheard track from The Doors was recently unearthed and will be included on the forthcoming reissue of the band’s classic album ‘LA Woman’, which is released next week. The song, entitled, ‘She Smells So Nice’ was discovered by producer Bruce Botnick, while going through old session tapes in order to put together the reissue for the album’s 40th anniversary.

Last summer saw the 40th anniversary of the death of The Doors‘ frontman Jim Morrison, who passed away in Paris at age 27, on July 3, 1971.

The National confirmed to curate December ATP festival

Tom Goodwyn
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0
The National confirmed to curate December ATP festival
The National will curate the ATP festival at Butlin's Minehead, Somerset on December 7-9. The Brooklyn-based band will be playing their only UK show of the year at the event. Other acts set to play across the three days include Kronos Quartet, The Antlers, Owen Pallett, Boris, Tim Hecker, Sharon ...

The National will curate the ATP festival at Butlin’s Minehead, Somerset on December 7-9.

The Brooklyn-based band will be playing their only UK show of the year at the event. Other acts set to play across the three days include Kronos Quartet, The Antlers, Owen Pallett, Boris, Tim Hecker, Sharon Van Etten, My Brightest Diamond, Wye Oak, Lower Dens, Megafaun and Suuns.

In total 40 bands will play over the weekend, with more additions to the line-up to come. The event will also feature films chosen by The National playing in the cinema, as well as a book club, also curated by the band.

Tickets – which must be booked in groups of between two and seven – go on sale at 10am on January 20 at 2pm (GMT).

ATP‘s next three day event will be the Jeff Mangum curated ATP festival in Minehead on March 9-11, which was postponed from last year.

The festival will see sets from The Magnetic Fields, Joanna Newsom, Thurston Moore, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Fall, Low, Young Marble Giants and more. For a full line-up, see ATPfestival.com.

New Bruce Springsteen album to feature guest spot from R.A.T.M’s Tom Morello

Tom Goodwyn
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0
New Bruce Springsteen album to feature guest spot from R.A.T.M’s Tom Morello
Bruce Springsteen's manager Jon Landau has spoken about the songwriter's 17th studio album, which is set for release later this year. The album, which follows 2007's 'Magic' and 2010's 'The Promise', is, according to Landau a "big picture piece of work". In an interview with Rolling Stone, Landau...

Bruce Springsteen‘s manager Jon Landau has spoken about the songwriter’s 17th studio album, which is set for release later this year.

The album, which follows 2007’s ‘Magic’ and 2010’s ‘The Promise’, is, according to Landau a “big picture piece of work”. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Landau said: “It’s a rock record that combines elements of both Bruce’s classic sound and his Seeger Sessions experience, with new textures and styles.”

Produced by Ron Aniello, the album also features an appearance from Rage Against The Machine‘s Tom Morello – pictured below. “It was an experimental effort with a new producer,” says Landau. “Bruce and Ron used a wide variety of players to create something that both rocks and is very fresh.”

Landau has also said the album, which has not yet been named or a release date announced, has “social overtones” and a “very pronounced spiritual dimension”.

Springsteen is scheduled to deliver the keynote speech at South By Southwest in Austin, Texas on March 15, fuelling speculation that an album may coincide with the appearance.

Springsteen and The E Street Band, who lost saxophone player Clarence Clemons last year, have announced a round of UK tour dates for June and July.

They will play:

Sunderland Stadium of Light (June 21)

Manchester Etihad Stadium (22)

Isle Of Wight Festival (24)

London Hard Rock Calling (July 14)

Happy Mondays set to reform with original line-up

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Happy Mondays set to reform with original line-up

The Happy Mondays have announced their plans to reform with the band's original line-up, including backing vocalist and former X Factor finalist Rowetta. The Manchester icons, fronted by Shaun Ryder, will be touring the UK this summer as well as playing festival shows. No dates have yet been announced but it is thought that an official statement will be released in the coming weeks. Discovered at a Battle of the Bands at Manchester's Hacidena in 1985, the band released the seminal albums 'Squirrel And The G-Man', 'Bummed', and 'Thrills Pills And Bellyaches' before disbanding in 1992. Happy Mondays have reunited twice before, most recently in 2004, but without founding members Mark Day, Paul Davis, Rowetta Satchell and Paul Ryder. Paul had sworn he wanted nothing to do with the band again when they split for a second time in 2000. Late last year Shaun Ryder hinted that the band might reform. In an interview with The Sun, the singer confirmed he had been talking to other members of the band's original line-up to discuss a comeback, but refused to reveal which specific people he had been sounding out. Rumours of a Happy Mondays reunion first circulated in early December when a report claimed that they were set to reform for a full tour and documentary next year. However, the band's representative told NME that the group had no immediate plans to reform with their original line-up and insisted that although Ryder and his brother Paul were on better terms, it was a "bit of a leap" to suggest that the Happy Mondays had anything planned for 2012. The band have released five albums, with their most recent effort 'Uncle Dysfunktional' coming out in 2007.

The Happy Mondays have announced their plans to reform with the band’s original line-up, including backing vocalist and former X Factor finalist Rowetta.

The Manchester icons, fronted by Shaun Ryder, will be touring the UK this summer as well as playing festival shows. No dates have yet been announced but it is thought that an official statement will be released in the coming weeks.

Discovered at a Battle of the Bands at Manchester’s Hacidena in 1985, the band released the seminal albums ‘Squirrel And The G-Man’, ‘Bummed’, and ‘Thrills Pills And Bellyaches’ before disbanding in 1992. Happy Mondays have reunited twice before, most recently in 2004, but without founding members Mark Day, Paul Davis, Rowetta Satchell and Paul Ryder. Paul had sworn he wanted nothing to do with the band again when they split for a second time in 2000.

Late last year Shaun Ryder hinted that the band might reform. In an interview with The Sun, the singer confirmed he had been talking to other members of the band’s original line-up to discuss a comeback, but refused to reveal which specific people he had been sounding out.

Rumours of a Happy Mondays reunion first circulated in early December when a report claimed that they were set to reform for a full tour and documentary next year.

However, the band’s representative told NME that the group had no immediate plans to reform with their original line-up and insisted that although Ryder and his brother Paul were on better terms, it was a “bit of a leap” to suggest that the Happy Mondays had anything planned for 2012.

The band have released five albums, with their most recent effort ‘Uncle Dysfunktional’ coming out in 2007.

Blur’s Alex James comes under fire for promoting McDonald’s and KFC

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Blur’s Alex James comes under fire for promoting McDonald’s and KFC
Blur's Alex James has found himself at the centre of a 'Twitter-storm' after singing the praises of fast food manufacturers and their products. Writing in The Sun, where he is employed as a food columnist, the bassist compared a branch of McDonald's which he was given a tour of to a "Michelin-sta...

Blur‘s Alex James has found himself at the centre of a ‘Twitter-storm’ after singing the praises of fast food manufacturers and their products.

Writing in The Sun, where he is employed as a food columnist, the bassist compared a branch of McDonald’s which he was given a tour of to a “Michelin-starred restaurant’. He added: “When it’s busy in a Michelin kitchen, all the chefs are doing is putting pre-prepared parts of a meal together, which is essentially the same as McDonald’s.”

The piece, which also saw him visit a McDonald’s burger factory, Greggs’ bakery and a branch of KFC, went on to say: “My day with McDonald’s didn’t put me off eating there at all… I was dazzled by the whole process from farm to factory to burger.”

The article has now been criticised as being nothing more than a ‘puff piece’ by users of social networking site Twitter. They have accused cheesemaker James of selling out, promoting unhealthy food and penning a free advert for the fast food chains, with one user, Richard King, branding James the “indie [Jeremy] Clarkson”. James is pictured with Clarkson and Prime Minister David Cameron above.

The Real Food Festival commented that James was “looking like he’s sold another piece of his soul, this time to McD and Greggs” while Munch Local wrote: “Blimey, talk about selling out Alex James. Guess the food business is down the pan then. No credibility from advertising Greggs, McD & KFC.”

Barack Obama seeks Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend to help with re-election campaign

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Barack Obama seeks Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend to help with re-election campaign

US President Barack Obama is apparently seeking support from a host of music names for his re-election campaign, including Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend and Jay-Z. A list printed in the Tennessean paper – via Rolling Stone - has stated that the President has included the above names, as well as Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, Alicia Keys, Janelle Monae, Jack Johnson, The Roots and John Legend, on his 'wish list' of supporters from the music world. The long list of names was sent to campaign donors and includes a number of possible names for celebrity endorsement and appearances for the current president's re-election campaign. Of the names listed, Jay-Z and John Legend have already publicly supported Obama, appearing on his behalf during his 2008 presidential campaign. Last month former Pink Floyd co-frontman Roger Waters pleaded with US President Barack Obama to "develop bigger cojones". In an interview with Rolling Stone, Waters admitted that he was "very disappointed" with the politician's foreign policy and said that although he would still vote for Obama this year, he wanted him to be more courageous. "I'm very, very disappointed by his foreign policy," he said. "It obviously goes against everything that I believe. Having said that, it seems that the alternative to re-electing Obama would be such a heinous disaster for this country if you look at the candidates on the other side."

US President Barack Obama is apparently seeking support from a host of music names for his re-election campaign, including Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend and Jay-Z.

A list printed in the Tennessean paper – via Rolling Stone – has stated that the President has included the above names, as well as Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, Alicia Keys, Janelle Monae, Jack Johnson, The Roots and John Legend, on his ‘wish list’ of supporters from the music world.

The long list of names was sent to campaign donors and includes a number of possible names for celebrity endorsement and appearances for the current president’s re-election campaign. Of the names listed, Jay-Z and John Legend have already publicly supported Obama, appearing on his behalf during his 2008 presidential campaign.

Last month former Pink Floyd co-frontman Roger Waters pleaded with US President Barack Obama to “develop bigger cojones”. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Waters admitted that he was “very disappointed” with the politician’s foreign policy and said that although he would still vote for Obama this year, he wanted him to be more courageous.

“I’m very, very disappointed by his foreign policy,” he said. “It obviously goes against everything that I believe. Having said that, it seems that the alternative to re-electing Obama would be such a heinous disaster for this country if you look at the candidates on the other side.”

Tom Petty to play second Royal Albert Hall show

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Tom Petty to play second Royal Albert Hall show
Tom Petty has added at second date at London's Royal Albert Hall to his short UK and Ireland tour this June. The new show will take place on June 18 in addition to the previously announced show on June 20, after an overwhelming demand during the fans' only pre-sale yesterday (January 17). The si...

Tom Petty has added at second date at London’s Royal Albert Hall to his short UK and Ireland tour this June.

The new show will take place on June 18 in addition to the previously announced show on June 20, after an overwhelming demand during the fans’ only pre-sale yesterday (January 17).

The singer, along with his band The Heartbreakers, will play gigs in Dublin and Cork as well as London. All four shows precede his headline slot at the Isle Of Wight Festival.

Petty will first play Dublin’s O2 Arena on June 7, then Cork’s ‘Live At The Marquee’ event on June 8 before heading to London’s Royal Albert Hall for two shows.

Petty headlines Isle Of Wight Festival two days after the London show on June 22, with Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen acting as the event’s other headliners.

The singer released his 12th studio album ‘Mojo’ last year.

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers will play:

Dublin O2 Arena (June 7)

Cork Live At The Marquee (8)

London Royal Albert Hall (18, 20)

The Cure announce five further festival shows for this summer

Tom Goodwyn
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0
The Cure announce five further festival shows for this summer
The Cure have announced five further festival appearances for this summer. The band, who confirmed earlier this week that they will be appearing at Hultsfred festival in Sweden as well as German festivals Southside and Hurricane, have now added a series of other European dates. The Cure will he...

The Cure have announced five further festival appearances for this summer.

The band, who confirmed earlier this week that they will be appearing at Hultsfred festival in Sweden as well as German festivals Southside and Hurricane, have now added a series of other European dates.

The Cure will headline Holland’s Pinkpop on May 26, France’s Les Eurockeennes, Denmark’s Roskilde festival and the Heineken Jammin’ and Rock In Roma festivals, which are both in Italy. They have yet to confirm any UK dates.

The band recently completed a run of dates, including one at London’s Royal Albert Hall, which saw them performing their debut album ‘Three Imaginary Boys’ (1979), plus 1980’s ‘Seventeen Seconds’ and 1981’s ‘Faith’ in their entirety.

They also recently released a live album of their 2011 Bestival headline set in December. The 32-song, two-and-a-half-hour set was released on double CD, with all the profits from sales donated to the Isle Of Wight Youth Trust, a charitable, independent and professional organisation which offers counselling, advice, information and support services to young people aged 25 and under on the Isle of Wight.

Serge Gainsbourg – Histoire De Melody Nelson: Deluxe Edition

Michael Bonner
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0
Serge Gainsbourg – Histoire De Melody Nelson: Deluxe Edition

Paris, 1968. On the set of a nondescript film called Slogan, 22 year old English actress Jane Birkin finds herself playing the love interest of a washed-up advertising executive undergoing a midlife crisis. In real life, Birkin’s three year marriage to Bond-theme composer John Barry is falling apart. She embarks on an affair with her leading man, a French pop star called Serge Gainsbourg, ushering in a year he would later call “un année erotique”, during which the duo would record a hit single, “Je T’aime… Moi Non Plus”, banned by the BBC for its suggestive sexuality. The age of free love produced surprisingly few outright celebrations of sex in music, with “Je T’aime…” a notable exception. But two years later, with Birkin playing the gamine-muse to the hilt, Gainsbourg recorded Histoire De Melody Nelson, a concept album that fictionalised their affair in a voyage to the dark side of the libido. Melody Nelson is generally regarded as Gainsbourg’s career high, fêted by the likes of Jarvis Cocker, Beck, David Holmes, Portishead and Air. Its musical appeal is greatly indebted to composer-arranger Jean-Claude Vannier and producer Jean-Claude Charvier, who took the original backing tapes from a London session (featuring Dougie Wright, Herbie Flowers, Big Jim Sullivan, Vic Flick) and painstakingly married them up with a 30-strong string section that swoops and wheels around the loping backbeats in a kind of concerto for funk group and chamber orchestra. But any pleasure in its seductive texture must be tempered as soon as its disquieting subject matter unfolds. Birkin’s voice wafts in like a refrain, whispering “Melody Nelson” as intensely as though she’s trying to pull Gainsbourg out of a coma. Which she may well have been, as he vocalises throughout in a subdued, vaguely menacing ‘speech-song’ that sounds emptied-out by experience. And it goes something like this: a 43 year old man, cruising in his Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, knocks a teenage girl off her bike. This introduction is a sustained dream sequence, in which Gainsbourg describes running his Roller onto the pavement “in a zone, an isolated spot” (whether geographical or psychological is unspecified) in which every last detail becomes mythical – even his limo’s figurehead transforms into an embodiment of Venus. Double basses chop out channels in the deep id, and the funk is languorously laidback, draped across the air like an electrostatic charge. The accident is framed not as a chance meeting of a sleazeball and a nymphet on a sidewalk, but as if Gainsbourg has actually crashed into the essence of music itself (Melody’s name is not randomly chosen). She responds to his concerned approach by becoming his lover, and the couple briefly share an ecstasy in which “The surrounding walls of the labyrinth/Open up on the infinite”. Then On “L’hôtel Particulier” it all goes a bit Eyes Wide Shut, as the narrator gives a coded knock on the door of an anonymous residence, is ushered into the “Cleopatra suite”, and embraces Melody on a Rococo bed under a mirrored ceiling, watched by carved ebony slaves. Disaster strikes, as Melody, wishing to “see the sky of Sunderland again”, is involved in a plane crash and is never seen again. In the astonishing finale, “Cargo Culte”, Gainsbourg imagines the smash from the perspective of a New Guinea tribesman waiting to plunder fallen jets in the jungle, and merges with that primitive figure, greedily “hold[ing] onto that hope of an air disaster/That might bring Melody back to me”. And with that, the band goes ape, the fat ladies sing, and the curtain rings down. It’s preposterous, yet in its orchestral earnestness and its jolts of novelistic detail (on “Cargo Culte”, he pictures “Those naïve shipwreckers armed with blowpipes/Who sacrifice to the cargo cult/By puffing towards the azure and the aeroplanes”), Gainsbourg bypasses cheesiness in favour of a fanaticism rarely achieved in pop music before it. It’s as if his infatuation with Jane Birkin allowed him to embrace a self-contained, claustrophobic universe of desire, rapturous and celebratory, disquieting and doomed. Melody Nelson, the longest wish-fulfilment fantasy in the history of pop, takes only 27 minutes to play out. As such, I find the CD of outtakes and alternate versions included with the edition completely unnecessary. But the DVD is another matter: a 40 minute documentary featuring Birkin, Vannier and others, which genuinely enlarges on the release, with studio footage plus extracts from a rarely seen 1971 promo film. Revelations abound: Birkin offers proof that Gainsbourg already had the character of Melody in his head before meeting her; Gainsbourg (speaking in 1971) recalls asking Vladimir Nabokov for permission to set the “Humbert Poem” from Lolita to music. Like Lolita, Histoire De Melody Nelson is a kind of oratorio of desire, sung by one who’s not yet slipped its parasitic grasp. Rob Young

Paris, 1968. On the set of a nondescript film called Slogan, 22 year old English actress Jane Birkin finds herself playing the love interest of a washed-up advertising executive undergoing a midlife crisis. In real life, Birkin’s three year marriage to Bond-theme composer John Barry is falling apart. She embarks on an affair with her leading man, a French pop star called Serge Gainsbourg, ushering in a year he would later call “un année erotique”, during which the duo would record a hit single, “Je T’aime… Moi Non Plus”, banned by the BBC for its suggestive sexuality.

The age of free love produced surprisingly few outright celebrations of sex in music, with “Je T’aime…” a notable exception. But two years later, with Birkin playing the gamine-muse to the hilt, Gainsbourg recorded Histoire De Melody Nelson, a concept album that fictionalised their affair in a voyage to the dark side of the libido.

Melody Nelson is generally regarded as Gainsbourg’s career high, fêted by the likes of Jarvis Cocker, Beck, David Holmes, Portishead and Air. Its musical appeal is greatly indebted to composer-arranger Jean-Claude Vannier and producer Jean-Claude Charvier, who took the original backing tapes from a London session (featuring Dougie Wright, Herbie Flowers, Big Jim Sullivan, Vic Flick) and painstakingly married them up with a 30-strong string section that swoops and wheels around the loping backbeats in a kind of concerto for funk group and chamber orchestra.

But any pleasure in its seductive texture must be tempered as soon as its disquieting subject matter unfolds. Birkin’s voice wafts in like a refrain, whispering “Melody Nelson” as intensely as though she’s trying to pull Gainsbourg out of a coma. Which she may well have been, as he vocalises throughout in a subdued, vaguely menacing ‘speech-song’ that sounds emptied-out by experience.

And it goes something like this: a 43 year old man, cruising in his Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, knocks a teenage girl off her bike. This introduction is a sustained dream sequence, in which Gainsbourg describes running his Roller onto the pavement “in a zone, an isolated spot” (whether geographical or psychological is unspecified) in which every last detail becomes mythical – even his limo’s figurehead transforms into an embodiment of Venus. Double basses chop out channels in the deep id, and the funk is languorously laidback, draped across the air like an electrostatic charge.

The accident is framed not as a chance meeting of a sleazeball and a nymphet on a sidewalk, but as if Gainsbourg has actually crashed into the essence of music itself (Melody’s name is not randomly chosen). She responds to his concerned approach by becoming his lover, and the couple briefly share an ecstasy in which “The surrounding walls of the labyrinth/Open up on the infinite”. Then On “L’hôtel Particulier” it all goes a bit Eyes Wide Shut, as the narrator gives a coded knock on the door of an anonymous residence, is ushered into the “Cleopatra suite”, and embraces Melody on a Rococo bed under a mirrored ceiling, watched by carved ebony slaves.

Disaster strikes, as Melody, wishing to “see the sky of Sunderland again”, is involved in a plane crash and is never seen again. In the astonishing finale, “Cargo Culte”, Gainsbourg imagines the smash from the perspective of a New Guinea tribesman waiting to plunder fallen jets in the jungle, and merges with that primitive figure, greedily “hold[ing] onto that hope of an air disaster/That might bring Melody back to me”. And with that, the band goes ape, the fat ladies sing, and the curtain rings down.

It’s preposterous, yet in its orchestral earnestness and its jolts of novelistic detail (on “Cargo Culte”, he pictures “Those naïve shipwreckers armed with blowpipes/Who sacrifice to the cargo cult/By puffing towards the azure and the aeroplanes”), Gainsbourg bypasses cheesiness in favour of a fanaticism rarely achieved in pop music before it. It’s as if his infatuation with Jane Birkin allowed him to embrace a self-contained, claustrophobic universe of desire, rapturous and celebratory, disquieting and doomed.

Melody Nelson, the longest wish-fulfilment fantasy in the history of pop, takes only 27 minutes to play out. As such, I find the CD of outtakes and alternate versions included with the edition completely unnecessary. But the DVD is another matter: a 40 minute documentary featuring Birkin, Vannier and others, which genuinely enlarges on the release, with studio footage plus extracts from a rarely seen 1971 promo film. Revelations abound: Birkin offers proof that Gainsbourg already had the character of Melody in his head before meeting her; Gainsbourg (speaking in 1971) recalls asking Vladimir Nabokov for permission to set the “Humbert Poem” from Lolita to music. Like Lolita, Histoire De Melody Nelson is a kind of oratorio of desire, sung by one who’s not yet slipped its parasitic grasp.

Rob Young

The Third Uncut Playlist Of 2012

John Mulvey
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The Third Uncut Playlist Of 2012

Just been opening this morning’s post, and there are at least a couple of new albums in there that I’ll be playing imminently, from Grimes and the Carolina Chocolate Drops (not two artists who are immediately obvious bedfellows, for sure). In the meantime, the Nuojuva record is providing a gentle start to a day of rain, proofreading and cricket-based irritation. Let me know how the new website design is bedding in, if you get a chance. One thing that’s changed since our launch last week is that you can now see the links in my copy: the Ranaldo, Holter and Endless Boogie links lead to my blogs on those records. Hang around, if you can. 1 Gunn-Truscinski Duo – Ocean Parkway (Three-Lobed) 2 Lee Ranaldo – Between The Times And The Tides (Matador) 3 Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas (Columbia) 4 Julia Holter – Ekstasis (RVNG INTL) 5 Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again (Polydor) 6 Chris Forsyth/Koen Holtkamp – Early Astral (Blackest Rainbow) 7 Grinderman – Grinderman 2 RMX (Mute) 8 Megafaun – Megafaun (Crammed Discs) 9 Endless Boogie – Twenty Minute Jam Getting Out Of The City (Boo-Hooray!) 10 Spoek Mathambo – Father Creeper (Sub Pop) 11 Steve Moore/Majeure – Brainstorm (Temporary Residence) 12 Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself (Bella Union) 13 Luke Roberts – The Iron Gates At Throop And Newport (Thrill Jockey) 14 WhoMadeWho – Brighter (Kompakt) 15 Ceremony – Zoo (Matador) 16 The 2 Bears – Be Strong (Southern Fried) 17 Nuojuva - Valot Kaukaa (Preservation) Follow me on Twitter: @JohnRMulvey

Just been opening this morning’s post, and there are at least a couple of new albums in there that I’ll be playing imminently, from Grimes and the Carolina Chocolate Drops (not two artists who are immediately obvious bedfellows, for sure).

In the meantime, the Nuojuva record is providing a gentle start to a day of rain, proofreading and cricket-based irritation. Let me know how the new website design is bedding in, if you get a chance. One thing that’s changed since our launch last week is that you can now see the links in my copy: the Ranaldo, Holter and Endless Boogie links lead to my blogs on those records. Hang around, if you can.

1 Gunn-Truscinski Duo – Ocean Parkway (Three-Lobed)

2 Lee Ranaldo – Between The Times And The Tides (Matador)

3 Leonard Cohen – Old Ideas (Columbia)

4 Julia Holter – Ekstasis (RVNG INTL)

5 Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again (Polydor)

6 Chris Forsyth/Koen Holtkamp – Early Astral (Blackest Rainbow)

7 Grinderman – Grinderman 2 RMX (Mute)

8 Megafaun – Megafaun (Crammed Discs)

9 Endless Boogie – Twenty Minute Jam Getting Out Of The City (Boo-Hooray!)

10 Spoek Mathambo – Father Creeper (Sub Pop)

11 Steve Moore/Majeure – Brainstorm (Temporary Residence)

12 Andrew Bird – Break It Yourself (Bella Union)

13 Luke Roberts – The Iron Gates At Throop And Newport (Thrill Jockey)

14 WhoMadeWho – Brighter (Kompakt)

15 Ceremony – Zoo (Matador)

16 The 2 Bears – Be Strong (Southern Fried)

17 Nuojuva – Valot Kaukaa (Preservation)

Follow me on Twitter: @JohnRMulvey

The Kinks – The Kinks In Mono

Michael Bonner
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The Kinks – The Kinks In Mono

This comes in a cute Dansette-style box stuffed with ten albums of antique Kinkorama and Meet the Kinks!, a fab 1960s style booklet with rare fab pix. For complete retro-authenticity, everything is in mono, this being how the original records were released back in those sacred days (so sacred that “Days” itself is now the theme tune for a car advert). It’s a lovely package, and at £75 a pop, so it should be, but it adds nothing to the back catalogue of the Muswell Hill wonders. After all, all seven albums here have only this year been re-issued in impressive ‘deluxe’ editions that similarly present them in their original mono format, but add stereo mixes, copious out-takes and rarities, all beautifully remastered by Andrew Sandoval, the boffin likewise in charge of The Kinks in Mono. Sandoval has done wonders with sound quality, but after those deluxe delights, reverting to the original albums seems an act of hair-shirted puritanism. What you get instead of all those lovely bonuses is a this-is-how-it-was verity. Except you don’t. The Kinks’ first seven albums contain just one or at most two of the singles that blasted them into contention alongside The Stones and The Who, whose early catalogues are also caught between great singles and albums that hadn’t yet learned to be albums. For the first great slew of Kinks hits – including the guitar squall of “All Day And All of The Night”, the airy social satire of “Well Respected Man” and the mournful Indian drone of “See My Friends” - you have to jump to Disc 8 containing the band’s four EPs, recorded in a manic spell between 1964-66. For the second wave of hits - “Dead End Street”, “Autumn Almanac”, “Days”, “Lola”, the substandard “Apeman”- you have to rummage among the 37 track ragbag that is The Kinks Mono Collectables, Volumes 1& 2. There (i)are(i) ‘collectables’ here – that parable of sinful swinging’ London, “Big Black Smoke”– but that these were all singles released outside the UK isn’t much of an organising principle (and results in duplicate tracks). Contrary to what one might expect from a ten album box set, the narrative arc of one of British pop’s greatest bands emerges fractured. The albums do, of course, tell a tale of their own. Kinks (1964) and Kinda Kinks (’65) reflect a group was still a gang of R&B brawlers, knocking out none too special versions of Bo, Chuck, Slim Harpo, Motown, with Ray’s early writing paying none too subtle homage to the Beatles, Beach Boys and The Kingsmen (“You Really Got Me” being a rinse of “Louie Louie”). Kinda Kinks (1965) is a transitional affair, with Ray’s songwriting talents growing, ready to blossom into the pop art wonder that is Face to Face (1966). Burned out from touring and business wrangles, Davies wrote its 14 songs in recuperation while the band toured with a stand-in. “Sunny Afternoon” is the gem in its crown, but the album has a conceptual unity, its montage of crisp social vignettes including send-ups of the nouveau riche on “Most Exclusive Residence” and young rakes on “Dandy”. Something Else (1967) maintains the mood and momentum with the mockery of “David Watts”, the family drama of the harpsichord driven “Two Sisters” and the cadent back-street romance of “Waterloo Sunset”. One can see Davies’ obsession with the local and the domestic as strength or weakness. It certainly showed conviction to turn away from the cosmic visions that swept pop between 1966-68 and instead bring forth The Village Green Preservation Society with its ode to “The Last of the Steam-Powered Trains”. The album extended hippie’s nostalgic strand into a Betjemanesque portrait of an English landscape that Davies correctly sensed was about to disappear. Critically acclaimed, it proved an act of near commercial suicide. Unabashed, Davies wrote another concept album, Arthur (or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire). Envisioned as a musical drama (a concept so far ahead of its time the BBC stalled) it swings easily between the rousing “Victoria” and the sly social observation of “A Hat Like Princess Marina”; an under-estimated work. There’s little on Kollectables Vol 2 to steal its light, mostly it’s also-rans like “Hold My Hand” that pale alongside proper singles like “Days” or “Lola”, though Dave Davies’s “Creeping Jean” is a tough piece of pop-psych that deserved better exposure, even a place on an album. Dave would no doubt agree. Neil Spencer

This comes in a cute Dansette-style box stuffed with ten albums of antique Kinkorama and Meet the Kinks!, a fab 1960s style booklet with rare fab pix. For complete retro-authenticity, everything is in mono, this being how the original records were released back in those sacred days (so sacred that “Days” itself is now the theme tune for a car advert).

It’s a lovely package, and at £75 a pop, so it should be, but it adds nothing to the back catalogue of the Muswell Hill wonders. After all, all seven albums here have only this year been re-issued in impressive ‘deluxe’ editions that similarly present them in their original mono format, but add stereo mixes, copious out-takes and rarities, all beautifully remastered by Andrew Sandoval, the boffin likewise in charge of The Kinks in Mono.

Sandoval has done wonders with sound quality, but after those deluxe delights, reverting to the original albums seems an act of hair-shirted puritanism. What you get instead of all those lovely bonuses is a this-is-how-it-was verity. Except you don’t. The Kinks’ first seven albums contain just one or at most two of the singles that blasted them into contention alongside The Stones and The Who, whose early catalogues are also caught between great singles and albums that hadn’t yet learned to be albums.

For the first great slew of Kinks hits – including the guitar squall of “All Day And All of The Night”, the airy social satire of “Well Respected Man” and the mournful Indian drone of “See My Friends” – you have to jump to Disc 8 containing the band’s four EPs, recorded in a manic spell between 1964-66. For the second wave of hits – “Dead End Street”, “Autumn Almanac”, “Days”, “Lola”, the substandard “Apeman”- you have to rummage among the 37 track ragbag that is The Kinks Mono Collectables, Volumes 1& 2. There (i)are(i) ‘collectables’ here – that parable of sinful swinging’ London, “Big Black Smoke”– but that these were all singles released outside the UK isn’t much of an organising principle (and results in duplicate tracks). Contrary to what one might expect from a ten album box set, the narrative arc of one of British pop’s greatest bands emerges fractured.

The albums do, of course, tell a tale of their own. Kinks (1964) and Kinda Kinks (’65) reflect a group was still a gang of R&B brawlers, knocking out none too special versions of Bo, Chuck, Slim Harpo, Motown, with Ray’s early writing paying none too subtle homage to the Beatles, Beach Boys and The Kingsmen (“You Really Got Me” being a rinse of “Louie Louie”).

Kinda Kinks (1965) is a transitional affair, with Ray’s songwriting talents growing, ready to blossom into the pop art wonder that is Face to Face (1966). Burned out from touring and business wrangles, Davies wrote its 14 songs in recuperation while the band toured with a stand-in. “Sunny Afternoon” is the gem in its crown, but the album has a conceptual unity, its montage of crisp social vignettes including send-ups of the nouveau riche on “Most Exclusive Residence” and young rakes on “Dandy”. Something Else (1967) maintains the mood and momentum with the mockery of “David Watts”, the family drama of the harpsichord driven “Two Sisters” and the cadent back-street romance of “Waterloo Sunset”.

One can see Davies’ obsession with the local and the domestic as strength or weakness. It certainly showed conviction to turn away from the cosmic visions that swept pop between 1966-68 and instead bring forth The Village Green Preservation Society with its ode to “The Last of the Steam-Powered Trains”. The album extended hippie’s nostalgic strand into a Betjemanesque portrait of an English landscape that Davies correctly sensed was about to disappear. Critically acclaimed, it proved an act of near commercial suicide.

Unabashed, Davies wrote another concept album, Arthur (or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire). Envisioned as a musical drama (a concept so far ahead of its time the BBC stalled) it swings easily between the rousing “Victoria” and the sly social observation of “A Hat Like Princess Marina”; an under-estimated work. There’s little on Kollectables Vol 2 to steal its light, mostly it’s also-rans like “Hold My Hand” that pale alongside proper singles like “Days” or “Lola”, though Dave Davies’s “Creeping Jean” is a tough piece of pop-psych that deserved better exposure, even a place on an album. Dave would no doubt agree.

Neil Spencer

The Artist and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy dominate BAFTA 2012 nominations

Tom Goodwyn
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The Artist and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy dominate BAFTA 2012 nominations
The Artist and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy dominate the nominations for this year's BAFTA Film Awards. The Artist is up for 12 nominations, including best film and best director, while Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is nominated in 11 categories. Martin Scorsese's epic children's film Hugo is up for ...

The Artist and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy dominate the nominations for this year’s BAFTA Film Awards.

The Artist is up for 12 nominations, including best film and best director, while Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is nominated in 11 categories.

Martin Scorsese’s epic children’s film Hugo is up for nine awards, with The Iron Lady up for four and The Descendants nominated for three, including Best Film where it is also up against Drive and The Help.

The full list of nominations for BAFTA Film Awards is as follows:

Best Film

The Artist

The Descendants

Drive

The Help

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Outstanding British Film

My Week With Marilyn

Senna

Shame

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

We Need To Talk About Kevin

Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer

Attack The Block – Joe Cornish (Director/Writer)

Black Pond – Will Sharpe (Director/Writer), Tom Kingsley (Director), Sarah Brocklehurst (Producer)

Coriolanus – Ralph Fiennes (Director)

Submarine – Richard Ayoade (Director/Writer)

Tyrannosaur – Paddy Considine (Director), Diarmid Scrimshaw (Producer)

Film Not In The English Language

Incendies

Pina

Potiche

A Separation

The Skin I Live In

Best Director

Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist

Nicolas Winding Refn – Drive

Martin Scorsese – Hugo

Tomas Alfredson – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Lynne Ramsay – We Need To Talk About Kevin

Leading Actor

Brad Pitt – Moneyball

Gary Oldman – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

George Clooney – The Descendants

Jean Dujardin – The Artist

Michael Fassbender – Shame

Leading Actress

Bérénice Bejo – The Artist

Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady

Michelle Williams – My Week With Marilyn

Tilda Swinton – We Need To Talk About Kevin

Viola Davis – The Help

Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer – Beginners

Jim Broadbent – The Iron Lady

Jonah Hill – Moneyball

Kenneth Branagh – My Week With Marilyn

Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Ides Of March

Supporting Actress

Carey Mulligan – Drive

Jessica Chastain – The Help

Judi Dench – My Week With Marilyn

Melissa Mccarthy – Bridesmaids

Octavia Spencer – The Help

Best Documentary

George Harrison: Living In The Material World

Project Nim

Senna

Animated Film

The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn

Arthur Christmas

Rango

Original Screenplay

The Artist

Bridesmaids

The Guard

The Iron Lady

Midnight In Paris

Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants

The Help

The Ides Of March

Moneyball

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Original Music

The Artist – Ludovic Bource

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

Hugo – Howard Shore

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Alberto Iglesias

War Horse – John Williams

Cinematography

The Artist – Guillaume Schiffman

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – Jeff Cronenweth

Hugo Robert Richardson

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Hoyte Van Hoytema

War Horse – Janusz Kaminski

Editing

The Artist – Anne-Sophie Bion, Michel Hazanavicius

Drive – Mat Newman

Hugo – Thelma Schoonmaker

Senna – Gregers Sall, Chris King

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Dino Jonsater

Production Design

The Artist – Laurence Bennett, Robert Gould

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 – Stuart Craig, Stephenie Mcmillan

Hugo – Dante Ferretti, Francesca Lo Schiavo

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Maria Djurkovic, Tatiana Macdonald

War Horse – Rick Carter, Lee Sandales

Costume Design

The Artist – Mark Bridges

Hugo – Sandy Powell

Jane Eyre – Michael O’connor

My Week With Marilyn – Jill Taylor

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Jacqueline Durran

Make Up & Hair

The Artist – Julie Hewett, Cydney Cornell

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 – Amanda Knight, Lisa Tomblin

Hugo – Morag Ross, Jan Archibald

The Iron Lady – Marese Langan

My Week With Marilyn – Jenny Shircore

Sound

The Artist – Nadine Muse, Gérard Lamps, Michael Krikorian

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 James Mather, Stuart Wilson, Stuart Hilliker, Mike Dowson, Adam Scrivener

Hugo – Philip Stockton, Eugene Gearty, Tom Fleischman, John Midgley

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – John Casali, Howard Bargroff, Doug Cooper, Stephen Griffiths, Andy Shelley

War Horse Stuart Wilson, Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson, Richard Hymns

Visual Effects

The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn – Joe Letteri

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 – Tim Burke, John Richardson, Greg Butler, David Vickery

Hugo – Rob Legato, Ben Grossman, Joss Williams

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes – Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White

War Horse Ben Morris, Neil Corbould

Short Animation

Abuelas Afarin Eghbal, Kasia Malipan, Francesca Gardiner

Bobby Yeah Robert Morgan

A Morning Stroll Grant Orchard, Sue Goffe

Short Film

Chalk – Martina Amati, Gavin Emerson, James Bolton, Ilaria Bernardini

Mwansa The Great – Rungano Nyoni, Gabriel Gauchet

Only Sound Remains – Arash Ashtiani, Anshu Poddar

Pitch Black Heist – John Maclean, Gerardine O’flynn

Two And Two – Babak Anvari, Kit Fraser, Gavin Cullen

The Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award

Aadam Deacon

Chris Hemsworth

Chris O’Dowd

Eddie Redmayne

Tom Hiddleston

Laura Marling causes UK folk music sales to rise by 20%

Tom Goodwyn
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Laura Marling causes UK folk music sales to rise by 20%

Sales of folk music in the UK last year were up 20% from 2010. The success of Brit Award winning Laura Marling as well as the likes of the US musician Gillian Welch are behind the boost in sales. According to the British Phonographic Industry, despite the huge lift in sales, folk music still only accounted for 1.6% of album sales in the UK in 2011. Other artists which helped boost folk music sales were Bellowhead and Daniel O'Donnell. Elsewhere, Seasick Steve and Hugh Laurie were responsible for a rise in blues music sales. Pop albums also outsold rock albums for the first time in seven years in 2011, according the newly released figures. According to the Official Charts Company, seven of the top 10 selling albums of 2011 were classified as pop albums. With big sales from the likes of Adele and Jessie J, this gave pop albums a 33.6% share of album sales overall. The sale of albums classified as rock albums fell from 31.2% to 29.4%, their lowest figures since 2003.

Sales of folk music in the UK last year were up 20% from 2010.

The success of Brit Award winning Laura Marling as well as the likes of the US musician Gillian Welch are behind the boost in sales.

According to the British Phonographic Industry, despite the huge lift in sales, folk music still only accounted for 1.6% of album sales in the UK in 2011. Other artists which helped boost folk music sales were Bellowhead and Daniel O’Donnell. Elsewhere, Seasick Steve and Hugh Laurie were responsible for a rise in blues music sales.

Pop albums also outsold rock albums for the first time in seven years in 2011, according the newly released figures. According to the Official Charts Company, seven of the top 10 selling albums of 2011 were classified as pop albums. With big sales from the likes of Adele and Jessie J, this gave pop albums a 33.6% share of album sales overall.

The sale of albums classified as rock albums fell from 31.2% to 29.4%, their lowest figures since 2003.

Adam Ant’s home raided by UK Border Police

Tom Goodwyn
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Adam Ant’s home raided by UK Border Police

The home of 80s popstar Adam Ant was raided at dawn yesterday (January 16) by UK Border Police. Ant's home, which is situated in South Kensington, was stormed just before 7am by police, who then arrested a 36-year old woman and took her into custody. She is believed to be a Japanese national who has overstayed her Visa. Ant, whose real name is Stuart Goddard, was then questioned by officers for around an hour after the arrest. He has not commented on the nature of his relationship with the woman. According to the Daily Mirror, Ant's lawyer Dean Dunham said of the arrest: "This lady is one of Adam’s friends. She is co-operating fully with the authorities. She had attempted to make the correct applications to extend her visa but the authorities had been dealing with the wrong address." A UK Border Agency spokesman said of the arrest: "A 36-year-old Japanese national was arrested for immigration offences at an address in the Knightsbridge area and is now detained, pending her removal from the UK. Our officers carry out hundreds of operations like this every year across London, and where we find people who are in the UK illegally we will seek to remove them." Adam Ant is set to begin a UK tour with his band The Good, The Mad And The Lovely Posse on Thursday (January 19).

The home of 80s popstar Adam Ant was raided at dawn yesterday (January 16) by UK Border Police.

Ant’s home, which is situated in South Kensington, was stormed just before 7am by police, who then arrested a 36-year old woman and took her into custody. She is believed to be a Japanese national who has overstayed her Visa.

Ant, whose real name is Stuart Goddard, was then questioned by officers for around an hour after the arrest. He has not commented on the nature of his relationship with the woman.

According to the Daily Mirror, Ant’s lawyer Dean Dunham said of the arrest: “This lady is one of Adam’s friends. She is co-operating fully with the authorities. She had attempted to make the correct applications to extend her visa but the authorities had been dealing with the wrong address.”

A UK Border Agency spokesman said of the arrest: “A 36-year-old Japanese national was arrested for immigration offences at an address in the Knightsbridge area and is now detained, pending her removal from the UK. Our officers carry out hundreds of operations like this every year across London, and where we find people who are in the UK illegally we will seek to remove them.”

Adam Ant is set to begin a UK tour with his band The Good, The Mad And The Lovely Posse on Thursday (January 19).

Billy Bragg, Jeffrey Lewis, Stornoway for The Apple Cart Festival

Tom Goodwyn
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Billy Bragg, Jeffrey Lewis, Stornoway for The Apple Cart Festival
Billy Bragg, Jeffrey Lewis and Stornoway have all been confirmed to play London's The Apple Cart Festival on June 3. Taking place in Victoria Park, the one day music, cabaret, comedy and art festival will also see sets from Noah And The Whale and The Junkyard, Kid Creole and the Coconuts and Marc...

Billy Bragg, Jeffrey Lewis and Stornoway have all been confirmed to play London’s The Apple Cart Festival on June 3.

Taking place in Victoria Park, the one day music, cabaret, comedy and art festival will also see sets from Noah And The Whale and The Junkyard, Kid Creole and the Coconuts and Marcus Foster as well as Neneh Cherry, Marques Toliver and Penguin Café. Turner Prize winner Martin Creed will also be performing songs from his forthcoming album.

The event will feature comedy from Charlie Baker, Josie Long, Seann Walsh and Shappi Khorsandi as well as the Art Cart Boot Fair and artist Gavin Turk’s Candlelit Matinee – The House of Fairy Tales Film Theatre and a stage curated by magicians secret society, The Magic Circle.

More acts will be announced for the second Apple Cart festival in the coming weeks. The festival will take place a day after Field Day over the Diamond Jubilee June Bank Holiday weekend.

Early bird tickets are currently on sale for £29.50. For more information visit: theapplecartfestival.com.

Paul Weller and his wife welcome twin sons Bowie and John Paul

Tom Goodwyn
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0
Paul Weller and his wife welcome twin sons Bowie and John Paul
Paul Weller and his wife Hannah have had two twin boys. The couple welcomed their sons Bowie and John Paul into the world on Saturday (January 14). A statement on Weller's official website Paulweller.com added: "Both boys are healthy and doing well following the birth and Paul and Hannah are thr...

Paul Weller and his wife Hannah have had two twin boys.

The couple welcomed their sons Bowie and John Paul into the world on Saturday (January 14).

A statement on Weller’s official website Paulweller.com added: “Both boys are healthy and doing well following the birth and Paul and Hannah are thrilled and over the moon.”

It went on: “Paul would like to thank his fans for all their well wishes over the last few months. Congratulations to Paul and Hannah.”

The couple married in a small ceremony on the Italian island of Capri in September 2010 after two years together. Weller now has seven children to four different women.

He is due to release his new album ‘Sonik Kicks’ on March 26. Speaking to NME in a recent interview, Weller described his forthcoming 11th studio effort as “very electronic sounding.”

The record, which features guest vocals from Noel Gallagher and Graham Coxon, is the follow-up to his critically acclaimed, 2010 album ‘Wake Up The Nation’.

Endless Boogie: “Twenty Minute Jam Getting Out Of The City”

John Mulvey
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Endless Boogie: “Twenty Minute Jam Getting Out Of The City”

Bit of a rush this morning, and the relentless bulldozing consistency of New York’s Endless Boogie means that I’ve been round the block covered by “Twenty Minute Jam Getting Out Of The City” a good few times. If I can, then, let me aggressively recommend this new EP (which appears to be four tracks – four extracts of jams, maybe - totalling more than 20 minutes, of course) and cheat by pimping some links to my previous blogs on the band: a piece on Endless Boogie’s first album, “Focus Level” ; a piece on their second album, “Full House Head” ; and a review of a 2010 show at Club Uncut which confirmed them to be a pretty much perfect live band. During that live show, the quartet eschewed playing neat songs in favour of a non-stop freak-out that, instead, seemed to have snatches of their tunes cutting in and out of the monolithic jam. “Twenty Minute Jam…” feels closer than their previous records to that free-flowing, improvisatory spirit, especially on the bumper-sized “Racister”, which once again operates in a kind of unholy choogle space between “Loaded”-era Velvets and Canned Heat. There’s a thing on the other side that sounds a whole lot like the Stooges, too. I can’t find any teasers from this, but here’s the excellent “Manly Vibe” for a taster. Follow me on Twitter: @JohnRMulvey

Bit of a rush this morning, and the relentless bulldozing consistency of New York’s Endless Boogie means that I’ve been round the block covered by “Twenty Minute Jam Getting Out Of The City” a good few times.

If I can, then, let me aggressively recommend this new EP (which appears to be four tracks – four extracts of jams, maybe – totalling more than 20 minutes, of course) and cheat by pimping some links to my previous blogs on the band: a piece on Endless Boogie’s first album, “Focus Level” ; a piece on their second album, “Full House Head” ; and a review of a 2010 show at Club Uncut which confirmed them to be a pretty much perfect live band.

During that live show, the quartet eschewed playing neat songs in favour of a non-stop freak-out that, instead, seemed to have snatches of their tunes cutting in and out of the monolithic jam. “Twenty Minute Jam…” feels closer than their previous records to that free-flowing, improvisatory spirit, especially on the bumper-sized “Racister”, which once again operates in a kind of unholy choogle space between “Loaded”-era Velvets and Canned Heat.

There’s a thing on the other side that sounds a whole lot like the Stooges, too. I can’t find any teasers from this, but here’s the excellent “Manly Vibe” for a taster.

Follow me on Twitter: @JohnRMulvey

Win Exclusive Craig Finn vinyl, plus Fleet Foxes

Uncut
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Win Exclusive Craig Finn vinyl, plus Fleet Foxes

You may have seen in the current Uncut that The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn will shortly be releasing his first solo album, Clear Heart Full Eyes, recorded in Austin, Texas, with Spoon producer Mike McCarthy and a band including White Denim drummer Josh Block. After a run of quite stupendous albums, much hurrahed in the pages of Uncut, The Hold Steady faltered somewhat with their last album, 2010’s Heaven Is Whenever, which seemed patchy and oddly disconnected compared to glorious predecessors like Boys And Girls In America and Stay Positive. There were good songs on the record, but hints also of a formula that had become over-familiar, something at the heart of the album that suggested they were perhaps a bit unsure how to further develop what had become such a powerful signature sound. With The Hold Steady’s recording career on hold until at least next year, Craig took off for Texas. The change of scenery and collaborators has had an evidently rejuvenating effect. Craig’s writing sounds refreshed - he’s been listening recently, apparently, to a lot of Townes Van Zandt, Warren Zevon and Neil Young and has seemingly discovered a world beyond Bruce Springsteen - and prospers accordingly in the more varied musical settings the new album embraces, a rootsy Americana that serves the new songs extremely well. “Apollo Bay”, “Western Pier”, and the final three songs, “Rented Room”, “Balcony” and “Not Much Of Us Left”, are as finely wrought as anything he has so far put his name to. The album’s released here on January 23, by Full Time Hobby, and Craig will be playing a special London showcase at Rough Trade East on January 25, before supporting The Felice Brothers in March on a re-arranged UK tour that includes a show at London’s Koko on March 20. In addition to the CD version of the album, Full Time Hobby have produced an exclusive hand-stamped vinyl version of the album, with two tracks – “Some Guns” and “Sarah, I’m Surrounded” – that will be physically unavailable elsewhere (“Sarah, I’m Surrounded” will be released eventually through iTunes, “Some Guns” will only be available on the vinyl album). Full Time Hobby have five copies of the vinyl edition of Clear Heart Full Eyes – plus its CD incarnation – they are offering via this week’s Uncut newsletter to the winners of a fairly simple competition. All you have to do is name the first single released from Clear Heart Full Eyes. Email your answer to info@fulltimehobby.co.uk under the subject header Clear Heart Full Eyes Competition. The first five correct answers, picked at random, will each win a vinyl and CD version of the album, plus a white label seven inch single. Meanwhile, you can pre-order the album from Amazon on http://amzn.to/AyVyMM or from iTunes at http://ttunes.apple.com/gb/preorder/clear-heart-full-eyes/id494815201. Finally, congratulations to Fleet Foxes on their nomination for Best International Group at this year’s BRIT Awards, news of which reminded me of an email I got just after Christmas from Linda Thompson. Linda was one of the judges of the 2011 Uncut Music Award, for which Fleet Foxes’ Helplessness Blues was short-listed. Linda was also judge the year the band’s debut won the inaugural UMA, although she was loudly dismissive of it, a lonely critical voice on what I remember was a panel unanimously in favour of receiving the prize. When the judges met last November to discuss the 2011 award, Linda was no less unflattering about their second album. She got quite heated about it, in fact, and fair scoffed when I suggested she give it another listen. I laughed out loud, therefore, when I got her email. “I just had to tell you this,” she wrote. “Pass the humble pie. Give me a side of crow. I am converted, in good old Damascene fashion. Forget everything I ever said,” she went on. “This record is a masterpiece, happy New Year - Linda.” Anyway, that’s enough from me for the moment. Have a good week.

You may have seen in the current Uncut that The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn will shortly be releasing his first solo album, Clear Heart Full Eyes, recorded in Austin, Texas, with Spoon producer Mike McCarthy and a band including White Denim drummer Josh Block.

After a run of quite stupendous albums, much hurrahed in the pages of Uncut, The Hold Steady faltered somewhat with their last album, 2010’s Heaven Is Whenever, which seemed patchy and oddly disconnected compared to glorious predecessors like Boys And Girls In America and Stay Positive.

There were good songs on the record, but hints also of a formula that had become over-familiar, something at the heart of the album that suggested they were perhaps a bit unsure how to further develop what had become such a powerful signature sound.

With The Hold Steady’s recording career on hold until at least next year, Craig took off for Texas. The change of scenery and collaborators has had an evidently rejuvenating effect. Craig’s writing sounds refreshed – he’s been listening recently, apparently, to a lot of Townes Van Zandt, Warren Zevon and Neil Young and has seemingly discovered a world beyond Bruce Springsteen – and prospers accordingly in the more varied musical settings the new album embraces, a rootsy Americana that serves the new songs extremely well. “Apollo Bay”, “Western Pier”, and the final three songs, “Rented Room”, “Balcony” and “Not Much Of Us Left”, are as finely wrought as anything he has so far put his name to.

The album’s released here on January 23, by Full Time Hobby, and Craig will be playing a special London showcase at Rough Trade East on January 25, before supporting The Felice Brothers in March on a re-arranged UK tour that includes a show at London’s Koko on March 20.

In addition to the CD version of the album, Full Time Hobby have produced an exclusive hand-stamped vinyl version of the album, with two tracks – “Some Guns” and “Sarah, I’m Surrounded” – that will be physically unavailable elsewhere (“Sarah, I’m Surrounded” will be released eventually through iTunes, “Some Guns” will only be available on the vinyl album).

Full Time Hobby have five copies of the vinyl edition of Clear Heart Full Eyes – plus its CD incarnation – they are offering via this week’s Uncut newsletter to the winners of a fairly simple competition.

All you have to do is name the first single released from Clear Heart Full Eyes. Email your answer to info@fulltimehobby.co.uk under the subject header Clear Heart Full Eyes Competition. The first five correct answers, picked at random, will each win a vinyl and CD version of the album, plus a white label seven inch single.

Meanwhile, you can pre-order the album from Amazon on http://amzn.to/AyVyMM or from iTunes at http://ttunes.apple.com/gb/preorder/clear-heart-full-eyes/id494815201.

Finally, congratulations to Fleet Foxes on their nomination for Best International Group at this year’s BRIT Awards, news of which reminded me of an email I got just after Christmas from Linda Thompson. Linda was one of the judges of the 2011 Uncut Music Award, for which Fleet Foxes’ Helplessness Blues was short-listed.

Linda was also judge the year the band’s debut won the inaugural UMA, although she was loudly dismissive of it, a lonely critical voice on what I remember was a panel unanimously in favour of receiving the prize. When the judges met last November to discuss the 2011 award, Linda was no less unflattering about their second album. She got quite heated about it, in fact, and fair scoffed when I suggested she give it another listen.

I laughed out loud, therefore, when I got her email.

“I just had to tell you this,” she wrote. “Pass the humble pie. Give me a side of crow. I am converted, in good old Damascene fashion. Forget everything I ever said,” she went on. “This record is a masterpiece, happy New Year – Linda.”

Anyway, that’s enough from me for the moment. Have a good week.

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