We have about 24 hours to finish the next issue, and not much longer to complete another Uncut Ultimate Music Guide due in January, so no preamble this week: lots to hear and anticipate below. (Thanks, though, for all your feedback on my Best Of 2013 list; much appreciated, as ever).
Neil Young & Crazy Horse have added four new dates in Germany for 2014.
In addition to an already announced date at London's Hyde Park, they will also play:
July 20: Münsterplatz, Ulm
July 25: Warsteiner HockeyPark, Mönchengladbach
July 26: Filmnächte am Elbufer, Dresden
July 28: Zollhafen Nordmole, Mainz
Tickets are available here.
A 20-second teaser for Damon Albarn's forthcoming solo album has been uploaded to the performer's official YouTube account.
Shot in black and white, the video shows Albarn, from behind, playing a keyboard topped with two skulls and a stuffed owl. Following shots of musical instruments and recording equipment, the text reads "Damon Albarn, first solo album, coming 2014". Click below to watch.
Led Zeppelin have signed a deal with Spotify allowing the service to stream their back catalogue.
The band announced the news on their Twitter account at 15.30 GMT today [December 11].
"Led Zeppelin is now available on demand, only on @Spotify. Play now: http://spoti.fi/LedZep #StreamZeppelin"
Starting today, the band's first two albums - Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II - are available, with additional albums being released at midnight local time each day for the next four days.
Bob Dylan has joined Twitter.
A Dylan Twitter account already exists as a more formal outlet for news regarding Dylan's activities.
However, https://twitter.com/BobDylanTweets launched today [December 11] - which he describes as "my only official and personal Twitter account".
Dylan opened with:
"My first tweet. Hi! Bob"
Followed a few minutes later by:
"Joining Twitter today. First time."
Kim Shattuck has discussed her exit from Pixies for the first time, revealing that she was told the news over the phone by the band's manager.
Shattuck was relieved of her duties as bass player in the band in November after joining in the summer as replacement for founding member, Kim Deal. Speaking in this week's NME, which is available digitally and on newsstands now, Shattuck reveals that she was not expecting to leave the band, having agreed verbally to tour with them into 2014.
The Replacements have launched a new website.
The site - which can be found here - went live yesterday [December 10].
It includes a jukebox of the band's music, videos, a discography and a merchandise store.
Earlier this year, the band reformed for their first gigs in 22 years.
There is no news as to whether they will play any further dates.
Jeff Tweedy and Josh Homme are set to make a guest appearance on American sketch comedy Portlandia when it returns for a fourth season next year.
The show, which is written and performed by Sleater-Kinney and Wild Flag singer Carrie Browstein and ex-Saturday Night Live regular Fred Armisen, takes a satirical look at the hipster neighbourhood of Portland and the various characters that inhabit the area.
A newly uncovered Johnny Cash record called Out Among The Stars is due to be released next March, more than 30 years after it was originally recorded.
10 years after the singer’s death, Cash’s estate have decided to release the album, which they say has never been heard before, reports The Associated Press.
