Blur

Swans are set to release a new album, featuring Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O and Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker of Low, on August 27. The Seer, the new album from Michael Gira's reunited New York noise-rock troupe, runs for around two hours, and also features guests including Mercury Rev's Grasshopper, Akron/Family and "honorary Swan" Bill Rieflin. Karen O sings lead vocal on "Song For A Warrior", while Parker and Sparhawk feature as co-vocalists on opener "Lunacy".

Bobby Womack has unveiled 'Dayglo Reflection', his duet with Lana Del Rey, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click to hear the track.

Iron Maiden's 'The Number Of The Beast' has been voted as the best British album of the last 60 years in a new poll.

Bobby Womack has been given the all-clear from colon cancer, after being diagnosed with the illness in March.

Top Of The Pops is set to return as a theatre production which will tour the UK from October this year.

Damon Albarn is set to perform at a poetry festival in London next month.

Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer has spoken about working with Blur and Gorillaz mainman Damon Albarn as part of Africa Express. The pair traveled to Ethiopia with Albarn for the project and described their experience of the country as "profound". Speaking to NME, Flea spoke at length about how much he enjoyed the trip.

For the current issue of Uncut, I interviewed Damon Albarn as part of my piece on his “Dr Dee” project (you can read it here). There wasn’t room for all of his answers in the mag, but today’s announcement of extra Blur dates prompted me to post the whole thing here.

LCD Soundsystem's film, Shut Up And Play The Hits, is to be released in the UK this August. Shot on April 2, 2011, at the band's farewell show at New York's Madison Square Garden, the film has been directed by Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace and produced by Lucas Ochoa and Thomas Benski of Pulse Films, the same team that directed and produced the Blur documentary No Distance Left To Run. Recently, former LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy revealed that he is currently writing a novel.

Blur frontman Damon Albarn has revealed that he is working on a new solo album. The singer, who recently denied that he is finished with both Blur and Gorillaz, told BBC Radio 4's Front Row that he is working on a new record "under his own name".