Pictured: Primal Scream

Will Young is punching up some big numbers with new single “Changes”. After an incredible 10,000 plays on UK radio, the track is #1 in the national airplay chart and #4 in the regional airplay charts. We’re expecting a top ten chart entry this weekend, with CD, video and digital bundle formats still to come on Monday. Listen out for Will on Jonathan Ross’ Radio 2 show this weekend. He also plays London’s Cadogan Hall next Thursday September 25th, 2008.

Stereophonics‘ new single “You’re My Star” received an exclusive first spin on Chris Moyles’ breakfast show Wednesday morning. Kelly was on top form despite coming straight from the band’s show at L.A.’s Henry Fonda theatre. Just a few more stops to go on the North American tour now, with the UK tour kicking off in December.

Primal Scream were the big winners at last night’s Vodafone Live Music Awards, scooping two prizes: “Best Live Act” and “Outstanding Contribution to Live Music”.

Mark Ronson, modelling a fantastic new pair of specs, walked away with “Best Live Male”, while Will Young and Primal Scream got the night’s biggest cheers for their performances.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were also winners last night, as the acclaimed duo were awarded “Album of the Year” and “Group of the Year” at Nashville’s Annual Americana Music Awards.

Anyone spotted Bill Bailey in the dole queue yet? Mark Ronson has pinched his seat on Never Mind The Buzzcocks for the new season opener, airing Thursday October 2nd on BBC2. Mark was great fun when he appeared as a guest in the last series, this should be even better.

Ship ahoy! Martha Wainwright is preparing for her October UK tour with a trip to Greenland, courtesy of the Cape Farewell project. Joining a crew that includes KT Tunstall, Feist, Jarvis Cocker and Robyn Hitchcock, Martha will see the impact of global warming at close quarters. New single “Comin’ Tonight” is out November 3rd, 2008.

Never ones to be outdone, Guillemots are planning a bit of potholing on their upcoming UK tour. The band play a series of unconventional November dates in caves, libraries and converted cinemas. Before then, it’s Wednesday’s premier of Simon Pegg’s new film How To Lose Friends & Alienate People, with the band playing the rooftop after party at Shoreditch House. New double A-side single “Kriss Kross / Clarion” is out Monday.

Teddy Thompson starts his UK tour next week, playing four headline dates before heading off to join James Blunt on his October arena tour. More Teddy headline dates coming up in January.

We think Aimee Mann should be made an honorary Englishwoman, after listing Elton John and Boddingtons as two of her greatest passions on ITV1’s “Soundtrack To My Life” last night. She gave a great interview, and also performed “Freeway” from her latest album. “@#%&! Smilers”. Look out for UK headline dates in October.

Aimee’s not the only one recognising her heroes – our very own Paolo Nutini is one of only twelve Celtic fanatics featured in the club’s forthcoming “Celtic Opus”. Half a metre square and weighing in at a massive 30kg, you’re going to need a big coffee table for this one!

Finally, look out for Dave Edmunds‘ greatest hits album out Monday September 22, 2008. He also performs as a special guest at Joe Brown’s 50th anniversary concert, taking place Wednesday at the Royal Albert Hall.

MBC 2008 Live Schedule

Aimee Mann

OCTOBER
22nd MANCHESTER, Academy
23rd SHEFFIELD, Leadmill
24th LONDON, indigO2
26th GLASGOW, Old Fruit Market

—

Beth Rowley

OCTOBER
Wed 22nd BRISTOL, St Georges
Thur 23rd LONDON, St James Piccadilly
Sat 25th MANCHESTER, Royal Northern College Of Music
Mon 27th CARDIFF, Glee Club
Tues 28th BIRMINGHAM, Glee Club
Wed 29th GLASGOW, Oran Mor
Thur 30th EDINBURGH, Cabaret Voltaire
Fri 31st GATESHEAD, The Sage

NOVEMBER
Sun 2nd DERBY, The Royal
Mon 3rd LEEDS, City Varieties
Wed 5th BRIGHTON, Old Market
Thu 6th PORTSMOUTH, Wedgewood Rooms

—

Dave Edmunds

September 24th LONDON, Royal Albert Hall (Joe Brown 50th Anniversary Concert)

—

Duffy

November
Mon 24th DUBLIN, Olympia
Tue 25th BELFAST, George’s Market
Fri 28th LEEDS, Academy
Sat 29th MANCHESTER, Apollo
Sun 30th MANCHESTER, Apollo

December
Tue 2nd GLASGOW, Academy
Wed 3rd NEWCASTLE, Academy
Thu 4th WOLVERHAMPTON, Wolves Civic
Fri 5th WOLVERHAMPTON, Wolves Civic
Sun 7th NEWPORT, Newport Centre
Mon 8th LONDON, Brixton Academy
Tue 9th LONDON, Brixton Academy

—

Guillemots

SEPTEMBER
26th LONDON, Royal Albert Hall, Orange RockCorps

NOVEMBER
Fri 7th BIRMINGHAM, Custard Factory (Gigbeth)
Sat 8th BATH, Pavilion Theatre
Sun 9th YORK, The Duchess
Tue 11th INVERNESS, Eden Court
Wed 12th MIDDLESBROUGH, Empire
Thu 13th EDINBURGH, Picture House
Sat 15th LANCASTER, Lancaster Library
Sun 16th SHEFFIELD, Plug
Mon 17th BRADFORD, St Georges Hall
Wed 19th LISKEARD, Carnglaze Caverns
Thu 20th FALMOUTH, Princess Pavilion
Fri 21st PORTSMOUTH, Pyramids Centre
Sat 22nd BRIGHTON, St Georges
Mon 24th DERBY, Assembly Rooms
Tue 25th CAMBRIDGE, Junction
Wed 26th LONDON, Barbican

—

James Blunt

October
3rd CARDIFF, Cardiff International Arena
4th SHEFFIELD, Arena
6th NOTTINGHAM, Arena
7th BIRMINGHAM, National Indoor Arena
8th MANCHESTER, Manchester Evening News Arena
10th GLASGOW, Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre
11th ABERDEEN, Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre
13TH NEWCASTLE, Arena
14th LONDON, O2 Arena

—

Jersey Budd

OCTOBER
10th WREXHAM, Wrexham University
18th EXETER, Phoenix (supporting The Rifles)
19th PLYMOUTH, The Hub (supporting The Rifles)
20th PORTSMOUTH, Wedgewood Rooms (supporting The Rifles)
21st CAMBRDIGE, Junction(supporting The Rifles)
23rd SWANSEA, Sin City (supporting The Rifles)
24th LONDON, This Feeling (acoustic)
25th GLOUCESTER, Guildhall (supporting The Rifles)
26th LEICESTER, Charlotte
27th BRISTOL, Thekla (supporting The Rifles)
28th GLASGOW, King Tut¹s
29th MANCHESTER, Roadhouse
30th LONDON, Borderline

—

Little Lost David

SEPTEMBER
18th LEICESTER, FireBug (Supporting Mick Turner)
19th GLASGOW, King Tuts
22nd LEEDS, The Faversham (Supporting Neil Halstead)
23rd LONDON, The Troubadour (Supporting Liam Gerner)

OCTOBER
14th YORK, Fibbers (Supporting John Power)
15th LONDON, Amersham Arms (Supporting Dag för Dag)

—

Martha Wainwright

October
Sun 19th SHEFFIELD, Plug
Mon 20th BRISTOL, Colston Hall
Wed 22nd EDINBURGH, Picture House
Thu 23rd MIDDLESBROUGH, Empire
Fri 24th WARWICK, Arts Centre
Sat 25th BRIGHTON, St. Georges Hall
Mon 27th CAMBRIDGE, Corn Exchange
Tue 28th LONDON, Roundhouse
Thu 30th LIVERPOOL, Symphony Hall
Fri 31st BELFAST, Opera House

November
Sun 2nd DUBLIN, Olympia
Mon 3rd NOTTINGHAM, Rock City
Tue 4th OXFORD, Town Hall
Wed 5th PORTSMOUTH, Pyramids

—

Primal Scream

NOVEMBER
16th BELFAST, St George¹s Market
17th DUBLIN, Olympia
20th OXFORD, Academy
21st CARDIFF, University
23rd BRISTOL, Academy
24th SOUTHAMPTON, Guildhall
25th READING, Hexagon
27th NOTTINGHAM, Rock City
28th LONDON, Hammersmith Apollo
30th NORWICH, UEA

DECEMBER
1st SHEFFIELD, Academy
2nd BRIGHTON, Dome
4th BIRMINGHAM, Academy
5th CAMBRIDGE, Corn Exchange
8th LEEDS, Academy
9th NEWCASTLE, Academy
11th LIVERPOOL, Academy
12th MANCHESTER, Apollo
13th GLASGOW, SECC

—

Simply Red

December
3rd LONDON, O2 Arena

—

Stereophonics

DECEMBER
TUE 2nd GLASGOW, SECC
WED 3rd GLASGOW, SECC
THU 4th ABERDEEN, AECC
SAT 6th CARDIFF, International Arena
SUN 7th CARDIFF, International Arena
TUE 9th LIVERPOOL, Echo Arena
WED 10th MANCHESTER, MEN Arena
FRI 12th NEWCASTLE, Metro Radio Arena
SAT 13th NOTTINGHAM, Trent Arena
MON 15th BIRMINGHAM, NIA
TUE 16th BRIGHTON, Brighton Centre
WED 17th BOURNEMOUTH, International Centre
FRI 19th SHEFFIELD, Arena
SAT 20th LONDON, O2 Arena

—

Teddy Thompson

SEPTEMBER
24th BIRMINGHAM, Glee Club
25th GLASGOW, Oran Mor
26th MANCHESTER, Ruby Lounge

OCTOBER
2nd LONDON, Scala

3rd CARDIFF, CIA (Supporting James Blunt)
4th SHEFFIELD, Arena (Supporting James Blunt)
6th NOTTINGHAM, Arena (Supporting James Blunt)
7th BIRMINGHAM, NIA (Supporting James Blunt)
8th MANCHESTER, MEN Arena (Supporting James Blunt)
10th GLASGOW, SECC (Supporting James Blunt)
11th ABERDEEN, AECC (Supporting James Blunt)
13th NEWCASTLE, Arena (Supporting James Blunt)
14th LONDON, O2 Arena (Supporting James Blunt)

JANUARY
Sat 17th CORK, Opera House
Mon 19th NOTTINGHAM, Rescue Rooms
Tue 20th CARDIFF, Glee Club
Wed 21st EXETER, Phoenix
Thu 22nd BRIGHTON, Concorde 2
Sat 24th NORWICH, Arts Centre
Sun 25th YORK, Duchess
Mon 26th STOCKTON, The Arc

—

Will Young

September
25th LONDON, Cadogan Hall

November
16th NEWCASTLE, City Hall
17th HARROGATE, International Centre
18th LIVERPOOL, Philharmonic
20th GLASGOW, Royal Concert Hall
23rd MANCHESTER, Apollo
24th MANCHESTER, Apollo
25th SHEFFIELD, City Hall
27th OXFORD, New Theatre
28th NOTTINGHAM, Royal Concert Hall
30th PORTSMOUTH, Guildhall

December
1st BRISTOL, Colston Hall
3rd IPSWICH, Regent Theatre
4th BRIGHTON, Dome
5th CARDIFF, St David¹s Hall
7th BIRMINGHAM, Symphony Hall
8th BIRMINGHAM, Symphony Hall
9th PLYMOUTH, Pavillions
11th BOURNEMOUTH, International Centre
12th LONDON, Roundhouse
13th LONDON, Roundhouse

~ MBC ~

Aimee Mann’s fans have been singing along with her songs at shows and at home for years. Now Aimee is now giving these fans, and anyone else, a chance to sing with her live. All they need to do is video tape themselves singing Aimee Mann’s new song “Freeway,” from her upcoming CD @#%&*! Smilers, and upload it to the Aimee Mann contest on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/group/aimeemanncontest

Aimee Mann and SuperEgo Records will view and pick their favorites. The top winner will have an opportunity to sing live with Aimee at one of her upcoming shows!

Ten runners-up will receive an autographed copy of Aimee Mann’s new CD, @#%&*! Smilers, and all finalists will be considered for a music category spotlight on YouTube. The contest started June 4th, 2008 and submissions must be received by July 7th, 2008.

Entrants can get the lyrics, the instrumental version of “Freeway” and contest details at: http://www.aimeemann.com/freewaycontest/

Aimee Mann will be touring throughout the summer and fall, along with upcoming television appearances on the Tonight Show and the View.

AIMEE MANN 2008 TOUR DATES

Dates could be added or changed! Go to Aimee Mann’s Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

Jun 2 ‘08 Largo Los Angeles, CA
Jun 6 ‘08 House of Blues Anaheim, CA
Jun 10 ‘08 Largo Los Angeles, CA
Jun 12 ‘08 Minnesota Zoo Mineapolis, MN
Jun 13 ‘08 Pabst Theater Milwaukee, WI
Jun 15 ‘08 Bonnaroo Festival Manchester, TN
Jun 16 ‘08 Cains Ballroon Tulsa, OK
Jun 17 ‘08 La Zona Rosa Austin, TX
Jun 18 ‘08 House of Blues Dallas, TX
Jul 9 ‘08 Chautauqua Auditorium Boulder, CO
Jul 11 ‘08 Botanical Gardens Denver, CO
Jul 12 ‘08 Deer Valley Resort Park City, UT
Jul 14 ‘08 Mountain Winery Saratoga, CA
Jul 15 ‘08 Stewart Park Roseburg, OR
Jul 16 ‘08 Woodland Zoo Seattle, WA
Jul 18 ‘08 Vancouver Music Festival Vancouver, BC
Jul 19 ‘08 Aladdin Theater Portland, OR
Jul 24 ‘08 Calgary Music Festival Calgary,AB
Jul 26 ‘08 Berklee Performance Center Boston, MA
Jul 28 ‘08 Washington Park Albany, NY
Jul 30 ‘08 Highline Ballroom New York, NY
Aug 1 ‘08 Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY
Aug 2 ‘08 9:30 Club Washington, DC
Aug 4 ‘08 World Cafe Live Philadelphia, PA
Aug 5 ‘08 World Cafe Live Philadelphia, PA
Aug 7 ‘08 Edmonton Folk Festival Edmonton, AB
Aug 28 ‘08 Koolhaus Toronto, ON
Aug 29 ‘08 Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI
Aug 31 ‘08 Ravina Highland Park, IL
Sep 2 ‘08 The Pageant St Louis, MO
Sep 3 ‘08 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN
Sep 4 ‘08 Bama Theatre Tuscaloosa, AL

Aimee Mann – @#%&*! SMILERS was released June 3rd!

@#%&! Smilers on amazon.com

Aimee Mann download – Thirty One Today MP3

Myspace
Aimee Mann Official Website

Aimee Mann has collaborated with critically acclaimed visual artist Gary Taxali on her 7th solo release @#%&! Smilers, to be released on June 3, 2008 on her own SuperEgo Records.

Taxali has contributed 17 original illustrations for the packaging of the CD, art directed by Aimee Mann and Gail Marowitz, and designed by Marowitz and Ed Sherman.

Los Angeles art gallery La Luz De Jesus will host a showing of the 17 new artworks which will kick off with a combined art show and CD release party on May 31st, 2008 at 8 pm. Both Taxali and Mann will be present to sign copies of the new CD.

Gary Taxali is an award-winning illustrator who has worked for such clients as Rolling Stone, Time, Esquire and The New York Times. His work has received recognition from Graphis, Communication Arts, American Illustration, Print, SPD, a Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators, a Gold Medal from the National Addys and a nomination for a Cannes Lion. He is a Founding Member of IPA (The Illustrators’ Partnership of America) and sits on the Advisory Board of 3×3: The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration. Gary’s latest toy figures, “Oh No” and Oh Oh”, were mass produced by his new company, Chump Inc. His first children’s book, which he wrote and illustrated, “This Is Silly”, is being published by Scholastic and slated for a summer 2009 release. This summer, he will be having his first major show in Europe at “Iguapop Gallery” in Barcelona, Spain. Taxali lives and works in Toronto, Canada.

Aimee Mann has long championed visual artists, collaborating with them to create her work-of-art CD packages. In 2003 she teamed with literary comic book writer and artist Seth who illustrated her CD Lost In Space. In 2006 Aimee Mann and Gail Marowitz won a Grammy award for Best Recording Package for their work on Mann’s Forgotten Arm, illustrated by painter Owen Smith, a five time cover artist for the New Yorker.

After originally breaking onto the music scene during the 80’s leading the post-new wave pop group ‘Til Tuesday, Aimee Mann has gone on to establish herself as one of the most prominent singer-songwriters of her generation. Her successful solo career has spanned across several critically acclaimed albums, including the massively popular soundtrack for the film Magnolia, which garnered her an Academy Award nomination for Best Song in 2000. Time magazine has said of her, “Mann has the same skill that great tunesmiths like McCartney and Neil Young have: the knack for writing simple, beautiful, instantly engaging songs.”

Check out the video of Aimee Mann – Artists Den Performance of “Freeway”

Aimee will be touring throughout the summer and fall in support of Smilers; see tour dates below.

2008 tour dates:

Jun 2 ‘08 Largo Los Angeles, CA
Jun 6 ‘08 House of Blues Anaheim, CA
Jun 10 ‘08 Largo Los Angeles, CA
Jun 12 ‘08 Minnesota Zoo Mineapolis, MN
Jun 13 ‘08 Pabst Theater Milwaukee, WI
Jun 15 ‘08 Bonnaroo Festival Manchester, TN
Jun 17 ‘08 La Zona Rosa Austin, TX
Jun 18 ‘08 House of Blues Dallas, TX
Jul 9 ‘08 Chautauqua Auditorium Boulder, CO
Jul 11 ‘08 Botanical Gardens Denver, CO
Jul 12 ‘08 Deer Valley Resort Park City, UT
Jul 14 ‘08 Mountain Winery Saratoga, CA
Jul 15 ‘08 Stewart Park Roseburg, OR
Jul 16 ‘08 Woodland Zoo Seattle, WA
Jul 18 ‘08 Vancouver Music Festival Vancouver, BC
Jul 19 ‘08 Aladdin Theater Portland, OR
Jul 24 ‘08 Calgary Music Festival Calgary, AB
Jul 26 ‘08 Berklee Performance Center Boston, MA
Jul 28 ‘08 Washington Park Albany, NY
Jul 30 ‘08 The View (tent.)
Jul 30 ‘08 The Highline Ballroom, New York, NY
Jul 31 ‘08 Barnes & Noble Union Square New York, NY
Aug 1 ‘08 Music Hall of Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY
Aug 2 ‘08 9:30 Club, Washington, DC
Aug 4 ‘08 World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA
Aug 5 ‘08 World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, PA
Aug 7 ‘08 Edmonton Folk Festival Edmonton, AB
Aug 28 ‘08 The Music Hall Toronto, ON
Aug 29 ‘08 Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI
Aug 31 ‘08 Ravina Highland Park, IL
Sep 2 ‘08 The Pageant St Louis, MO
Sep 3 ‘08 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN
Sep 4 ‘08 Bama Theatre, Tuscaloosa, AL

@#%&! Smilers on amazon.com

Aimee Mann Myspace
Aimee Mann Official Website

Aimee Mann’s seventh solo release to date, ‘@#%&! Smilers’, is a return to form after the artistic detours of 2005’s concept album ‘The Forgotten Arm’ and 2006’s Christmas CD ‘One More Drifter in the Snow’. ‘@#%&! Smilers’ is set for release June 3, 2008 on SuperEgo Records.

Featuring 13 new original songs, producer Paul Bryan describes the record as “deceptively powerful…very rich and grand sounding”.

The songs range from the stripped-down-to-basics of “Columbus Avenue”, to the almost Cars-esque synth-pop of “Freeway”, along side the classic Jimmy Webb/Glen Campbell-era “Phoenix”, and the hushed creepiness of “Little Tornado.” The final song “Ballantines” is a duet with Sean Hayes complete with barroom piano and trombone section.

Aimee Mann download – “Thirty One Today” MP3

All of the songs were penned by Mann, with the exception of “True Believer”, co-written with fellow singer-songwriter Grant Lee Phillips.

An amalgamation of sounds, Aimee explains “we tried not to echo any previous albums…for this one we wanted to use a different palate, thus replacing electric guitars with distorted Wurlitzers, Clavinets, and analog synthesizers. We made the low end and rhythm section full and organic-sounding, with Jay Bellrose’s quirky approach to percussion and my acoustic guitar together. For this album the acoustic guitar is present in a new way, one that melds with Jay’s rhythm section and acts as an adjunct to the high-hat. On top of that we layered detailed interwoven keyboards and on select songs added a lush string section; on others a full horn section.”

The album was recorded in the latter part of 2007 at the Sound Factory studios in Los Angeles, engineered by Ryan Freeland and mastered by Gavin Lurssen.

After finishing off 2007 with her critically acclaimed sold-out Christmas tour, Aimee will return to the road in support of ‘Smilers’ this Spring and Summer 2008, including a stop at Bonnaroo.

Look for upcoming appearances on NPR – All Things Considered and the Ovation channel – Live from the Artist’s Den performance series, amongst others.

Aimee Mann 2008 tour dates:

Dates could be added or changed! Go to Aimee Mann’s Official Website for the latest tour dates and information.

June 2008

June 2 Los Angeles, CA Largo
June 6 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
June 10 Los Angeles, CA Largo
June 12 Minneapolis, MN Minneapolis Zoo
June 13 Milwaukee WI Pabst Theater
June 15 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music Festival

July 2008

July 9 Boulder, CO Chautauqua Auditorium
July 11 Denver, CO Denver Botanical Gardens
July 12 Park City, UT Deer Valley Resort
July 14 Saratoga, CA Mountain Winery
July 15 Rosebud, OR Stewart Park
July 16 Seattle, WA Seattle Zoo
July 24 Calgary, Alberta Calgary Music Festival

@#%&! Smilers on amazon.com

Aimee Mann on Myspace
Aimee Mann Official Website