Coupled with its perfectly timed 11.35pm extended version on Friday nights, the show truly exists as the most visible and consistent champion of quality music on the nation’s TVs, a fifteen year institution that has become as valued a friend and resource to the artists and musician featured on the show as for the audience themselves.

Like its TV counter-part, ‘Later Live 2… with Jools Holland’ the album is unrestricted by the age limits or genre categories, resulting in a joyously diverse eclectic tracklist brought together by one vital requirement, quality song writing and spectacular performances.

Featuring 2 CDs of some of the world biggest megoliths of modern music, including Lily Allen, Muse, Radiohead, Adele, Elbow, Paul Weller, Manic Street Preacher, Keane and many more, Later Live 2… with Jools Holland’ also embraces the hottest new young acts currently rocking the charts, including Little Boots, MGMT, Hot Chip, Vampire Weekend, Paulo Nutini and Arctic Monkey’s Alex Turner and Miles Kane’s band The Last Shadow Puppets.

With a mind bending array of genres on display, from Folk – Bon Iver, to Drum n bass – Pendulum, Soul – Al Green, to Punk – New York Dolls to out and out Rock – The Raconteurs, Electro – Friendly Fires, Reggae – Natty and cool Nu Jazz – Melody Gardot, Later Live 2… with Jools Holland’ delivers a unique line-up of 5* stellar quality.

Add to the mix the fact that every performance across the 2 CDs exists as an exclusive one- off LIVE performance only to be heard on this album, and Later Live 2… with Jools Holland’ stands out as an absolute must have for fans of the featured artists, fans of the show, and fans of thoroughly good music everywhere, regardless of age, gender, background or taste.

Fans will not be disappointed.

Later Live 2 With Jools Holland
Released 12th October 2009
Rhino (Cat. No. WMTV105)

Buy Music:

Later Live 2 on amazon.co.uk

Later Live 2 with Jools Holland Tracklisting

(Information subject to change.)

CD1

1. Muse – Uprising
2. Elbow – Grounds For Divorce
3. Little Boots – Remedy
4. Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor
5. Keane – Spiralling
6. MGMT – Time To Pretend
7. Lisa Hannigan – I Don’t Know
8. Last Shadow Puppets – The Age Of The Understatement
9. Nicole Atkins – Maybe Tonight
10. Glen Campbell – Wichita Lineman
11. Bon Iver – Skinny Love
12. Friendly Fires – Jump In The Pool
13. Radiohead – Bodysnatchers
14. Santigold – L.E.S Artists
15. Adele & Jools – To Make You Feel My Love
16. Manic Street Preachers – Jackie Collins Existential Question Time
17. Pendulum – Granite

CD2

1. Lily Allen – It’s Not Fair
2. Paolo Nutini – Candy
3. Al Green – Let’s Stay Together
4. Melody Gardot – Sweet Memory
5. Vampire Weekend – Mansard Roof
6. Morrissey – Something Is Squeezing My SKull
7. New York Dolls – ‘Cause I Sez So
8. Paul Weller – Push It Along
9. Seasick Steve – I Started Out With Nothin’ And I Still Got Most Of It Left
10. Jools Holland – I Went By
11. Golden Silvers – True Romance
12. Madness – Forever Young
13. Natty – July
14. Karima Francis – Use Somebody
15. Goldfrapp – Happiness
16. Monkey – Monkey’s World
17. The Raconteurs – Salute Your Solution

Later with Jools Holland Official Website

Inspired by the prophetic words of Britain’s last veteran to have fought in the First World War, British band Radiohead today released a haunting single “Harry Patch (In Memory Of)” with all proceeds being donated to The Royal British Legion.

“I had heard a very emotional interview with (Harry Patch) a few years ago on the “Today” programme on BBC Radio Four,” said lead singer Thom Yorke. “The way he talked about war had a profound effect on me.”

Using Harry Patch’s own words as the basis of the song lyrics and with Jonny Greenwood arranging the strings, the song was recorded in an abbey a few weeks before Harry Patch’s death at the age of 111 on Saturday 25 July, 2009. His funeral service will be held in Wells Cathedral on Thursday August 6th.

The “last fighting Tommy,” who served as a Lewis gunner in Passchendaele, only began to speak of his experiences in his 100th year and his vision of the horrors of that conflict inspired Thom Yorke.

“I very much hope the song does justice to his memory as the last survivor,” said Mr Yorke. “It would be very easy for our generation to forget the true horror of war, without the likes of Harry to remind us. I hope we do not forget.

“As Harry himself said, ‘Irrespective of the uniforms we wore, we were all victims’.”

The Royal British Legion praised the song and the band’s generous support.

“Radiohead has picked up the torch from Harry Patch to hold it high,” said Peter Cleminson, National Chairman of The Royal British Legion. “His was meant to be the war to end all wars – yet the Legion is still needed today by the Afghanistan generation just as we were formed nearly 90 years ago to care for Harry Patch’s generation.”

“Radiohead uses Harry’s own words to remind us of the horrors of war, and we believe Harry would be pleased.”

Dedicated “to peace and understanding,” the song is available for download for £1.

Download Harry Patch (In Memory Of)

Harry Patch (In Memory Of)

“i am the only one that got through
the others died where ever they fell
it was an ambush
they came up from all sides
give your leaders each a gun and then let them fight it out themselves
i’ve seen devils coming up from the ground
i’ve seen hell upon this earth
the next will be chemical but they will never learn”

The Royal British Legion is the nation’s leading Armed Forces charity providing care and support to all members of the British Armed Forces past and present and their families. It is also the national Custodian of Remembrance and safeguards the Military Covenant between the nation and its Armed Forces. It is best known for the annual Poppy Appeal and its emblem, the red poppy.

The Royal British Legion Official Website

Radiohead Official Website / blog – Dead Air Space

Other Lives‘ self-titled, full-length debut was released on April 7th by tbd records, the ATO Records imprint that launched a year ago with the physical release of Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows.’

Watch “E Minor” (acoustic version) video:

The album (and the EP that preceded it) was recorded in Los Angeles with producer Joey Waronker (the Eels, Lisa Germano) and engineer Darrell Thorp (Radiohead, Outkast, Beck). Released in October 2008, the EP – also self-titled – was featured for three consecutive weeks on iTunes’ “Rising Stars of Indie Rock.”

Based in the college town of Stillwater, Oklahoma, the band – Jesse Tabish (lead vocals, piano, guitar, harmonium, organ, vibes, electric harpsichord), Josh Onstott (bass, melotron, backing vocals), Jonathon Mooney (piano, violin, organ, vibes, electric harpsichord), Jenny Hsu (cello, backing vocals) and Colby Owens (drums, lap steel) – has been playing music together for the past five years in various incarnations. They began as an avant-garde instrumental group, then added vocals and eventually evolved into Other Lives.

In a recent feature, Filter hailed the band’s music as “perfect for waking up on a crisp fall Sunday or executing a heartrending breakup in the middle of the night,” going on to note: “If Other Lives was more formulaic or eager to get rich, the five-piece would be in N.Y. or L.A., gloating about impending global success. But that’s not how things are done in Stillwater, Oklahoma…”

The landscape informs their music, from the traditional folk elements to the expansive, unhurried nature of their songs. Yet Other Lives owes as much to modern-day classicists such as Jóhann Jóhannsson and Arvo Pärt and British progressive rock as it does to its folk forefathers, drawing from a rich palette that even encompasses traditional Spanish music (”Matador”).

Balancing epic grandeur with quiet restraint, the album evokes characters and civilizations hovering between life and death, majesty and melancholy, hope and despair.

“End Of The Year” is a breathtaking tightrope walk between such extremes – a lilting interplay between piano and cello gives way to more somber tones, then comes full circle six minutes in with a transcendent guitar riff over elegant orchestration and drum corps-style percussion. “Paper Cities,” featured as a KCRW “Tune Of The Day,” is a powerful indictment of nationalism, reminding us that the boundaries drawn by war are temporal, “just lines on a map,” while the cautionary “Don’t Let Them” takes to task the powers that be – and those who put them in power, namely us.

Praised by LiveDaily for its “captivating, cinematic sounds,” Other Lives was one of the noteworthy new acts performing at last fall’s CMJ Music Marathon.

The track listing for ‘Other Lives’ album is as follows:

01. E Minor
02. Don’t Let Them
03. Black Tables
04. End Of The Year
05. Speed Tape
06. Paper Cities
07. Matador
08. It Was The Night
09. How Could This Be?
10. AM Theme
11. Epic

Other Lives April/May 2009 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

25 April – Norman Music Festival (Main Stage) w/Of Montreal,The Star Light Mints, Man Man, Black Angels, Norman, Oklahoma
28 April – Mercury Lounge New York, New York
30 April – Schuba’s Tavern (w/ Elvis Perkins) Chicago, Illinois
1 May – Memorial Union Terrace (w/ Elvis Perkins) Madison, Wisconsin
2 May – 400 Bar (w/ Elvis Perkins) Minneapolis, Minnesota
3 May – The Redstone Room (w/ Elvis Perkins) Davenport, Iowa
5 May – Jackpot Music Hall (w/ Elvis Perkins) Lawrence, Kansas
6 May – The Waiting Room (w/ Elvis Perkins) Omaha, Nebraska
8 May – Hi-Dive (w/ Elvis Perkins) Denver, Colorado
9 May – B Side Lounge (w/ Elvis Perkins) Boulder, Colorado
11 May – The Parish (w/ Elvis Perkins) Austin, Texas
12 May – Pontiac Garage at HOB (w/ Elvis Perkins) Dallas, Texas
13 May – Walters on Washington (w/ Elvis Perkins) Houston, Texas
19 May – Hollywood Palladium w/ The Decemberists Los Angeles, California
20 May – Fox Theater w/ The Decemberists Oakland, California
21 May – McDonald Theatre w/ The Decemberists Eugene, Oregon
25 May – Sasquatch! Quincy, Washington

Buy Music:

Other Lives on amazon.com

Other Lives on amazon.co.uk

Other Lives MySpace

“Natasha Khan of Bat For Lashes ain’t scared. I love the harpsichord and the sexual ghost voices and bowed saws. This song seems to come from the world of grimm’s fairytales, and I feel like a wolf.” – Thom Yorke (Radiohead)

Brighton, England’s Bat For Lashes is set to release her highly-anticipated sophomore album, ‘Two Suns’ on April 6th, 2009. ‘Two Suns’ is the follow-up to Natasha Khan’s critically-acclaimed debut, ‘Fur and Gold’.

Watch “Joshua & The Bat” video:

Bat For Lashes on amazon.com

Bat For Lashes on amazon.co.uk

Fur and Gold’s July 2007 release heralded Natasha Khan as an astoundingly bright new voice in the music world. Her album was nominated for England’s prestigious Mercury Prize in 2007, in addition to garnering her two Brit Award nominations in early 2008, and received high praise from the likes of Spin, Blender, Rolling Stone, the New York Times and more.

England’s The Guardian named Natasha one of 2007’s Women of the Year, a list which also included Hilary Clinton and Anita Roddick, and Radiohead personally asked Bat for Lashes to support them on their UK/European tour last summer. And in between all of these incredible accolades, Natasha tucked herself away into various studios around the globe to begin work on her newest creation, a collection of eleven brilliant songs that see her stretching the limits of her own imagination and plunging to the depths of her own consciousness to make sense of herself and how she relates to the world around her.

If Fur and Gold set Natasha on her journey, ‘Two Suns’ is the middle of her travels, a record of modern-day fables exploring dualities on a number of levels – two lovers, two planets, two sides of a personality.

Recorded all over the world, from the stark landscape of Big Sur and Joshua Tree in California, to the city sprawls of New York and London, to the serenity of Brighton and Wales, it is an album of epic geographical and artistic scope. Envisioning herself as two separate yet ultimately attached beings, Khan introduces the inner character of Pearl, a destructive, self-absorbed, blonde, femme fatale of a persona who acts as a direct foil to Khan’s more mystical, desert-born spiritual self.

The songs on the album unfold the story of these two sides of the same coin, as they intertwine and overflow into each other’s worlds, reconciling their differences and their needs. Using classic story-telling imagery and magical realism within its narratives, ‘Two Suns’ digs deeply into the philosophy of the self and duality, examining the need for both chaos and balance, for both love and pain, in addition to touching on metaphysical ideas concerning the connections between all existence.

Co-produced by Natasha and Dave Kosten, with whom she worked on ‘Fur and Gold’, ‘Two Suns’ further enhances this idea of dualities in its music, mixing autoharps with intense electronics, complex drum rhythms with lush keyboards and strings. The album features guest turns from the legendary Scott Walker (on album closer “The Big Sleep”), Brooklyn psychrockers Yeasayer, and her own band The Blue Dreams (who toured with her this summer) on several tracks, but Khan herself worked the majority of the musical magic, playing pianos, synths, guitar, bass, drums, beat programming and more. And then, of course, there’s Natasha’s illuminating voice as the core of every song, sounding bolder, fuller and more impressive than ever before.

Opener “Glass,” the first lines are taken from the love poem “Song of Solomon,” sets the tone for the album’s exploration of two’s, describing two archetypal lovers coming together and pulling apart against dark, pulsing drums and crystalline bells. “Sleep Alone” details the sickly, lonely quiet that comes after trouble, while “Moon and Moon,” a live favorite from the Fur and Gold tour, laments a lover’s distance and the struggle to return.

First single “Daniel” is hazy, wistful and nostalgic, mixing dreamy keyboards with Cocteau Twins-esque drums to give us one of Two Suns’ finest choruses, and “Siren Song” introduces the conflicting whims of Pearl, the music expressing both her desire for closeness, and her
vested interest in destruction. “Good Love” sounds as if it’s come from a waking dream, the organs burning slowly against Natasha’s languid vocals and half-awake hand claps, while “Two Planets” could be the album’s defining moment, moved by intense, circular rhythms, and dancing with moon-lit, keyboard droplets. Closing track “The Big Sleep,” creaking with a ghostly piano and Scott Walker’s emotive delivery, folds Natasha’s spiritual self together with Pearl, confronting the end of the illusory world and preparing herself for wherever the world will take her next…

Currently, you can hear “Glass”, “Daniel”, and “Sleep Alone” from Two Suns on Bat For Lashes Myspace.

Track listing for Two Suns:

1. Glass
2. Sleep Alone
3. Moon and Moon
4. Daniel
5. Peace of Mind
6. Siren Song
7. Pearl’s Dream
8. Good Love
9. Two Planets
10. Traveling Woman
11. The Big Sleep

Bat For Lashes 2009 tour dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

7th April 2009 – Manchester Ritz
8th April 2009 – Glasgow Queen Margaret Union
9th April 2009 – Stage 2 – Northumbria University
11th April 2009 – Leeds Metropolitan University
12th April 2009 – Birmingham Town Hall
13th April 2009 – Cambridge Junction **Venue change from Oxford Regal**
15th April 2009 – Bristol Anson Rooms
16th April 2009 – Brighton Corn Exchange
17th April 2009 – London Shepherds Bush Empire
19th April 2009 – London Shepherds Bush Empire **Extra Date**
25th April 2009 – The Mod Club, Toronto
27th April 2009 – Boston Paradise Rock Club
30th April 2009 – Bowery Ballroom, New York City
1st May 2009 – 1st Unitarian Church, Philadelphia
2nd May 2009 – Williamsburg Music Hall, Brooklyn
9th May 2009 – Dissonanze Festival
10th May 2009 – Teatro Leonardo, Milan
11th May 2009 – Ampere, Munich
12th May 2009 – Postbahnhof, Berlin
14th May 2009 – Knust, Hamburg
15th May 2009 – Botanique, Brussels
16th May 2009 – Melkweg Oude Zaal, Amsterdam
18th May 2009 – Kulturkirche, Cologne
19th May 2009 – L’Aeronef, Lille
20th May 2009 – L’Olympic, Nantes
22nd May 2009 – Le Bikini, Toulouse
23rd May 2009 – Salle Victoire 2, Montpellier
25th May 2009 – Le Ninkasi, Lyon
26th May 2009 – La Laiterie, Strasbourg
27th May 2009 – Le Bataclan, Paris
29th May 2009 – Primavera Sound Festival
10th June 2009 – The Crocodile, Seattle
11th June 2009 – Doug Fir Lounge, Portland
13th June 2009 – Great American Music Hall, San Francisco
16th June 2009 – El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles
11th September 2009 – Bestival

Bat For Lashes Official Website
Bat For Lashes MySpace
Facebook

Other Lives‘ self-titled debut EP will be released by tbd Records on October 21st, 2008 with a full-length album to follow early next year.

“Black Tables,” the album’s first single, can be heard on the season premiere of the hit ABC series “Grey’s Anatomy” and is available at iTunes.

The band, which was recently the featured artist on MySpace Music, will hit the road for a series of dates that will culminate with two showcases at the 2008 CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival. (See below for itinerary.)

Based in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the band – comprised of Jesse Tabish (piano, guitar, lead vocals), Josh Onstott (bass, organ, backing vocals), Jenny Hsu (cello, piano, backing vocals), Colby Owens (drums) and Jonathon Mooney (piano, violin, guitar) – has been playing music together for over five years, but only recently adopted the name Other Lives.

With an organic, orchestrated sound that incorporates elements of progressive rock, folk and classical music, Other Lives draws its inspiration from a similarly wide array of sources – from historical events to the landscape in which the members grew up. The band recorded the EP and upcoming full-length album in Los Angeles with producer Joey Waronker (the Eels, Lisa Germano) and engineer Darrell Thorp (Radiohead, Outkast, Beck).

Other Lives, which will be distributed physically via independent retailers and digitally at iTunes, IODA and EMusic, marks the second release from ATO Records’ tbd records imprint. tbd launched earlier this year with the physical release of Radiohead’s In Rainbows, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

The track listing for Other Lives is as follows:

1. End Of The Year
2. Paper Cities
3. Precious Air (Demo)
4. It Was The Night (Demo)
5. Flight of the Flynns (Demo)

Other Lives Fall 2008 Tour Dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

9/26 The Conservatory Oklahoma City, OK
10/2 The Vic Theatre w/Gomez Chicago, IL
10/4 The Opolis Norman, OK
10/15 Eskimo Joes Stillwater, OK
10/17 VZD’s Oklahoma City, OK
10/21 Schuba’s w/The Little Ones Chicago, IL
10/22 CMJ – The Canal Room (ASCAP Showcase) New York, NY
10/24 CMJ – The Mercury Lounge (Paradigm Showcase) New York, NY

You can check out songs from the EP at Other Lives’ MySpace page:

Other Lives MySpace

Mark Cope has been around the Oxford music scene for awhile now. Most people here probably became familiar with him and his music when he played guitar in BritPop band The Candyskins along with his brother, frontman Nick.

The Candyskins formed in 1989 and gained a worldwide fanbase, releasing singles such as “Submarine Song, “Monday Morning” and “Feed It”. After touring the US and the UK and experiencing the highs and lows of being in the music business, The Candyskins broke up in the late 90’s.

Lucky for us here in Oxford, Mark Cope is still playing music and has formed a new band, Nine Stone Cowboy. I saw them play at the Bullingdon Arms a couple weeks ago, and enjoyed a great night of music. I’m looking forward to seeing them again soon.

A bit of trivia – Mark’s dad is the very talented English actor Kenneth Cope. He played the ghost, Marty Hopkirk, on (one of my favorite TV shows since moving to England) Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased).

Mark very graciously took some time out to answer some questions for BandWeblogs.com.

Jenny May: When did you start playing music?

Mark Cope: Like most kids I started on a recorder dipped in antiseptic solution. When punk arrived, I learned how to play the drums and joined a punk band who were all a lot older than me. Our first gig was in a village hall, which got destroyed. Very exciting and very scary. I bumped into my old school music teacher a few years ago. He told me and my brother we had no musical talent at all at school. I told him we had just signed a $2 million recording contract with Geffen Records. I swore at him and told him he should not be in teaching. Very satisfying.

What was the first band that you played in (what was your role) and how did it come about?

A punk band called The Attendants (mentioned above) – I played drums. I met the others where all the punks used to meet and drink lager and sniff glue. We played Clash covers and a few of our own. I had a really old drum kit with a massive salvation army bass drum, the one you use for marching with. It got stolen from the youth centre where we practiced, so I decided to take up the guitar.

When you were in the Candyskins, you played guitar and sang backing vocals. Now you’re the lead singer for Nine Stone Cowboy. How has the experience been for you now that you’re fronting a band? Had you fronted bands before?

Being the front man in a band is so different. I understand totally what my brother went through now. When I was the rhythm guitarist and backing singer in the Candyskins, every gig was so much fun and afterwards you just wanted to party until you died. But now the pressure is intense. You feel it before, during and afterwards. You feel drained and want to lie down in a darkened room. It really does drain you and the worry of whether the songs are any good or am I singing badly spiral out of control in your head. It’s definitely not as enjoyable as being “in the band”, but a few days after, you do get a proud feeling through your body that you went through it. It is a bit like bungee jumping. But as my dad says “if you didn’t get nervous it wouldn’t be worth it”.

What is your song writing process like?

I love it, it is my favourite thing in the world. It starts in so many different ways. I will mishear someone saying something in a pub and get a lyric for a chorus, or hear some chanting at an African nations football match on TV and get a chord sequence. They do sometimes just enter your head. With computers you can just go mad now, there are no limits. I’m the boy in the bubble with my computer, two bottles of red wine and I can go anywhere with a song. Then the next day sober, I am the serious producer and make sense of it all. I love writing lyrics, little sad stories that make you smile. I always torture myself trying to make it better – changing verses here and there. The true mark of a good song when you’ve written a new one, is when you can remember it first thing in the morning. If I can’t, I dump it. If I can, I carry on working on it. But every song comes from a different angle. That’s what makes it so exciting and fulfilling.

What do you consider a great recording environment?

Me, my computer, my guitar, my keyboard, red wine and a room with the TV on with the sound turned down. And no one in the house when I do the vocals. When I was in the Candyskins we spent so much time and money in plush studios. Now with the technology we have today it is so much easier. I did learn so much just watching and listening to producers at the time.

You lived in Boston for awhile. What brought you there? How did you spend your time?

I was going out with a girl from Boston for a while. I nearly moved there. She worked for a record company, so every night we would go and see bands. It’s such a great city. During the day I would just walk for miles, lots of little adventures. The Candyskins were very popular in Boston, it was great driving around hearing our songs on the radio. There is nothing quite like that feeling.

Did you like the Boston music scene? What bands did you see while living there?

The music scene is so good there. Loads of venues and really good radio stations. I saw so many bands there – everything from Monster Magnet to Portishead. The local paper the Phoenix kept it all together. You would look for who was playing that week and try and fit it all in. And because my girlfriend got guest lists for all the gigs and free drink tokens, I was like a pig in sh**! I remember one time seeing Rage Against the Machine twice in one night, they did an under 16 and over 16 show, and then going out and getting drunk with the guitarist. Good times.

When you were in The Candyskins along with your brother Nick, how often did you write songs together?

At first we would always write together, with the guitarist Nobby, sitting around drinking tea trying to find the right chord or word. After a while we started to write separately which in a way made it better because it was a competition who could write the best song. I really miss those early days when we all lived together and it was us against the world. Being in a band with your best friends and touring, getting payed, is without doubt the best experience in the world, and we were very lucky we got to do it for fifteen years. It does make the real world very hard to live in though, when it ends. Too much fun is a very dangerous thing.

Do you get together with Nick to write or play music now?

We reformed recently to play the last night of the Zodiac, which was brilliant. It all came rushing back. He’s doing songs for kids now (he has 3) and has nearly finished an album, which is fantastic. He has always had the power to make me cry with his songs and even now with songs about little monkeys he still does. The boy is a genius.

With the Candyskins, where were some of your favorite places to play when on tour?

Touring America was the best, we did four three month tours all over on a big tour bus. Waking up at the Grand Canyon with a hangover, it does not get any better. All I remember is just smiling all the time. People would travel miles to see us, we could not believe it. New York was always fun. I always loved playing in Oxford at the end of a tour, when we were really tight and you could just enjoy it, watching all your friends going mad.

Who were some of the bands that you played with while on tour?

We played with so many bands I can’t remember all of them. We obviously played with Radiohead a lot in the early days. In America we played with Nirvana once in Boston. The Pogues in Belgium. I wish I had kept more of a record of it all. The thing I remember most was we always seemed to be having more fun than the other bands. Looking back maybe we should have taken it a bit more seriously.

Nine Stone Cowboy

How did the current lineup of Nine Stone Cowboy come about?

A long journey. I’ve sacked about ten people to get to this line up. But as I’ve always said “a band that drinks together, stays together.” I have always wanted a girl bass player, so Maria is perfect. AD is a very old friend.

Nine Stone Cowboy recently played a great show at The Bullingdon in Oxford. Do you have plans to play outside of Oxford?

Yes – we are going to get some support shows soon, and there are plans for a few festivals this summer.

Have you had your music in movie soundtracks?

The Candyskins had “Feed It” in The Waterboy soundtrack, the Adam Sandler film, and we had one song on the Legally Blonde 2 soundtrack. It’s very weird hearing your song on a film. You watch it waiting to hear it and miss it when it’s played. Everytime I leave the room to go to the toilet just as it comes on. Typical. We also had a song in the US lays crisps advert which was great. It was better than the original video.

Is that something that you could foresee in the future for you and/or Nine Stone Cowboy?

I would love it. I’m talking to some publishers at the moment, to get music in TV shows and films.

Who are some of your influences, in music and/or otherwise?

Punk, especially the late Joe Strummer. E.L.O., The Flaming Lips, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, anything with a bit of thought behind it. I love really sad lyrics with a bit of a story behind it. Not enough of that around at the moment. It seems all the eccentrics are being pushed to one side.

Where is your favorite place in Oxford?

Anywhere where all my friends are gathered with drinks in their hands and the next day off.

What CD or MP3 are you currently listening to the most?

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, “THE NIGHT”. It is a lost track that is the best piece of pop music I have ever heard. I can’t stop playing it to people. And of coarse my own new stuff, trying to make it better and at the same time trying not to destroy it.

Nine Stone Cowboy MP3s:

Jesus Doesn’t Like Me
Son Of Elvis

Nine Stone Cowboy Band Members:

Mark Cope – vocals/guitar
Maria Ilett – bass/vocals
Ady Davey – guitar/vocals
Richie Wildsmith – drums

Nine Stone Cowboy will be playing at The Wheatsheaf in Oxford, April 5, 2008.

Nine Stone Cowboy on Myspace

The Candyskins on Myspace

Mark Ronson’s smash-hit, double-platinum LP ‘Version’ is one of the biggest-selling albums of 2007.

Having spawned three epic hit singles – “Stop Me”, “Oh My God” and “Valerie”, the ‘Verson’ LP continues to soundtrack modern life with the stellar new single “Just”, set for release on February 18th, 2008. With help from singer Alex Greenwald (Phantom Planet), “Just” is a Ronson remix of the original Radiohead track.

Nominated for 3 Grammy Awards and 3 BRITS respectively, the British-born, New York-based producer tours from February 14th, with 2 shows at London’s Hammersmith Apollo, February 22nd and 23rd.

Watch the Mark Ronson – “Just” video on The Sun online.

Mark Ronson – Just on amazon.co.uk

Mark Ronson February 2008 UK tour dates – live in concert:

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

14 February 2008 Plymouth Pavilions – Plymouth
15 February 2008 Glasgow Academy – Glasgow
16 February 2008 Manchester Apollo – Manchester
17 February 2008 Sheffield Octagon – Sheffield
21 February 2008 Brighton – The Dome – Brighton
22 February 2008 London Apollo – London
23 February 2008 London Apollo – London

Mark Ronson on Myspace
Mark Ronson Official Website

Rhino UK is proud to present a fascinating 39 track, 2 CD set of highlights from the groundbreaking BBC 2 TV music show Later…with Jools Holland – the selections drawn from more recent series of the long running show. ‘Later…Live with Jools Holland’ is set for UK release January 28th, 2008.

The 2 CDS reflect Later…with Jools Holland’s mix of established and new acts drawn from every walk of musical life. The full track listing is below but featured artists include Amy Winehouse, Kasabian, Lily Allen, The White Stripes with Jools himself, Muse and Kings Of Leon rubbing shoulders with the more upcoming likes of King Creosote, Adele, Duffy and Seasick Steve.

Later…with Jools Holland has been the most sought after TV outlet for both stellar names and relative unknowns (many of whom have gone on to much bigger things) since it was first broadcast in 1992. 25 of the 39 acts on this CD made their TV debut on Later and 13 of the tracks featured are debut performances anywhere in the world including those by Mika, Adele, Duffy, The Fratellis, Seasick Steve and Kate Nash.

Later…recently completed it’s 30th series and more than a thousand artists have performed well over 2,500 songs during the shows’ first 15 years. Rhino’s 2 CD set is released the week that Later…celebrates its 200th show on Friday February 1st, 2008 with guests including Radiohead, Cat Power and Dionne Warwick.

The program has always presented a unique blend of acts on each show and has a reputation that always brings the best, often presenting the artist in a novel setting – Mika here performing solo, Gnarls Barkley with their string section, Kano and Damon Albarn. This is a remarkable collection of solo artists and bands, reflecting a phenomenal mix of music styles. Where else are you likely to hear James Blunt, The Flaming Lips, Kaiser Chiefs, Jose Gonzales and Green Day under one rafter-rattling roof?

Later…Live with Jools Holland track listing:

CD ONE

Arctic Monkeys – Brianstorm
Amy Winehouse – Tears Dry On Their Own
Kate Nash – Foundations
Kaiser Chiefs – Ruby
KT Tunstall – Black Horse & Cherry Tree
Gnarls Barkley – Crazy
Mika – Grace Kelly
Adele – Daydreamer
The Fratellis – Henrietta
Hard-Fi – Suburban Knights
Stereophonics – It Means Nothing
Richard Hawley – Valentine
Scott Matthews – Dream Song
Seasick Steve – Doghouse Blues
The Flaming Lips – Yeah Yeah, Yeah Song
CSS – Let’s Make Love
Damien Rice – Coconut Skins
King Creosote – Admiral
Muse – Knights Of Cydonia

CD TWO

The White Stripes & Jools – My Doorbell
Lily Allen – Smile
Razorlight – America
Paolo Nutini – Last Request
Editors – Smokers
Bernard Butler with Duffy – Rockferry
Keane – Crystal Ball
The Strokes – Last Nite
James Morrison – You Give Me Something
Primal Scream – Country Girl
David Gray – The World To Me
Kings Of Leon – Bucket
Jose Gonzalez – Heartbeats
Mutya Buena – Just A Little Bit
Estelle – Wait A Minute (Just A Touch)
Ray Lamontagne – Trouble
Green Day – American Idiot
Kano featuring Damon Albarn – Feel Free
James Blunt – Same Mistake
Kasabian – Empire

Later …Live with Jools Holland (2CD) on amazon.co.uk

Later…with Jools Holland on BBC

Singles release dates and information could change! This is not a complete list – other releases could be added.

Go to the bands and artists official websites for the latest release dates, news and information.

7th January

Basshunter – Now You’re Gone
Bodyrox feat Luciana – What Planet You On?
British Sea Power – Waving Flags
Celine Dion – Eyes On Me
Clocks – All I Can / That Much Better (7″) [Limited]
Daughtry – Home
Dave Armstrong & Redroche feat H-Boogie – Love Has Gone
DJ Jeroenski – Back Once Again
Envy Corps – Story Problem
Hoosiers – Worst Case Scenario
Jamie Scott & The Town – Standing In The Rain
The Kills – U.R.A. Fever (7″)
Maccabees – Toothpaste Kisses
Matt Costa – Mr Pitiful (7″)
Parka – Disco Dancer
Ringo Starr – Liverpool 8
Robots In Disguise – We’re In The Music Biz
Turin Brakes – Something In My Eye

14th January

Annuals – Dry Clothes
Britney Spears – Piece Of Me
Cass McCombs – That’s That (7″)
Circuits – City Of Lights / Before It’s Over (7″)
Client – Lights Go Out
Courteeners – What Took You So Long?
Daniel Rachel – Let It Be Mine
Dave Gahan – Saw Something / Deeper And Deeper
David Ford – I’m Alright Now
Eastern Conference Champions – Single Sedative
Ernesto Vs Bastian – Unchained Melody (12″)
Fischerspooner – The Best Revenge (12″)
Furry Phreaks feat Terra Deva – All Over The World
The Grit – Surrender
Jack Johnson – If I Had Eyes
Jennifer Lopez – Hold It Don’t Drop It
Jody Watley – I Want Your Love
Joss Stone – Baby Baby Baby
Justice – Phantom
Kanye West feat Chris Martin – Homecoming
Lightspeed Champion – Tell Me What It’s Worth
Lupe Fiasco feat Matthew Santos – Superstar
Madness – NW5
The Mars Volta – Wax Simulacra
Noah & The Whale – 2 Bodies 1 Heart / Rocks & Daggers
Palladium – White Lady
Presets – My People (12″)
Radiohead – Jigsaw Falling Into Place
Robyn – Be Mine
Sons & Daughters – Darling (7″)
Stephen Fretwell – Now (7″)
Supergrass – Diamond Hoo Ha Man (7″) [Limited]
Trashcan Jack vs Billy Idol – Club Wedding
Underworld – Beautiful Burnout (12″)
Will I Am – One More Chance
Wombats – Moving To New York

21st January

Adele – Chasing Pavements
Alter Bridge – Ties That Bind
Avenged Sevenfold – Afterlife
Bullet For My Valentine – Scream Aim Fire
BWO – Sunshine In The Rain
Cass McCombs – That’s That (7″)
Colin MacIntyre – tba
Cut Off Your Hands – Oh Girl (7″)
Das Pop – Fool For Love
Jay Sean – Ride It
Kid Sister feat Kanye West – Pro Nails
The Little Ones – Ordinary Song
One Night Only – Just For Tonight
Paula De Anda feat The Dey – Walk Away
Siouxsie – About To Happen (7″)
These New Puritans – Elvis
Thom Yorke – And It Rained All Night (Burial Remix) (12″)
Tim Deluxe – You Got Tha Touch (12″)
Wu Tang Clan – The Heart Gently Weeps

28th January

Atomic Kitten – Anyone Who Had A Heart
Bob Mould – The Silence Between Us (7″)
Cajun Dance Party – The Race (7″)
Cassie – Is It You
Dominatorz – Do You Love Me?
The Duke Spirit – The Step And The Walk
Elliot Minor – Still Figuring Out
Hot Chip – Ready For The Floor
Kelly Rowland – Work
Laura Marling – Ghosts
Mary J Blige – Just Fine
Matchbox Twenty – These Hard Times
Michael Jackson featuring Will.I.Am – The Girl Is Mine
Morrissey – That’s How People Grow Up
New Sins – It Doesn’t Work Like That
Primary 1 – Hold Me Down
Richard Hawley – Valentine
School Of Language – Rockist
Thom Yorke – Atoms for Peace (Four Tet Remix) (12″)
Those Dancing Days – Hitten
Tin Man – Tonight
Urbnri – Young Free & Simple
Wallis Bird – Counting To Sleep
Yves La Rock – Zookey

If you have any queries please contact manickangaroo at havenforum.co.uk

Album release dates and information could change! This is not a complete list, other releases could be added.

Go to the bands and artists official websites for the latest release dates, news and information.

3rd December

2Pac – Best Of Part 1: Thug, Best Of Part 2: Life
Busta Rhymes – Back On My BS
Cascada – Perfect Day
The Choirboys – The Carols Album
Ghostface Killah – The Big Doe Rehab
Josh Groban – Noel
Mindy Smith – My Holiday
Montag – Going Places
N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton [20th Anniversary Edition]
Remi Nicole – My Conscience & I
Rufus Wainwright – Rufus Does Judy At Carnegie Hall
Silje Nes – Ames Room
U2 – The Joshua Tree [20th Anniversary Edition]

10th December

Claude Vonstroke – Beware Of The Bird
Dan Deacon – Spiderman Of The Rings
Karine Polwart – The Fairest Floo’er
Kindred Spirits – Kindred Spirits
Mario – Go!
Nelly – Brass Knuckles
Wu-Tang Clan – The 8 Diagrams
The Golden Compass (OST)
St Trinians (OST)

17th December

Jonny Greenwood – There Will Be Blood (OST)

31st December

Radiohead – In Rainbows

If you have any queries please contact manickangaroo at havenforum.co.uk

Handsome Alcopoppers, meet Jamie, Jason, Darren and Neil from Oxford town – collectively known as The Family Machine. Mixing blissed-out melodic pop hits with indie-folk sensibilities, their particular brand of acoustic loveliness has been reported to have “made love to my ears in a sample infused urban folk dream” by one enthused onlooker.

What’s more, Alcopop Record’s most recent signing will be releasing their forthcoming ‘Got it Made’ EP on December 3rd, 2007 via digital download (on iTunes and all the regular sites), but even better, the whole EP will be FREE for download on the official Alcopop Records and Beard Museum websites with full artwork – for just one week. And if you like it, look out for the album coming in early 2008.

The EP and album have been recorded with producer Ian Davenport (of The Away Team, credits include Badly Drawn Boy, Supergrass and Athlete) at Radiohead’s Courtyard Studio. And if the name already sounds familiar, there is a distinct possibility you may have shared a wide-eyed moment of wonderment in the past with these boys.

Family Machine have played with Midlake, The Young Knives, The Leaves, Mojave 3, Blondie, Cherry Ghost, Jim Reid and Glenn Tillbrook, and have recently appeared at Truck, Cornbury, Charlbury and Oxford Arts Festivals.

Here’s just a few collected quotes about them…

“Acoustic guitars, bass, drums, multi-part harmonies and a sampler stuffed full of goodies…Post hedonist, pro-community warped genius” – Channel4.com

“My new favourite band” – Tim Bearder, The Download, BBC Radio Oxford

“Exuberance that makes Supergrass sound like The Cure on a wet Tuesday night in Grimsby. Is there anyone left who doesn’t revere the Family Machine?” – Nightshift Aug ‘06

You are the Family Machine!

With stiff competition from new releases from acts like Wilco, Bjork and Rufus Wainwright, CABIN held their own last week with a strong debut showing of #7 Most Added to CMJ for I Was Here and this week made an impressive debut at the #125 spot on CMJ’s Top 200 Chart. Not only has their music already been favorably compared to My Morning Jacket, Radiohead and U2, but Sufjan Stevens also recently namedropped them as “a band you need to check out.”

The I Was Here EP is a sublime offering, more adventurous and signature than its predecessor. With its message of conviction and hope, backed by a massive, moving sound, simple yet complex, it packs a punch. CABIN creates music, which is a cut above the typical, emotionally fraught rock, currently filling our airwaves. This is exquisite stuff.

CABIN 2007 TOUR DATES (more dates to be announced soon)
05.18 Indianapolis, IN / The Irving Theater
05.25 Louisville, KY / Uncle Pleasant’s (CD Release Show)
05.26 Louisville, KY / Ear X-Tacy In-Store Performance
05.30 Louisville, KY / WFPK Live Studio Performance
05.30 Louisville, KY / Waterfront Park
06.02 Lexington, KY / CD Central In-Store Performance
06.07 Cincinnati, OH / Everybody’s Records In-Store Performance
06.09 Indianapolis, IN / Luna Music In- Store Performance
06.21 Chicago, IL / Fearless Radio Live Studio Performance
06.21 Chicago, IL / Martyrs’
06.26 Lake Geneva, WI / Hog & Kisses
07.05 Milwaukee, WI / Summerfest
07.06 Delavan, WI / The River
07.27 Wichita, KS Wichita Art Museum

Here’s what people are already saying about CABIN:

“The Louisville, KY band Cabin are warm and anthemic. The four piece is fronted by Noah Hewitt-Ball whose angelic vocals can soar and convey a broad range of emotions and is complimented by Billy Lease on bass and guitar, David Chale on drums and Sarah Weider on violin, cello and keyboards. Their new EP – I Was Here – on Machine Records will quickly burrow its way into your heart.” – Bruce Warren / WXPN

“CABIN’s songs are epic in scope and feel as if they’re pulled from musical influences like Andrew Bird, Wings and Radiohead.” – NUVO Weekly / Indianapolis

“Cabin writes songs that are epics of atmosphere and melody, where the lingering spaces between notes are just as important as the tender, evocative music.” – Courier-Journal

“Noah Hewett-Ball has found that million dollar sound on Cabin’s new EP. They’re destined to become huge.” – Hanx / The Netherlands

“As good as this Louisville, KY quartet is on record, onstage they somehow manage to raise the bar on their atmospheric melodies and indelible pop hooks with both a hypnotic stage presence and jaw-dropping dynamics.” – ConcertLivewire

“Cabin is a band making brilliant music without trying too hard. It’s one of those rare occasions where you can tell the band is just going by its natural feel and the chemistry between members flows perfectly. I hope these guys know they are good and continue to make records, because if they feel this passionately about the work they have done, these guys have something no one can even attempt to take away.”
- Louisville Music News

“Cabin does deliver a clean, melodic rock sound.” – Velocity Weekly

“Elegant melodies soar, dip and swoop throughout, surrounded by jangly guitars, atmospheric hum and the occasional violin.”  – INtake Weekly

“Louisville’s Cabin is sounding to these ears like the memories of a sweet summer girlfriend from long ago. There’s equal amounts of heady sounds, riffage and emotion in Cabin’s songs.” - Waved Rumor

For more info go to:

Cabin Official Website
Cabin on Myspace

For media inquires contact:

Tony Bonyata
p: 262.203.5353
e: tony@machine-inc.com
www.machinerecords.com

Acts scheduled to perform at the US concert in New Jersey are to include:

AFI, Akon, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Fall Out Boy, John Mayer, Kanye West, Kelly Clarkson, Kenna, KT Tunstall, Ludacris, Melissa Etheridge, Roger Waters, Sheryl Crow, Smashing Pumpkins, The Police, Keith Urban and Taking Back Sunday.

From LiveEarth.org, “Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 16 2007 and will be available at livenation.com/liveearth or by calling Ticketmaster at (212) 307-7171. All ticket information is available at LiveEarth.MSN.com. All proceeds will benefit the Alliance for Climate Protection and other international NGOs.”

More information about Live Earth and the bands playing at Wembley Stadium in London. Also Live Earth locations around the world: Hamburg, Germany, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tokyo, Japan, Shanghai, China, Antarctica, Johannesburg, South Africa, Sydney, Australia and Washington, D.C.

Live Earth is going to be the most talked about music event of the summer. I can say that with confidence, and there are many reasons why people will be discussing the worldwide concerts that will be taking place to help raise awareness about climate change and global warming. You could spend days debating the subject. For instance, the fact that Al Gore is the co-chair of Live Earth is just enough information to have caused a mass media feeding frenzy. Some people like the idea of Al Gore’s involvement, some people don’t and they all have their reasons for it.

Then there are the questions about the concert goers who will be traveling to the shows and all of the equipment that needs to get to the shows and the “carbon footprint” that the concerts will leave behind. Is it justifiable?

And of course with Live Earth founder Kevin Wall’s recent announcement of concert venue locations and headlining acts like Madonna and the Red Hot Chili Peppers brings to light a fresh debate of more carbon footprints and is this hypocrisy?

Quite a few people that I’ve talked to about Live Earth think that rather than having only a handful of concert locations around the world for thousands of people to have to travel to, why not put on local gigs? To Think Globally, Act Locally, with local clubs set up to host a special Live Earth night.

Say for example, if Radiohead and Supergrass, two bands that happen to be from my town which is Oxford, were to announce that they are headlining Live Earth down the road at The Zodiac or the New Theatre for the locals – that would be brilliant. Of course this is just a hypothetical wish. Seriously though, have there been any local arrangements made throughout the towns and communities for Live Earth?

I obviously don’t have all the answers and am simply a bystander without a car, who has no plans to travel to the shows but will be happy to watch the Live Earth concerts either online or on TV. However, if there is a local event happening in Oxford, that would be a different story. I would be there with bells on.

Live Earth Official Website

By: Jenny May

Thom York and the boys keep their blog updated fairly frequently with interesting links to other websites, extremely random thoughts and recently there have been posts and photos of them recording in the studio.

Check out Dead Air Space.
http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace/

- Jenny May

For those who are already ticket holders for the festival which is taking place Saturday August 19th and Sunday the 20th at Hylands Park, Chelmsford: Westford Park, Staffordshire, you’re in for what looks to be a great time.

The line up:

Headliners are RADIOHEAD and MORRISSEY

FAITHLESS is the co-headliner with Morrissey, Beck, Paul Weller, Keane, Razorlight, Kasabian, The Charlatans, Editors, Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada, The Go! Team, Rufus Wainwright, Bloc Party, Hard Fi, The Ordinary Boys, Starsailor, Girls Aloud, The Beautiful South, The Magic Numbers, Sugababes, We Are Scientists, James Dean Bradfield, Kano, Gomez, Sandi Thom, The Cooper Temple Clause, Mew, The Dears, The Cardigans, Delays, Echo And The Bunnymen, Nerena Pallot, My Morning Jacket, Pipettes, Matisyahu, Bell X1, The Divine Comedy, The Dandy Warhols, Orson, The Feeling, Xavier Rudd, Imogen Heap, Regina Spektor, The Crimea, The Dead 60’s, Kubb, Kula Shaker, Morning Runner, Matt Willis, Richard Hawley, Jamie T, Oceansize, Daniel Powter, Gavin De Graw, Biffy Clyro, The Rifles, Phoenix, Bic Runga, Art Brut, Liam Front and the Slowdown Family, The Saw Doctors, Dogs, The Young Knives, Jim Noir, Rushmore, Lily Allen, Pure Reason Revolution, Mute Math, Boy Least Likely To, Captain, Lorraine, The Upper Room, James Morrison, Paulo Nutini, Butch Walker, Seth Lakeman, Director, The Grates, The Milk Teeth and The Dodgems.

For more information regarding where and when each band is playing go to the official V Festival website. The V Stage and Channel 4 stage looks to be holding some of the bigger names but the other stages should be interesting, too.

We saw Norway based band Lorraine at the Lovebox Festival and it looks like they’re going to be on the Virgin Mobile Union stage as well as The Young Knives who happen to be from Oxford which is very good to see. The other Oxford band playing on ‘the big stage’ is one you might have heard of – Radiohead!

Speaking of Radiohead – since they’re from Oxford and one of the headliners at the V fest, here’s the video for their beautiful, ‘Pyramid Song’. Also-they have a blog called Dead Air Space which is definitely worth checking out.