Feb 8

Smashing Pumpkins reveal new album title
[source: NME.com] Smashing Pumpkins have revealed their first new album since 2000's Machina/The Machines Of God will be called Zeitgeist.
The album will be released in the US on Saturday July 7, according to the band's MySpace site. It's thought the unusual Saturday release is so the date can be presented as 07/07/07.
The band's current incarnation features only two original members: Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin. The other members' identities remain a mystery.
Smashing Pumpkins have also announced two more European festival dates for the summer, in Austria and Switzerland.

Tour dates:

Saturday June 2 – Nuremburg Nürburgring
Sunday June 3 – Nuremburg Zeppelinfeld
Friday June 15 – Austria Nova Rock Festival
Sunday June 17 – Switzerland Greenfield Festival

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Smashing-Pumpkins-The.aspx


Soul Train nominations revealed
[source: NME.com] Beyoncé has been nominated in three categories at the 2007 Soul Train Awards.
Nominated for Best Female Album for B'Day and Best Female Single for "Irreplaceable", the star will also compete for the Michael Jackson Award for Best Video, also for "Irreplaceable".
Other nominees include Mary J Blige, John Legend, Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z. Gnarls Barkley are up for Best Single for "Crazy" and Best Album for St Elsewhere.
This year's event takes place on Saturday March 10 at the Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California.

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Patti Smith talks about covers album
[source: NME.com] Patti Smith has called her new covers album Twelve.
The punk icon has recorded Nirvana, Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix songs for the record, which is due in stores on Thursday April 19.
They'll join versions of Tears For Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule the World", Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise" and Neil Young's "Helpless".
The album will feature appearances from Television's Tom Verlaine, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea and the Black Crowes' Richard Robinson.
Meanwhile, Smith will be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in March, alongside R.E.M., The Ronettes, Van Halen and Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. The ceremony takes place at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Monday March 12.

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Smiths club in conservation bid
[source: NME.com] Salford Lads Club, the Manchester venue made famous by The Smiths, could be given special heritage status.
The club featured on the inside cover of the band's classic 1986 album The Queen Is Dead and now Salford City Council say they want to protect the building as it has "maintained much of its original architectural appearance and character".
The building has been a site for rock pilgrims ever since it appeared on the LP and the club's owners are now trying to raise AU$2.53 million for repairs.
Councillor Derak Antrobus told the BBC plans were underway for its restoration.
"It is important we do all we can to preserve key parts of the fabric of our city," Antrobus said. "Now we will work on the details of this scheme before we ask local people for their input."

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Smiths-The.aspx


Kaiser Chiefs condemn current indie scene
[source: NME.com] Kaiser Chiefs have hit out at the current music scene, claiming the late 70s punk scene was far more exciting.
Drummer and principal songwriter Nick Hodgson believes too many bands are jumping on the Arctic Monkeys bandwagon.
"There's so much sh#t in guitar music at the moment," Hodgson told NME. "You imagine an A&R man seeing this bandwagon, jumping on it and signing any old sh#t with a guitar around its neck.
"I was watching this film about The Ramones. It got me thinking how everything was so average nowadays."
However, Hodgson believes newcomers The Twang could offer salvation.
"Arctic Monkeys were the last of the best and we need something else now to get us out of it. Maybe it's The Twang."

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Kaiser-Chiefs.aspx


Grateful Dead widow files lawsuit
Deborah Koons Garcia, the former wife of Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia, has filed a civil suit to gain access to unpublished recordings of her late husband's gigs.
Koons wants to get hold of a series of concerts by the San Francisco musician so they can be "professionally restored". But the current owners of the material, a corporation that oversees the business affairs of Garcia's estate (and which Koons is an unwilling member of), are fighting the move.
With a court hearing scheduled for Friday April 13, the legal action is the latest argument over the much-discussed "Garcia Tapes".
While Koons claims the corporation was meant to be dissolved back in 2005 and is fighting its validity, others – including Garcia's daughter, 19-year-old Keelin Noel Garcia – are suing Koons over alleged financial mis-management.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Grateful-Dead.aspx


Frankie Laine dies at 93
Singer Frankie Laine (born Frank LoVecchio) – probably best known today for singing the theme song to TV show Rawhide – died of heart failure yesterday in a San Diego hospital.
Laine gained notoriety in the 1950s thanks to a string of covers and hits such as "That's My Desire", "Mule Train", "Jezebel", "I Believe" and "That Lucky Old Sun".
"He will be forever remembered for the beautiful music he brought into this world, his wit and sense of humour, along with the love he shared with so many," a statement by Laine's family read. He was 93-years-old.

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New Franz Ferdinand track unveiled
Scottish four-piece Franz Ferdinand have posted a new song, "Dandelion Blow", on the band's MySpace page.
According to singer/songwriter Alex Kapranos, the track was written for new Scottish film Hallam Foe, which, the singer said, is all about "sexual tension, voyeurism, dark humour, Scotland and death".
The film premieres at the Berlin Film Festival today, while its soundtrack will be released via Franz Ferdinand's label, Domino, next month.
Franz Ferdinand are currently working on the follow-up to 2005's You Could Have It So Much Better.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Franz-Ferdinand.aspx


New album for Laura Veirs
Acclaimed US singer-songwriter Laura Veirs has revealed details of a new album called Saltbreakers (a metaphor for waves).
The former geologist completed a tour in Australia just last month, where she performed several tracks off the new LP, the follow-up to 2005's Year Of Meteors.
Recorded mainly in Seattle with her regular band, and produced by boyfriend Tucker Martine, the album's first single will be called "Don't Lose Yourself".

Saltbreakers tracklisting:
"Pink Light"
"Ocean Night Song"
"Don't Lose Yourself"
"Drink Deep"
"Wandering Kind"
"Nightingale"
"Saltbreakers"
"To The Country"
"Cast A Hook"
"Phantom Mountain"
"Black Butterfly"
"Wrecking"

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Laura-Veirs.aspx


Justin Timberlake greedy in love?
Rumours abound that Justin Timberlake has taken a fancy to two Hollywood starlets.
He's been linked with Lost In Translation actress Scarlett Johansson, who appeared in the film clip for his "What Comes Around" single. The clip makes its on-air US premiere this weekend in the lead-up to the Grammy awards.
The pair were spotted in Miami last weekend for the Super Bowl, partying at hip club Mokai before staying at the Delano hotel. A hotel insider reportedly told US publication In Touch that Justin and Scarlett "spent the whole weekend together".
Just what TV's 7th Heaven star Jessica Biel will make of the news is unclear. She and Timberlake were recently spotted canoodling at the Sundance Film Festival, and then again at Prince's post-Golden Globe Awards party in Los Angeles.

http://bigpondmusic.com/Artist/Justin-Timberlake.aspx