That’s just music

Everclear had announced their new concert tour, which is including performance at the US military base in Guantanamo (Cuba), said New Musical Express.

A concert for military personnel that is guarding this infamous prison is going to take place on May 26 at the Memorial Day.  In recent years Guantanamo base turned to be the area for holding suspected terrorists. It remains to be the American territory since 1950’s.  The Memorial Day is traditionally celebrated on the last Monday of May.

Besides that, Everclear will perform at another base (American Marine Corps)  on the Hawaian island of Oahu. This event is going to occur on the Independence Day (4th of July).

Everclear’s frontmam Art Alexakis has noted that, “There are folks in uniform all over the world, and at home, looking out for us – and to play for them is an honour. Not a bad way to spend the holiday weekends. These two shows are important to the band.”

Dj Norman Cook has decided to change his infamous pseudonym Fatboy Slim, which brought him incredible fame eleven years ago, said Digital Spy.

He explained his decision by the fact that ‘it’s time to change the stage image’. Cook refused to promulgate the name of his new project, jokingly noting that, “I’m going to take the Fifth Amendment on that question and not say because I’ll get myself into trouble.”

However, following the information given by New Musical Express the new album is going to be recorded under the title ‘Brighton Port Authority’.

It’s far from being the first time when Norman Cook is changing his stage name. Throughout different periods of his career he was presenting himself as The Housemartins, Beats International, Freakpower and Pizzaman (so far twenty various names). Cook is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as someone who was appearing on the British music hits list using different pseudonyms more than any one else.

Metallica had opened a special web site http://www.missionmetallica.com/  that will help them to show a recording process of their new album to anybody who is going to be interested in it, notes Billboard.

This site is planned to expose various videos made up in studio, songs and new photographs.  Wide possibilities and extras shall become available to those who won’t hesitate to pay, but the exact price is not known yet. These people may be the first ones to receive Metallica’s upcoming album.

The band’s new album will hit music stores in autumn of 2008. Long awaited work is in production process since the last spring (2007).

Oasis drummer Zak Starkey is going to leave the band, says The Sun.  Following various information sources there is certain and unbreakable tension between Starkey and Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher.

Starkey is a son of The Beatles’ legendary Ringo Starr. He was an unofficial member of Oasis since 2004, but not anymore.  The Sun is noting that he is going to participate in recording of the band’s seventh studio album, and leave.  Actual details of the problem that took place are not really known.  This situation seems as if it was another rock n’ roll conflict between musicians.

Starkey is a third drummer in the history of Oasis. Before, this place was occupied by Tony McCarroll and Alan White. The release of their new album is planned for 2008.

American biologist who discovered an unknown new type of spiders has decided to name it after the famous Canadian musician Neil Young – Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi, said AP.

Jason Bond from the East Carolina University has noted that he found this type of spiders last year in Alabama.

“As long as these rules are followed you can give a new species just about any name you please. With regards to Neil Young, I really enjoy his music and have had a great appreciation of him as an activist for peace and justice,” said Bond.

Neil Young is not the only musician who had received this kind of honour. In the beginning of 2008 a group of biologists found a new type of beatle, calling it Orectochilus orbisonorum after Roy Orbison and his widow Barbara.

Nearly two million people have downloaded a new Coldplay’s single since it became available for free a week ago, said AFP following the words of the band’s press-secretary.

The song Violet Hill is the first track from their new album “Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends”, which is going to be officially released on June 12. Violet Hill is sold in music stores since Tuesday.  Producer of this album Brian Eno always gives very certain hopes that a new release is going to be great. 

Previous three albums sold ten million copies each.

File sharing network Qtrax, which was promising it’s users legal and absolutely free music in return for advertising, had signed a contract with Universal (one of the biggest record labels), notes The Guardian.

A company is saying that their website will incorporate Universal’s music catalogue very soon. Right now Qtrax is offering only TVT Records’ music, and in the following few weeks it shall include tracks given by Beggars Banquet Records and Finetunes, said Wired.

Also, Qtrax is currently making deals with EMI Publishing and Sony/ATV Music Publishing, but their tracks are not available yet.

Before Qtrax was opened they were promising to make twenty five million music tracks available for free, and kept convincing that deals will be made with all major record labels.  Later, record companies like Warner, EMI and Universal have denied this information, and Qtrax was forced to stop free music uploading in order to escape legal problems.

The leader of Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor has said about a release of their new album. “The Slip” which is consisting ten songs is available for free at nin.com. Something absolutely great and super generous had happened.

In order to get the album one should leave an email address, and then simply wait for a couple of minutes until downloading links will arrive. “The Slip” is available in various digital formats: high quality mp3, FLAC, M4A and WAVE. Every version contains PDF-file with the album cover picture. Music stores shall get “The Slip” in June this year.

In March Nine Inch Nails had already spread it’s instrumental album “Ghosts I-IV” using Internet.  Last Sunday (just two days prior to a free release of “The Slip”) they’ve began to give away a new single “Echoplex” to the Facebook users.

On Tuesday the leader of the British rock-band Babyshambles Pete Doherty was released from jail ahead of schedule.  He was located in the London’s Wormwood Scrubs prison, said Sky News.

Following the given information a 29–year old musician spent in jail only 29 days out of fourteen weeks. Once being out Doherty has told journalists that his time spending “was full of gangsters and radio 4”, also he presented his drug testing certificate.

Just a reminder: last October an ex-boyfriend of Kate Moss has received a probation for possessing illegal drugs, but in April this year the court put him under the custody for not showing up on time to take regular drug tests.

The court’s verdict forced Doherty to cancel his solo concert in the London’s “Albert Hall” scheduled for April 26^th.  Nevertheless, Babyshambles are going to present themselves at the Glastonbury music festival on 27–29 of June. 

Amazon.com has published some information about the new Metallica’s studio album, said NME.  At the same time musicians did not say anything about this release yet.  Another leak of information is very possible.

Following Amazon’s opinion, the 9^th Metallica’s album should hit the music stores on October 28, 2008. Metallica had started working on this album sometime in March last year.

Expactations that a single from the new album is going to be presented in the game Rock Band did not  come true so far. They were rumoured in December 2007. The unknown track was supposed to be available for free only to those who possess this game, but again nothing happened out of it. 

The last studio album produced by Metallica “St. Anger” was released in 2003.