Anyway, people die: Steve Lacy (69), soprano sax player and refugee (he returned to the US a couple of years ago) died of cancer in Boston last Friday. His wife Irene Aebi, who sings on some of his albums, survives him. Lacy effortlessly moved between traditional jazz forms and more avantgarde directions, witness his last release, the <trio x 3> disc on HatHut. He is also famous for his lifelong obsession with Monk.
And even more deaths: Tomas Forsberg, better known as Quorthon from proto-black metal act Bathory was also found dead in his apartment, June 7th. No more details are known yet. I will make sure the next weblog entry will be more uplifting.
Guitarist Robert Quine has been found dead in his home according to this web-paper. It seems suicide as he assumedly had never really come to terms with the loss of his wife last year. Quine made name in the NY punk and jazz scene with Richard Hell & the Voidoids, Lou Reed, Laswell's Material and John Zorn.
There's something in the air, these bands split up: Candlemass, Phish, Momentum and Daryll-Ann.
Might be nothing new to some, but Vast Aire left Cannibal Ox. He dropped an album under his own name dubbed Look Mom... No Hands. It remains to be seen what Vordul will do with the band as The Cold Vein is a classic in which Vast Aire's role was very important.
After DJ Dangermouse's Grey Album, DJ Halfred mashed Jay-Z's Black Album up with Metallica's album of the same name..
Marc Ribot is working with Tom Waits again for Waits' new album. They haven't worked together since the Big Time tour.
Slated for release in May on Black Lotus: a tribute to Dead Can Dance. It will feature covers by the likes of Antimatter, Momentum, Jarboe, Anathema, The Gathering (the old B-side In Power We Entrust...), Ulver and the unlikely Danny Lilker (ex-Anthrax, ex-Brutal Truth, Nuclear Assault and The Ravenous).
Activity on the 'official' Mr. Bungle-site! A lot of old shirt designs for sale again (except my worn down OU818 shirt)...
One of Holland's most unique bands Krang have decided to call it quits. Not for the dreaded "musical differences", that is. They say goodbye with their last release Aait.
Finally a website to do justice to the sadly defunct New Kingdom. Not all is lost: Sebastian Laws continued to make music under the name Truck Stop while is colleague Jason Furlow makes some noise under the Kung Fu hero's name Nature Boy Jim Kelly.
Timbaland epressed the wish to quit music. He feels discouraged by short attentionspans from the audience, the download-issues, recordcompany-politics as well, a creative well that's running dry and general boredom with hiphop. He foresees doing something that involves endorsements and tv.
">BBC reports that among the papers of Japanese pianist Chieko Hara, who died in 2001, a lost composition by Johann Sebastian Bach is found. The composition is called Wedding Cantata BWV 216 and had been missing for 80 years and was written in 1728 for the wedding of of a daughter of a German customs official.
Bloodbath parted ways with vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt. Hypocrisy's Peter Tägtgren took over the vocal duties.
Satyricon-drummer Kjetil "Frost" Haraldstad might not make it to their US-tour supporting Morbid Angel and Suffocation because he made a 'mistake' filling out his immigration-card. Being arrested for a fight over 10 years ago prevents him to get into the States. Trym (ex-Emperor, Zyklon) is reported to take is place because Satyr said he isn't going to let this incident ruin 10 years of hard work.
In further 'mash-up' news: Beatallica released a new e-album. Freely downloadable from their site and it features a cameo appearance by 'Glenn Danzig'...
Read this statement to see Guns 'n Roses mainman Axl Rose have the audacity to blame the Bucket for cancelling yet another show (yes, I am biased ;).
The Nordic MTV will air the alternative program "This Is Our Music" this sunday at 22.00 (CET). This episode features Helge Sten (Deathprod, Supersilent). If you're outside Scandinavia there are streaming possibilities at this site.
Stian Carstensen from Farmers Market released his second album for the Winter & Winter imprint today. It's called Backwards Into The Backwoods and it features performances by Ernst Reijsiger, Arve Henriksen and Jarle Vespestad.
After years George Clinton, his previous album T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. is from 1996, there finally has announced that there will be a new release from the P-Funk mob. The album's name is again an acronym: H.L.D.Y.H.T.B.B.Y.A ., which stands for "How Late Do You Have to Be Before You're Absent". The album will include (Brother Can U) Paradigm, a collaboration with Prince as well as tons of guestappearances by artists like Outkast, Dirt McGirt, Tommy Lee and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Other artists that have agreed verbally are Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys and Rolling Stones Ron Wood and Keith Richards. But maybe we should just wait until it's recorded to be sure of anything. :)
The latest signing to Mimicry is Sir Millard Mulch, whose triple-disc-concept-album How To Become The World's Greatest Salesman! will feature appearances by members of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Spock's Beard, Victim's Family, Cannibal Corpse as well as Morgan Ågren.
At first intending to only play a few dates in Great Britain, Isis have been convinced by Conspiracy Records to play an exclusive continental Europe gig at the festival they are organising in Antwerp, Belgium on the 27th of march. A good way people in the Benelux to get their hands on the band's first home-made live CD as well as on the 3 remix 12". More info here here
Finally something more official after all the rumours: MTV News reports Buckethead has left Guns 'n Roses.
It was bound to happen someday: V/Vm, the "hitsongbutchers" have been nicked by the copyright-police. Read more about it here and perhaps make a donation to help fighting this insanity.