Music News Net

Sublime with Rome's Bud Gaugh Announces His Departure

MUSIC NEWS -  Sublime with Rome announcd that drummer, Bud Gaugh has left the band and will be replaced by Josh Freese. Gaugh revealed the news in an interview with KROQ (see the video below), telling all that his wife is pregnant and he is leaving the group to spend time with his family.

A founding member of Sublime, Gaugh teamed with former bandmate and bassist Eric Wilson and singer Rome Ramirez in 2009 to form Sublime with Rome.   The trio at first referred to themselves as Sublime, but changed their name to Sublime with Rome after a lawsuit was filed by the estate of late Sublime singer Bradley Nowell. Since then, the trio has toured the USA extensively and released their debut album, Yours Truly, earlier this year.

SONIC YOUTH Founding Members Split Up

MUSIC NEWS- The co-founders of Sonic Youth, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon have announced that, after 27 years of marriage they're splitting up. No word on the future of the noise-rock band said theirs label's parent company today.

Sonic Youth will perform its upcoming South American tour next said Catherine Herrick, a spokesperson for Beggars Group, the owner of the band's Matador label, in a written statement.  The couple, "married in 1984, are announcing they have separated," the statement read. "Plans beyond that (November) tour are uncertain. The couple has requested respect for their personal privacy and does not wish to issue further comment."

Goodbye to R.E.M. - The Band Calls It a Day

 
MUSIC NEWS-  No surprise, with the word that former "indie rockers" R.E.M., known to many as "America's Best Rock & Roll Band", have announced today that they're ending their run and will "call it a day" after 30+ years of music making.  Members of the band posted the news on their website, thanking fans for the loyalty and said they have astonished even themselves with their musical accomplishments.

"To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. "We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening," the band wrote.

Organizers of Michigan's MI Fest Forced to Downsize

MUSIC NEWS - The organizers of Michigan's MI Fest have decided it best to eliminate one stage and eight acts from their inaugural event this week due to slow ticket sales.  The outdoor music event kicks off with camping on Friday outside Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, MI.  The promoters informed performers and their management of the changes yesterday.  Current, revised schedule is below.

The event's national headliners; the Raconteurs, Sheryl Crow and Ronnie Dunn are still on the bill, as are key performers from Jack White's Third Man Records label.  Though the promoters had hyped the event as a celebration of Michigan music, the cancellation list has many of the MI area homegrown artists; Alto Reed, Hot Club of Detroit, the Ragbirds, Jill Jack, Howling Diablos, the Juliets, Bear Lake and the Thornbills among others.

FELICE BROTHERS Sign With Fat Possum, Reveal Spring Tour

MUSIC NEWS - American roots rockers The Felice Brothers (Ian Felice, James Felice, Christmas, Greg Farley, and David Turbeville) have signed on with Fat Possum Records, an indie label that has an amazing roster of performers that include Andrew Bird, Smith Westerns, The Walkmen, and The Wavves. The deal will cover The Felice Brother’s upcoming album (title tbd), their fifth, that's due for a Spring 2011 release.

The New York State band has also announced their Spring concert plans that include USA, Australian and New Zealand dates (itinerary below). 

MATCHBOX TWENTY Starts Work on New Album

MUSIC NEWS -  Looks like we can expect a new Matchbox Twenty album this year. The band is regrouping at Rob Thomas’ home this week for writing sessions.  Thomas tweeted on Monday;  “Getting shit together for the matchbox guys to come to start our week of writing at my house and covered in snow once again” and more recently;   “Working with the matchbox guys. Having a little dinner now,” he also said.

No others news to report, but we've reached up to Rob for updates.  The last music release we got from the band was in 2007 compilation album Exile On Mainstream.

Follow Rob @ twitter.com/thisisRobThomas

 

FLORENCE and the MACHINE Set to Start on Second Album

MUSIC NEWS -  FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE are ready to start recording their second album, in London's historic Abbey Road studios.  The band will begin work on their LUNGS follow up this Spring, said guitarist Rob Ackroyd.

Ackroyd said in an interview with Gibson.com that the group have already met with producer Paul Epworth, who produced several tracks on Lungs.  "Work on the second album has begun with Paul Epworth and there is talk of booking out Abbey Road for a month in April/May to record." Ackroyd said.

More @ Gibson.com.

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM To Call It Quits After NYC Gig

MUSIC NEWS- LCD SOUNDSYSTEM have revealed that they will retire after playing a final concert later this year in NYC.  James Murphy's group will perfrom at Madison Square Garden on April 2, and then will be "retiring from the game, gettin' out, movin' on".

They posted a statement on their official website, Lcdsoundsystem.com and hinted they will include new or previously unheard material on the evening's setlist as part of the "best funeral ever".  "For just one more night, we will be playing with friends and family for nearly 3 hours – playing stuff we’ve never played before and going out with a bang - and we’d like you to be there," they wrote.

No More WHITE STRIPES, Jack and Meg Split Up

MUSIC NEWS - The White Stripes have announced that they have split up and that they have no plans to make new recordings or perform live again.   In the statement, Jack and Meg White said the decision to part company was not down to “artistic differences of lack of a wanting to continue”.  Instead,they said, it was “for a myriad of reasons, but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way”.

They thanked fans for supporting them “throughout the 13 plus years of THE WHITE STRIPES intense and incredible career”.  The group released six albums, 2007's Icky Thump their latest,  and until this news today (February 2), it was believed they were working on a new album. 

JIMMY BUFFETT Falls Off Stage at Aussie Concert

MUSIC NEWS - Singer, songwriter, actor and businessman Jimmy Buffett fell off the stage last night at the Hordern Pavilion during his concert performance in Sydney, Australia and was rushed to hospital with an undetermined head injury.  Videos shows Buffett walking to the front of the stage and tumbling off (see fan video clip below).  Fans at the sell-out concert were immediately directed to leave the venue by Buffett's Australian tour manager Michael Chugg. Buffett, 64, lay on the floor unconscious for 5-10 minutes fallen near the first row of seats, where he and staff waited for paramedics and an ambulance to arrive.

He was taken to Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital, in Darlinghurst.  Audience members said it appeared the "Margaritaville" singer struck his head and was bleeding as he lay on the floor.

COACHELLA 2011 Line Up Announced

MUSIC NEWS - Rumor time is over as the Coachella line-up announcement is out for this year's event, the music festival that's become the unofficial kick-off to the annual USA music festival season.  Fest organizers, Goldenvoice, have revealed details for the 2011 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival (see line up below).

The 12^th Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival is set for Friday, April 15, Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17, 2011 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, CA and the 2011 line-up includes headlining performances from Arcade Fire, Kanye West and Kings of Leon. 

 Of course music serves as the centerpiece for Coachella, this year’s festival will feature an expanded commitment to art, culture and community via a unique partnership with The Creators Project--a global initiative that supports leading and emerging artists. 

Music:  The 2011 line-up will  feature:  !!!, 12th Planet, Afrojack, Alf Alpha, Andy C, Angus and Julia Stone, Animal Collective, Arcade Fire, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, A-Trak, Axwell, Beardyman, Best Coast, Big Audio Dynamite, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Bloody

KATE BUSH Plans New Music in 2011

MUSIC NEWS -  With reports recently circulating that new KATE BUSH music is on the way from the UK singer/songwriter/musician/producer.  Her spokesperson told NME that a release is planned for sometime in 2011.  The news came after unsubstantiated reports about a new release from Ms Bush was posted on the music blog Wotyougot.com. 

In response to that report, Bush's spokesperson said a release from her is likely for 2011, although nothing is confirmed yet. They added that any new music from Bush would not necessarily mean a full length album was on the way as a follow-up to her 'Aerial', released in 2005.

Beastie Boys' ADAM YAUCH Ready to Return to Music

MUSIC NEWS - Doctors for Beastie Boy Adam Yauch have given the rapper the all-clear in his fight with cancer, 18 months after he was diagnosed.  Yauch, aka MCA, took a break from the Beastie Boys and his music after doctors found a tumour in his parotid gland back in July 2009.  Because of that, the band's Hot Sauce Committee, Part 1 album was delayed indefinitely.

Yauch showed he was improving just months after having the lump removed when he said that he was "feeling healthy, strong and hopeful", in part thanks to adopting a strict vegan diet and turning to ancient Chinese medicine on the advice of Tibetan doctors.

THE STROKES Back in March With New Album

MUSIC NEWS - Nikolai Fraiture has said that The STROKES' long-awaited fourth album, their first since First Impressions Of Earth (2006), will be out "by March" (we're hearing 3/22/11 to be exact), before they kick off a world tour.  Fraiture recently told BBC Radio 1 that their record was being mixed, and he compared the sound to the New York band's second and third albums. 

"Sonically, I feel it's the album which should have been made between (2003's) 'Room On Fire' and 'First Impressions Of Earth'," he said.  Fraiture also went on to say that the album echoes the band's "classic sound". 

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE Ready to Record Again

MUSIC NEWS -  Queens Of The Stone Age have announced their plans for their next album.  The band will start recording in January, says keyboardist Dean Fertita.  ''Everybody seems excited and ready to go.  We've got so many ideas started already; I guess we'll see what turns out to be everybody's favorite," Fertita told Billboard recently.

He added: ''It's very much still [Josh Homme's] band but I think all of us really feel like we've found our space in it and can contribute to it as well."

The new release will be the follow-up to the California hard rocker's 'Era Vulgaris', out originally in 2007.  No word yet on release date.