To help promote his recent album of cover tunes, appropriately entitled ‘Covers’, singer-songwriter Holmes (aka Roy Shakked) has created a video for his a cappella re-working of the 1978 Electric Light Orchestra hit ‘Mr Blue Sky’.

“I’ve always thought this song lended itself for a Capella,” says Holmes. “And it was insanely fun to make. I stacked up over 30 of my voices on it.”

The video was created with a green screen in one afternoon in Holmes’s back yard in one afternoon.

In a year seemingly swamped with covers albums, Holmes’s ‘Covers’ – taking in works by ELO, Queen, Genesis and INXS is certainly one of the year’s most enjoyable. Read a review here.

Famed songwriter and pianist Billy Joel has been honoured with a portrait hanging in Steinway Hall, the home of piano makers Steinway & Sons.

Joel, the sixth best selling artist of all time in the US (according to the RIAA) is the first non-classical performer to have his portrait hung at the Steinway home.

In November 2011, Joel’s solo debut – 1971’s ‘Piano Man’ was given the deluxe/expanded treatment to include a previously unavailable 1972 radio concert. Of most of the era’s major artists, Joel’s work is among the last to receive any kind of reappraisal, but other reissues set for 2012 will change that. The details of the later reissues have not yet revealed.

To help promote their 2011 release ‘Superhappyfuntimesfriends’ Australian alternative band Regurgitator have posted a new video online.

The video utilises lots of footage from a public domain Japanese monster movie; it’s irreverent style well suited to the new song ‘No Show’, one of the punk tracks from the recent album.

‘Superhappyfuntimesfriends’ is available from Regurgitator’s BandCamp page, on a pay-what-you-want basis. You can also read a review of the album here.

New footage of Green Day performing Misfits’ ‘Hybrid Moments’ has appeared online and can be seen below.

The clip is supposed to celebrate Metallica’s thirtieth anniversary – the only connection between Green Day and Metallica being a shared love of Glenn Danzig & Jerry Only’s pioneering horror zombie punks.

Earlier this year, Green Day played a secret show where they unveiled a truckload of new material, including a tribute to the then recently-deceased Amy Winehouse. It is not yet known how the band plans to use any of the new songs…

Ska punk heroes Less Than Jake take to the road again early next year. Although only a handful of dates have been confirmed so far, fans can catch the band at the below venues throughout February 2012. Expect an announcement confirming other dates soon.

February 16, 2012 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bowl*
February 17, 2012 Philadelphia, PA Trocadero Theatre*
February 18, 2012 Towson, MD Recher Theatre*
February 19, 2012 Boston, MA Middle East Downstairs
February 21, 2012 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bowl
February 22, 2012 Buffalo, NY Rapids Theater
February 23, 2012 Cleveland, OH Peabodys
February 24, 2012 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Smalls

Support at all dates comes from Samiam and Flatfoot 56. Plow United will also appear at those marked *.