The Prodigy have been announced as the final headline act at next year’s Download Festival.
The alt-dance act will headline the first night of the three day festival with the recently reformed original line up of Black Sabbath and Metallica filling the other headline slots. To celebrate it’s twenty-first anniversary, Metallica’s set is to include a performance of their multi-million selling 1991 self-titled release (aka ‘The Black Album’) in full.
As yet, no other acts have been confirmed.
While working through tapes for an upcoming Doors reissue, producer Bruce Botnick stumbled across a genuine rarity.
A track recorded during the sessions for The Doors’ last proper album, entitled ‘She Smells So Nice’ is to be included on a 40th anniversary edition of the band’s 1971 release.
It is not yet known what else will be included in the anniversary reissue, but this news alone should be enough for Doors completists to get excited.
The 40th anniversary edition of ‘L.A. Woman’ is released on January 23rd 2012.
At the end of the 1970s, as punk faded, there were various British bands keen to pay tribute to a musical past. Each paying tribute to the 1960s in their own way, the 2-Tone label gave birth to a second wave of ska music, while The Jam, Dr Feelgood and various other bands paid homage to rhythm & blues and mod scenes. Often gaining fewer accolades by comparison, Birmingham’s Dexys Midnight Runners were heavily influenced by soul – particularly of the horn-based variety, as championed by the legendary Stax label. Their first album ‘Searching for the Young Soul Rebels’ captures the original line-up of the band in fabulous form; with plenty of ego and so much to prove.
The Cage – a long-standing collaboration between guitarist Dario Mollo and former Black Sabbath frontman Tony “The Cat” Martin – have announced the release of their third album.
‘The Third Cage’, the pair’s first release together since 2002, will be released at the end of January 2012 via Frontiers Records.
The confirmed tracklist is as follows:
01. Wicked World
02. Cirque Du Freak
03. Oh My Soul
04. One Of The Few
05. Still In Love With You
06. Can’t Stay Here
07. Wardance
08. Don’t Know What It Is About You
09. Blind Fury
10. Violet Moon
11. Wicked World (videoclip)
Between work with Tony Martin and The Cage, Mollo has also recorded with another former Black Sabbath employee: with Glenn Hughes, Mollo created Voodoo Hill. The band released two albums, a first in 2000 and a follow-up in 2004.
UK synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys have announced the release of their second b-sides compilation.
‘Format’ – a two disc release – will collect each of the b-sides recorded between 1996-2009. The release is a companion duo’s first b-sides compilation, 1995’s ‘Alternative’ which featured all b-sides released between 1985-1994.
‘Format’ will be released on February 6th 2012 and include the following tracks:
CD1
‘The Truck Driver And His Mate’
‘Hit And Miss’
‘In The Night’ (1995)
‘Betrayed’
‘How I Learned To Hate Rock ‘N’ Roll’
‘Discoteca’ (New Version)
‘The Calm Before The Storm’
‘Confidential’ (Demo For Tina)
‘The Boy Who Couldn’t Keep His Clothes On’
‘Delusions Of Grandeur’
‘The View From Your Balcony’
‘Disco Potential’
‘Silver Age’
‘Screaming’
‘The Ghost Of Myself’
‘Casting A Shadow’
‘Lies’
‘Sexy Northerner’
CD2
‘Always’
‘Nightlife’
‘Searching For The Face Of Jesus’
‘Between Two Islands’
‘Friendly Fire’
‘We’re The Pet Shop Boys’
‘Transparent’
‘I Didn’t Get Where I Am Today’
‘The Resurrectionist’
‘Girls Don’t Cry’
‘In Private’ (7-Inch Mix): Pet Shop Boys With Elton John
‘Blue On Blue’
‘No Time For Tears’ (7-Inch Mix)
‘Bright Young Things’
‘Party Song’
‘We’re All Criminals Now’
‘Gin And Jag’
‘After The Event’
‘The Former Enfant Terrible’
‘Up And Down’