andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien denied frontman Thom Yorke’s prior claim that the band is finished with new albums.

In an interview with NME.com, O’Brien said the group is set to record their next album this winter under the production of Nigel Godrich.

“Typical Radiohead,” he joked, “We’re going into the studio in winter. It’s always miserable! When you’re in a studio in the countryside the music you make is definitely affected by what season it is.”

The announcement comes less than three weeks before the guitarist will appear in a debate on ‘Music’s Survival in the 21st Century’, organized by the Feature Artists Coalition (FAC).
The artist-only discussion, taking place in London, will also feature Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason, Marillion’s Mark Kelly and Master Shortie. Topics will include:
•The range of income streams available to featured artists today
•Discussion about direct-to-fan models such as those used by Radiohead, Marillion & Master Shortie

READ MORE »

Activision has announced the November 3rd release of Bizarre Creations’ new racing extravaganza game – and it looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun. Players will race up to 50 licensed cars, over courses featuring jumps, alternate routes and hairpin turns – business as usual.  What’s unusual is that while this is going on, players will be picking up power-ups – nitro, shields, and offensive weapons to knock the other players into last place – or out of the race completely.

Blur looks upon first glance to be no more than a Burnout clone, but without going into too many details, it’s a project all it’s own.  Placing an emphasis on the multiplayer experience through a community-based interface, a “unique story-driven social network”, this game promises to deliver better, more personable online play.

So look for this title on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in November – if you’re not paying attention, it might just blow right past you.

Cheers.

We’ve got the first screenshots available from the upcoming Activision game, ‘Blur’.

The game drops players into heart-pumping, electrified racing action with 20 cars on a track all targeting the finish line and battling each other as they trade paint and collect intense power-ups, including the ability to blast other cars out of the way with huge bursts of energy, boost their speed, and more.

While controlling photo realistic cars, gamers can use offensive and defensive attacks as they battle for the lead and careen through real-world track locations ranging from L.A. and San Francisco to the streets of Hackney, UK and the treacherous roads of Barcelona, Spain.

Blur is on pace for a Fall release for Xbox, PS3 and PC.

Following months of speculation, former Blur frontman Damon Albarn has confirmed the U.K. band will reunite in 2009.

Albarn made the announcement Tuesday as he prepared for his “Monkey: Journey To The West” opera at London’s BBC Radio Theatre.

“Blur are going to rehearse and see if we’re into it,” he told BBC host Janice Long.

The original lineup – Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree – last played together for 2003’s “Think Tank.”

Since then, Albarn has been busy recording with Gorillaz and The Good, The Bad & The Queen. “Monkey,” a stage adaptation of a 16th-century Chinese novel, premiered in Manchester last year, while its soundtrack was released in August.

Coxon, who left Blur during the “Think Tank” sessions to pursue a solo career, released albums in 2004 and 2006.

British guitar band BLUR are reportedly ‘reforming,’ and are expected to start recording new material in November.

The famed band, who had hits in the 90s with Parklife and Song 2, have never officially split but haven’t made an album since 2003s Think Tank.

Frontman Damon Albarn has gone on to have musical success with two other bands Gorillaz and The Good, The Bad And The Queen, while guitarist Graham Coxon has gone solo, drummer Dave Rowntree moved into politics and bassist Alex James became a farmer.

However, they have reportedly agreed to start working on a new album together.

A source says, “They’ve all had lots on, with solo projects, cartoon bands, political campaigns and farming.

“But by the end of the summer their plates with be clear. They’ll go into the studio together in November.”

(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.

Former BLUR guitarist GRAHAM COXON has staged a dramatic U-turn by conceding he’s considering reuniting with the band.

Coxon quit during the making of Blur’s THINK TANK album in 2002 and swore he would never team up with bassist ALEX JAMES, frontman DAMON ALBARN or drummer DAVE ROWNTREE ever again.

But now he’s had a change of heart and is prepared to discuss a return to the studio or stage with his former bandmates.

He says, “A reunion has gone through my mind a few times, believe it or not.”

(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.

Woohoo! Don’t put the nail in Blur’s coffin just yet – a reunion of the Britpop band may not be as wild as one might think it would be.

Former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon, who left the band three years ago, says now that he might consider joining forces with his old bandmates again.

In an interview with Pitchfork media, Coxon was asked about comments made recently by bass player Alex James that suggests the band wants to reunite with Coxon for one more album.

Coxon responded by saying that “Alex will always be my friend. I guess they all will be in some way, but it’s somewhat strange.”

And as for recording another album together? “I haven’t been approached about it. I think about it: Would it be fun? Would it be a bit too scary? What would the dynamic be in a studio? Would I have to do promotion? Would I tour? You know, it’s a lot of thinking.

“So I guess I still mull around and think about it every now and then,” Coxon said.