Aural Fixation : Music News
By Beata Patricia Pac
Ex-Nitzer Ebb member Bon Harris is planning to release his first solo project entitled "Maven" in October. The details of guest musicians on the album have not been yet released. Bon has been credited on songs and albums by music giants like Marilyn Manson, Smashing Pumpkins, Avril Lavigne, Bush and Depeche Mode.
New Erasure Album Title Announced
The brand new Erasure album Nightbird has been completed and is due for release in October. Mixed by Tom Elmhirst (whose previous mixing credits include Busted, Kylie Minogue, the Sugababes and Goldfrapp) the album promises to show an evolution of the band, but never lets go of the classic Erasure sound. The band is also planning an October release of the first single from the album entitled "Breathe."
(Photo credit: www.labels-japan.com/ artists/erasure.html)
Blur Back in the Studio
Blur have started work on the follow-up to Think Tank. The group has already recorded a few songs and is planning to go back to the studio during the summer. Drummer Dave Rowntree said: "We’ve done a week or so of recording, and we’ll do another couple of weeks, I think in September. There’s no deadlines we’ll just chip away, like we did with the last one. It’s sounding very good. The basis of the record is Damon’s ‘Democrazy’ album so anyone who listens to that will have a good head start on what we’re doing. That’s the basis, so some of those tracks will end up being on the record. No working titles yet, though; no, it’s far to early for all that rubbish. This is the fun bit where you don’t have to worry about ridiculous working titles."
No release date has been set for the new album.
(Photo credit: http://www.blur.ukf.net)
Two Movies About Joy Division in the Making
Following the 2003 film 24 Hour Party People about the history of the Manchester music scene and of Joy Division’s label, Factory Records, American producer Amy Hobby is planning to make a new film based on the life of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis who, at the age of 23, committed suicide shortly before his US tour in 1980. Hobby, who has been behind movies like Secretary, included Moby as the film’s musical advisor. The film is expected to start shooting next year and will be made with the help of London-based Neal Weisman, who is friends with Factory Records former chief Tony Wilson.
Another Ian Curtis film entitled Touching From A Distance is also planned. Deborah Curtis is behind this project and the shooting is to start early next year. In a reaction Curtis says: "We’re looking to give the world a truthful view of who Ian really was. Given his suicide, there’s so much concentration on the dark side of his life. We want to also concentrate on the energy that made people love Ian and Joy Division in the first place, while putting difficult elements such as his epilepsy into perspective. It will be a balanced approach – this isn’t the rock and roll Shine."
(Photo credit: http://www.enkiri.com)
Outkast’s Andre 3000 to Launch a Fashion Label
The "Hey Ya!" superstar is planning to launch his own fashion label, Designs by Benjamin, next spring. Andre 3000 has been long renowned by his funky and unique style and his label promises a classic American touch: "It will be out next spring. There will be something for everybody, whether you want to dress up or down, and there will be a lot of classic finery. It will make an impact," he commented.
Outkast have also declared that the next year will be their busiest yet. The Atlanta hip-hop duo is planning to record two new albums and a movie, despite widespread (and roundly denied) rumors that they are on the verge of splitting. First up is a new album due out in November. According to an MTV interview with Big Boi, the album is "gonna be a hardcore album, me and Dre letting Organized Noize produce the whole album. I can’t give you the title of it yet, but it’s coming together nicely." Then, in May of next year, the duo will star together in a new movie, which will also feature a soundtrack by Outkast. Big Boi said: "We will not be playing OutKast in the movie. It’s set during the Prohibition era. Dre is the son of a mortician and I own a club… it’s a devilish place. It’s going to be a lot of action, adventure, romance."
(Photo credit: http://www.eminemitalia.it)
Lollapalooza Bigger and Better Grand Return
Last year marked a grand return of Lollapalooza after a six-year break featuring Audioslave, Incubus, A Perfect Circle, Jurassic 5, The Donnas, Queens of the Stone Age and a reunited Jane’s Addiction. The line-up was pretty impressive, but still failed to appeal to the festival’s early 1990’s alternative roots. This year promises to outgrow all that with the festivities expanding over two rock-filled days and reminding us of why it seemed like a good idea in the first place.
On the first day, we can expect the appearance of Lollapalooza veterans like Sonic Youth and a reappearance of the "poppier" and less introverted Morrissey. Others in the lineup include Le Tigre, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, PJ Harvey, Modest Mouse, Broken Social Scene, Danger Mouse, The Von Bondies and The Walkmen. Day two will bring more alternative music stars, including the Pixies, Wilco, The String Cheese Incident (with The Perry Farrell Incident on two Denver dates), The Flaming Lips, Michael Franti & Spearhead, The Thrills, The Fire Theft, The Polyphonic Spree, TV on the Radio and Elbow. Jane’s Addiction’s Perry Farrell will curate the event that will take place on a single stage, with its sound system powered by solar electricity. The festival’s environmental concern will cut energy costs and assures that the entire sound system will run without fail with the oms lowered to 60. Farrell has also announced his plans of bringing Lollapalooza to Europe, possibly starting with the UK.
Here’s the U.S. festival itinerary, with a city-by-city breakdown of the main stage lineups for all dates:
7-14/15 Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre
7-17/18 Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
07-20/21 Chula Vista, CA – Coors Amphitheatre
07-22/23 Ventura, CA – Ventura County Fairgrounds
07-26/27 Greenwood Village, CO – Coors Amphitheatre
07-29/30 Tinley Park, IL – Tweeter Center
08-01/02 Indianapolis, IN – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (Day 2 only)
08-02/03 Clarkston, MI – DTE Energy Music Theatre
08-05/06 Toronto, Ontario – Molson Amphitheatre
08-09/10 Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
08-12/13 Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post
08-14/15 Mansfield, MA – Tweeter Center
08-16/17 New York, NY – Randall’s Island
08-18/19 Camden, NJ – Tweeter Center at the Waterfront
08-21/22 Atlanta, GA – Turner Field
08-24/25 Dallas, TX – Smirnoff Music Centre
Log onto the Lollapalooza 2004 website for more info: http://www.lollapalooza.com
(Photo credit: Jane’s Addiction: http://www.specialopsmedia.com)
