Latest news | ninemsn Music

Ready to take you higher... again

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Your arms were wide open and now your prayers have been answered: Christian rock band Creed have officially reunited. Don't use the term around lead singer Scott Stapp however, who told Rolling Stone: "I wouldn't call it a reunion. It's a renewing and a rebirth. I missed my boys and wanted to create music with them again. We're all thrilled to have a second chance to make a first impression." Guitarist Mark Tremonti, drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall are all back despite the band's acrimonious split in 2004 (incidentally, the same year they came second to Limp Bizkit in Guitar World's Worst Band of the Year feature). <

Record with Little Birdy

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

On the eve of the release of their new album Confetti, Little Birdy have launched a competition on their Myspace page inviting an unsigned songwriter the chance to record with the band. Aside from a day in a Melbourne studio with Little Birdy, the lucky winner will also receive a film clip to accompany the track, which will be launched on Myspace and Channel [V]. As they did with Confetti, Little Birdy will take their roles as producers for the track. "We're looking forward to sharing our love of recording with an artist who may be walking into a studio for the very first time," said drummer Matt Chequer.

Alice Cooper's pain, our thrill, in August

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Shock-rock god Alice Cooper is returning to Australia with his latest macabre musical creation - the Theatre of Death. Cooper, who has entered his fourth decade of performing, will bring his latest tour to Australian theatres in August on the back of his sold-out series of shows in 2008 and promises a new show brimming with "thrills and chills". The tour comes on the back of Cooper's latest album Along Came a Spider which has seen the release of a recent 'Thriller'-esque 10-minute film clip and its own pinball machine. Presale tickets for the tour go on sale April 27 from Alice's own website and usual outlets.

De La Sole

Sun, 26 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

They might be ready to tour Australia, but hip-hoppers De La Soul are also busy signing with a label - a sporting label that is. Nike have signed the trio to create a record for runners, using the concept of a 45-minute jog the premise for the album. "Trying to deal with the intense moment and the cool-down moment - it's been really different but it's been really cool dealing with different tempos," Dave Jolicoeur (otherwise known as Trugoy the Dove) told news.com.au. The trio will hit Australia in May to tour with the Groovin' in the Moo festival circuit, as well as their own sideshows around the major capital cities.

The Flaming Lips triumph over House of Reps

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Residents of Oklahoma can rest easy in the knowledge that Governor Brad Henry has confirmed the Flaming Lips' 'Do You Realize??' as the state's official rock song. Last month, the Lips song went up against tracks like Elvis Presley's 'Heartbreak Hotel' (co-written by Oklahoma's Mae Boren Axton), Wanda Jackson's 'Let's Have a Party' and the All-American Rejects' 'Move Along', in a contest 21,000 people voted in. Despite winning the popular vote, the House of Representatives did not approve of the choice and planned to pick another song. <

Those mountains are a killer

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Unfortunately for half of dingy-indie duo The Kills, it turns out that high altitude and a pre-existing cold don't necessarily equal good times. Alison Mosshart, lead vocalist and guitarist of the twosome, had to cut their recent Boulder, Colorado set short due to feeling increasingly short of breath. After a brief observation she was released from hospital and is reportedly doing fine and ready to continue The Kills' North American tour, which continues throughout May.

New proof of Billy Corgan's ever-increasing weirdness

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Don't you love when rock stars do bizarre things to embarrass themselves? Billy Corgan, who earns an A+ in the effort department for this shocker, has filmed a commercial for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's Lockdown pay-per-view event. In what can only be described as a total brain explosion 8 Mile homage, Corgan dons a hooded sweatshirt and raps the words to the Smashing Pumpkins hit 'Bullet with Butterfly Wings.' Check it out for yourself here.

A new daughter for Grohl and a new Nirvana DVD for you

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

News of a new live Nirvana DVD has coincided with the arrival of former drummer Dave Grohl's second child. Daughter Harper Willow Grohl, named after her dad's late uncle, was born April 17. Grohl released a statement saying Harper is "loud as hell", a trait probably inherited from the Foo Fighters frontman himself. Meanwhile, for those who want to check out Grohl's earlier career, Nirvana's infamous 1992 Reading Festival appearance is being mastered into a proper live DVD. They may have only released four studio albums before Kurt Cobain died 15 years ago, but the demand for Nirvana bootlegs never ends. This performance in England was particularly memorable as Cobain, surrounded by rumours of illness, cheekily emerged on stage in a wheelchair and hospital dressing gown. The DVD, which includes never-before-seen footage, will be released by Universal in November, with NME reporting it has been "officially sanctioned by the remaining members of the band".

Flaming heck, it's the Splendour line-up

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

The Flaming Lips and Bloc Party - playing their only Australian show - lead the first announcement of acts for the 2009 Splendour in the Grass festival. Other international attractions for the annual Byron Bay event include Janes Addiction, The Specials, Friendly Fires, The Gutter Twins, White Lies, Manchester Orchestra and Yuksek. MGMT are also returning to our shores with Splendour being their only Australian performance. A typically strong local contingent will be taking to the Splendour stage including Sarah Blasko, Hilltop Hoods, Grinspoon, Little Birdy, Josh Pyke, Decoder Ring, Kram and Jack Ladder. Splendour in the Grass takes place at Belongil Fields, Byron Bay on the weekend of the 25 and 26 July, with tickets going on sale 9am Thursday, May 14 exclusively from the website www.qjump.com.au.

Pixies Minotaur box set available in June

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

The Pixies are set to release a brand new box set titled Minotaur, which will include the Come on Pilgrim EP as well as albums Surfer Rosa, Doolittle, Bossanova and Trompe Le Monde, repackaged and released in limited edition numbers. While some news sources are suggesting it will be a new studio album, it seems there are no plans for Pixies to record any new material at this stage. However, the Boston quartet will be playing the Isle of Wight Festival alongside Neil Young in the UK in June, sparking hopes for more live performances elsewhere.