Archives for October 2011

The one and only Billy Bragg is going to be our special Twitter guest on this week’s Now Playing @6Music.



He’ll be online during the show on Friday (November 4) curating the evening's playlist. He'll also be taking your Tweets suggesting which tracks he should play live on 6Music or answering questions you may have for him. You just need to use #Bragg6Music so Billy can track who is asking him what, and others can join in the conversation.



The kind of stuff you might want to ask him to play could include –

• Your favourite material of his – classics, b-sides or rarieties

• Collaborations, or tracks from those he’s performed with, so Wilco, Ian McLagan and The Faces, Paul Weller, Kirsty MacColl, Johnny Marr, R.E.M

• Influences like The Clash, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan

• Or people he’s influenced like Frank Turner

• Favourite moments from Glastonbury’s Leftfield stage



Or anything else you can think of!



Having just completed his Irish tour, the legendary singer-songwriter and activist can be found at @BillyBragg, but if you don’t have Twitter, you’ll still be able to get in touch by contacting the show in the usual ways – Facebook, Spotify, e-mail, text or right here on the Now Playing blog – and we’ll do our best to pass on the message and get a response.



The show goes out between 7-9pm and you can listen on your digital radios, or online on this link.

Jon Hilcock stepped in for Tom this week as we welcomed Neon Indian onto the show as our guest DJ on Twitter, as well as Canadian blogger Said the Gramophone.



They picked some awesome tracks – which you can see below – but we of course couldn’t let this week slide without some mention of John Peel so with your help, we also collected a couple of tracks celebrating his memory.



As well as that, we rounded up what else had been going on in blog land over the previous seven days – including the new Mazzy Star material, Duck Sauce video and played one of Lauren’s MPFree’s.

Tracklist

The Damned – New Rose



#DigitalDigest

* Peel Day dominated Twitter earlier in the week as people paid tribute and remembered the late, great John Peel. This Sunday 6 Music will repeat John’s Desert Island Discs from 1990, and first John Peel Lecture, given by Pete Townsend, which will be broadcast live from 7pm on Monday.

* The Streets may be about to play their last ever London gig this weekend, but Mike Skinner and former The Music frontman and collaborator on Computers and Blues, Robert Harvey, have unveiled their new project – The Dot – with 14 tracks already up on their site.

* The first Mazzy Star material for 15-years is up in full on Pretty Much Amazing.

* Odd Future’s Syd tha Kyd – under moniker of The Internet – has uploaded his remix of Lana Del Rey’s Blue Jeans to Soundcloud.

* And Summer Camp’s partly fan-funded new album, Welcome to Condale, is streaming ahead of release on Prefix.



#NowPlaying

Louis XIV – Finding Out True Love is Blind



#NowViewing

* Armand van Helden and A-Trak’ Duck Sauce video for Big Bad Wolf is causing quite a stir at Rolling Stone – be careful if easily offended.

* Teasers for the upcoming Davis Guggenheim-directed documentary based around the 20th Anniversary of U2’s Achtung Baby are up at Hit Fix.

* While previews of the Pearl Jam doc, Not For You, directed by Cameron Crowe is up on film site IMDB.

* Clips from the 25th annual Bridge School Benefit Concert, organized by Neil Young and his with Pegi, are available to watch at Pigeons and Planes.

* The new Black Keys track, Lonely Boy, is getting thousands of hits on YouTube – have a look at see why.



#MPFree

The Roots – Make My



#NeonIndian6Music – playlist curated by Neon Indian

Neon Indian – Polish Girl

Severed Heads – A Million Angels

Ford & Lopatin – Surrender

Telex – Plus Des Distance

Egyptian Lover – I Cry (Night after Night)

Oneohtrix Point Never – Sleep Dealer

Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Shades Away

Pattern – Intersect



#Keep it Peel – a quick dip into your favourite Peel tracks

Cocteau Twins – Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops

Clinic – Walking With Thee

The Wedding Present – Kennedy

The Fall – Kurious Oranj



#Blog6Music – picked by Sean from Said the Gramophone

Mozart’s Sister – Single Status

Colin Stetson – Fear of the Unknown and the Blazing Sun

Adam & the Amethysts – Dreaming

Jah Youssouf & Binoo Coulibaly – Faco

Yamantaka – Queens

The Aynsley Dunbar – Watch & Chain

There’s a supposed leaked screengrab of the dates which make up the rest of The Stone Roses’World Tour. Have a look here.

Spin have more tracks from the upcoming U2Achtung Baby covers album – this time up from Depeche Mode, The Killers and Nine Inch Nails.



Forgone is the new track from The Decemberists and its up on NYMag.



The new Mazzy Star tracks – Common Burn and Lay Myself Down – are streaming at Pretty Much Amazing.



Duck Sauce have made one of the biggest club tracks of the summer with Big Bad Wolf, and now is one of the weirdest videos. This is not safe for work or for people who are easily offended.



And The Recommender recommended Theme Park and Milk is streaming on Soundcloud.

The Music may have ended – the band anyway – and The Streets may be on their last legs, but the two are fusing to form The Dot. Well at least front men Robert Harvey and Mike Skinner are. The two worked together on Computers and Blues and some material is already up on their site.

The Hit Fix have three clips from the upcoming Davis Guggenheim-directed documentary based around the 20th Anniversary of U2’sAchtung Baby – From the Sky Down.



While the full length Cameron Crowe video for Pearl Jam’sNot For You, featuring archive footage and all other sorts of bits and bobs is up at IMDB interestingly enough.



One Thirty BPM have a selection of highlights from the Bridge School Benefit, featuring Beck, Arcade Fire, Neil Young, Mumford and Sons and many more.



Tiger & Woods are giving away a 15-track album away fro free. Called Wiki & Leaks you can get it at Habituateoc.

We begun our new run of virtual guests and bloggers this week with the marvelous Tim Burgess of The Charlatans and the musical don that is The Recommender.



The response from you was awesome on Twitter, using #Timteractive6music to chat to Tim and ask him questions, suggest tracks and generally build an incredible musical conversation, as we played tracks from The Charlatans, Factory Floor’s first ever BBC play and one picked by Nancy Sinatra.



But it didn’t stop there, as Mike from The Recommender showed why he is so well respected in the blogosphere by picking a delightful selection of tunes for the final 30-minutes of the show.



As normal, we still wrapped up what’s been going on all week online with the latest streaming albums from Coldplay and Justice and much more.

Tracklist

The Charlatans – The Only One I Know



#DigitalDigest

• The Stone Roses’ reformation has been huge this week. The dominated Twitter early in the week when they announced their comeback – full press conference is now on YouTube – and then they crashed ticket websites when they sold 220,000 tickets for Heaton Park in just 68-minutes.

• Liam Gallagher says he’d like to reunite Oasis in 2015 for a (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? 20th anniversary tour.

• UK Independent Labels and YouTube have struck a deal meaning you can now watch the official videos for a number of their artists such as The Prodigy, Aphex Twin and Grizzly Bear.

• R.E.M haven’t quite broken up yet – their new track - We All Go Back to Where We Belong – is streaming on a number of sites.

• Kanye West has announced via Twitter that he’s to release a new new album next spring.

• And Jay-Z has been turned into an animated character for four episodes of US cartoon series Secret Millionaires Club. A teaser clip is now up at E-Online.

• Mazzy Star has released a clip of new track Common Burn to Amazon.

• And Everything But the Girl are back with a cover of The xx’sNight Time which is up on Soundcloud.



#NowStreaming

Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto (Electric Mariachi)

Tom Waits – Bad as Me (BadAsMe.com)

Planetary Assault Systems – The Messenger (Soundcloud)

Justice – Audio, Video, Disco (NME.com)



#MPFree

Spank Rock - #1 Hit (The Death Set Remix)



#Timteractive6music – tracks picked by Tim Burgess and you

The Charlatans – Oh Vanity

New Order – Leave Me Alone

Arthur Russell – I Couldn’t Say It To Your Face

The Fall – Dr Buck’s Letter

R. Stevie Moore – I Go Into Your Mind

Replicas – Heart Beating

Hatcham Social – So So Happy

Stakker – Stakker Humanoid

The Chemical Brothers ft. Tim Burgess – The Boxer

Factory Floor – Real Love

Nancy Sinatra – Flowers in the Rain

My Bloody Valentine – Soon (Andrew Weatherall Remix)

The Charlatans – My Beautiful Friend



#blog6music – a musical journey presented to you by The Recommender

Theme Park – Milk

Blue Hawaii – Blue Gowns

Emika – Drop the Other

Zulu Winter – Never Leave

When Saints Go Machine – Kelly

Leisure – It’s Alright (On the Suez Canal)

Sunless 97 - Illuminations

Music has had a huge part in everything I’ve done in my life. I knew this fact anyway but writing an autobiography over the last eleven months has made me cast my mind back over what particular kind of music was sound tracking each part of my life.

From realising girls were into The Bay City Rollers at junior school, which gave me something to talk to them about, right up to DJing this week for The Horrors at their Warehouse Project gig with The Kills and Factory Floor.



I knew I loved music growing up listening to the radio, buying records and then after going to my first gig, Killing Joke, it dawned on me that there was an even more exciting side to how you could listen to it.



From UK Subs through to Crass and The Clash – everybody loves music during their teen years, but to me, these were the perfect companions for the angst and rebellion.



The Clash introduced me to reggae and my record collection grew. The Jam came along, New Order arrived. It was hard to keep up. Friends would introduce me to bands like Throbbing Gristle and I’d make room for them all.



I joined The Charlatans and we introduced each other to different music – from Northern Soul to Deep Purple to The Byrds. I got into Curtis Mayfield and Bob Dylan and an almost endless source of new songs.



More stuff comes in but nothing seems to go!



I’ve never stopped buying music and have got an ever growing record collection. I’ve just got back from Nashville where I got the chance to work with some amazing people like Kurt Wagner and members of Lambchop and My Morning Jacket.



I’ve just started my own label, O Genesis, so there’s even more music around.

UK Indie labels – with the help of the rights agency Merlin – have signed a deal with YouTube allowing them to monatise music videos from their artists on the site. The likes of The Prodigy, Aphex Twin and Grizzly Bear can now be viewed for your pleasure… Officially.

Coldplay riding around in elephant outfits in the South African desert – it must be their new video for Paradise.



Jay-Z is staring as an animated character in US cartoon series Secret Millionaires Club. A sneak peak is here – as he gives tips and advice.

As a result of her performance on Later earlier this week, Lianne la Havas was trending on Twitter - and blogs have loved this video of Age - no on YouTube.

Everything But the Girl – aka Tracey Thorn and the 6 Mix’s Ben Watt – have reunited after almost a decade and covered The xx’sNight Time. It’s up on Soundcloud.



And from the new Jane’s Addiction record, you can download trackIrresistible Force for free.

A couple of weeks ago we marked R.E.M splitting up with a special Now Playing. The band who are no more (after they’ve released a greatest hits); the band who have ceased to be (after they’ve put out this new single We All Go Back to Where We Belong) – oh they are still going. More at One Thirty BPM including the new track from the defunct band. 

The limited Burial and Massive Attack vinyl we told you about sold out almost instantly – so the only way you are going to hear the second side, the reworking of Paradise Circus, is on places like Gorilla vs. Bear.



There’s a rather nice version of Chad Valley performing Up and Down on YouTube.



Neon Indian is one of the most pioneering musicians about at the moment so when presented with a load of weird instruments, what does he do? Well, play them rather well!! 

Fixers are giving away a free track on their Facebook page – called Trans Love.



The Ting Tings – remember them – well you soon might have them banging into your life again, as they’ve uploaded Hang It Up to Vevo.

The Stone Roses have of course re-formed. Buzz emerged as we were going on air last Friday which engulfed Twitter and on Tuesday it was confirmed in a press conference the band will play two dates in Manchester’s Heaton Park before embarking on a world tour and releasing new material.

Missed the press conference? Part 1 and Part 2 on YouTube.



New Order – minus Peter Hook - took to the stage for the first time in five years in Brussles. Head to Consequence of Sound for the 15-song-long-tracklist and videos from their set.



Meanwhile in Brooklyn, Florence and the Machine played four new tracks from new album, Ceremonilals, which have been captured and uploaded to YouTube - have a look at Pretty Much Amazing.



The Roots have announced details of a new concept album, undun, and have put Make My from it onto Soundcloud.



Hackers attacked the Sesame Street YouTube account and replaced all the videos of Big Bird and co with pornographic films. Sesame Street took the channel down, but its now back to normal.



Bombay Bicycle Club have uploaded the video for Still, the final track on third album A Different Kind of Fix to their Vevo channel.



And they’ve also covered Lana del Rey’sVideo Games on Soundcloud.

Sometimes when you don’t understand something it can lead to amazing things – where an in-depth knowledge of the subject might just put you off. Kind of like magic. You see a trick and are amazed, someone explains it to you and, well, the magic’s gone. And sometimes the sheer pointlessness of something is what makes it really moorish.

I’ve been a little like that with Twitter – I’d got me a MySpace and was amazed at how being on tour or out of the country meant I could remain in contact with everyone I knew and lots of people I didn’t even know. It was open 24 hours and was a place you could find bands and they could find you.



MySpace was abandoned by the side of the road when it got a puncture and everyone was accommodated in the passing Facebook superbus. I happily packed away my MySpace and stuck it in the loft just next to the Christmas tree and my Scalextrik.



Alongside Facebook’s inherent showy offery sneaked a strange animal that took me some time to get used to. While other social networking sites invited length diatribes on what effete pastime or wholesome soup its proprietor was sampling – Twitter was more like a quick burst of brevity that involved a more detached kind of interest – like nipping out for a pint with the person instead of secretly scouring their photograph albums while they are out of the room, after inviting you round.



So, I got myself one of these Twitter critters – unsure of each other at first, I could see what Stephen Fry had eaten for his tea or what bands mixed well with middle class foods - Prosecco and The Bunnymen, Sushi and The Banshees seeing as you ask.



It was like a new puppy and mistakes were made – some people seemed apoplectic that I retweeted everything and this just made it more tempting. What else could I do with something that said “@timburgess is a f***king tw*t, he just retweets every sh**tting message” yep, I retweeted it.



As personal as it may seem, it’s still you and a computer or phone and people dotted around the globe having a few of your life and occasionally chipping in with maybe a gig or video they think I might like. One morning – I get up very early – I sent out the message “Morning tweets, coffee?”



Within not too long lots of followers were ordering “@stevemonkey Yeah, Tim got a ceiling to plaster in Kettering, need a coffee to get me on the move”, “I could murder a tea our kid, big night out for my brothers birthday.”



It was all virtual, but lots of things are nowadays, and, anyway, I like making coffee for people so I would tweet them back “here you go, @stevemonkey, let me know how you get on!”



The first day about 20 early risers joined in, four days later a virtual queue of 35 formed as soon as the message went out. I kind of felt maybe like a morning radio DJ would – nothing earth shattering but people seemed to like it. Soon enough we would put songs on the jukebox – imaginary jukebox of course, YouTube links that people would request and listen to.



Each morning regulars would come back and new people would arrive – specials would be announced and duly ordered.



It now needed a name to give it some real substance and about three weeks ago Tim Peaks was up and running – still no more real than an email or a TwitPic but it was kind of like Field of Dreams. Blend it and they will come. And they did.



News arrived that former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott had started a rival twitter based café and we offered him some work. He joined in and a surprising knowledge of The Charlatans was uncovered (cynics would say a parliamentary expenses flunky was the other side of the room on Wikipedia) anyway the self proclaimed ‘fellow North Country Boy’ lead to Twitterati like Caitlin Moran to exclaim “who said Twitter was useless when you can watch a Charlatan and a former deputy prime minister shoot the breeze over coffee.”



Friends like Noel Fielding and Carl Barat stop by and we’ve just started a loyalty card scheme – offers have come in for doing it for real at festivals and we’ve started a line of merchandise to raise money for Trekstock too – get yourself a mug for work and help imaginary diners and raise money too.



Never one to shy away a pun I’ve embraced twitter and we’ve done a live #timterview and #timteractive listens to each of The Charlatans albums are planned – done from different places like our studio, a record shop and a Twitter followers house.



So the whole thing adds up to little more than a hill of virtual coffee beans but it means a lot to us and those that come in each morning. So let yourself go, swing by, get your card stamped and lets celebrate pointlessness with a virtual espresso. Stick summat on the jukebox would you?

***

This article was originally written by Tim Burgess for Artrocker - and we'd just like to thank them for letting us share it with you.

This week we are delighted to welcome Tim Burgess into the virtual world of Now Playing as our guest for the week.

The Charlatans front man has picked a couple of tracks already for the show, but largely the playlist is blank, and through conversation with you, will put together an hour of music to be played on the show this Friday.



We have the hashtag - #Timteractive6Music – which will be the best way of getting in touch with Tim and us, as well as using his Twitter username (@Tim_Burgess) and ours (@BBC6Music).



You could request:

* Your favourite Charlatans tracks – hits like The Only One I Know or Just When You’re Thinkin’ Things Are Over, B-sides, covers or rarities

* Tim’s collaborations with the likes of The Chemical Brothers or Saint Etienne

* Records and artists who inspired The Charlatans, so perhaps some Acid House classics, The Rolling Stones or Gram Parsons



Or just respond to what others are saying to Tim and the answers he gives on the night.



Equally you can ask him questions about upcoming work, ideas, plans, views and other issues of interest.



You can also of course get in touch with us in the usual ways – Facebook, Spotify and e-mail – and we’ll pass on the messages.



Friday should be fun from 7pm!



(And tomorrow we have a blog from Tim about Twitter!)

Last month we announced the winner of the Schmercuries - our maturely-named spoof of the Mercury Prize (except there's no prize). The team at For Folk's Sake pick our favourite 12 albums of the past year, then we invite readers to vote on them.

Here's some of the albums we chose, all of which come very highly recommended indeed:



The Leisure Society – Into the Murky Water

This is the second album from the London-based seven-piece, who I chose last time I was on Now Playing. The Leisure Society are purveyors of proper music with great tunes, smart lyrics and some of the loveliest orchestration you'll ever hear. Into the Murky Water is a thematically darker album than their debut, but it's contrasted with the light sounds of violin and flute.



Emmy the Great - Virtue

Emma-Lee Moss's second record is a emotional tour-de-force. A break-up album to end all break up albums, it charts the end of an engagement with brutal honesty. Anyone not having a good cry by final track Trellis Tower should check their pulse.



Dark Dark Dark – Wild Go

Minnesotan Band Dark Dark Dark's album Wild Go is made remarkable by the vocals of Nona Marie Invie. At once delicate and strong, confident and awkward she lends weight to anything she sings and her voice works beautifully with frontman Marshall LaCount's. The combination of cello, clarinet and accordion along with a handful of truly great songs like Celebrate and Daydreaming don't go amiss either.



Rachael Dadd - Bite the Mountain

Japan and Bristol based Rachael Dadd is a true folkie. Her pastoral, pretty songs are delivered with gorgeous earthy vocals and feature subjects like baloons, woodland creatures and recipies.



Middle Brother – Middle Brother

This record is a collaboration between Deer Tick’s John McCauley, Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith and Delta Spirit’s Matt Vasquez. Our Record Reviews Editor Ian declared it his favourite album he's heard all year.



Finally there's our winner. Devon Sproule – I Love You, Go Easy. A confident, raw pop album from the ever-wonderful Virginian songwriter.



>> For Folk's Sake

>> twitter.com/forfolkssake

Thom Yorke and Radiohead have been everywhere this week. On Tuesday night they threw one of the most hotly anticipated online parties ever to celebrate their remix album - TKOL RMX 1234567. Hooking up with The Boiler Room, the band hosted their very own event featuring DJ sets from Thom, Caribou and Jamie xx which was streamed live online.

Meanwhile in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, the band revealed that they will be heading back into the studio over Christmas to work on new material. Thom Yorke is taking over the 6 Mix this Sunday so we had to do Radiohead this week.

As always we love outside input, and were delighted to welcome the heads of At Ease and The King of Limbs part 2 to pick their favourite tracks.

We also investigated the Twitter buzz around the return of The Stone Roses, told you all the best new music streaming and new videos, as well as inviting For Folk's Sake onto the show to recommend some music to us.

Tracklist

Radiohead – Anyone Can Play Guitar



#DigitalDigest

* U2’sAchtung Baby is the next musical masterpiece to celebrate 20-years and in anticipation Q have put together a covers album of the entire LP, called AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered. Jack White’s cover of Love is Blindness you can hear now on Soundcloud.

* The Manic Street Preachers have published a new online retrospective of their first 38 singles written by long term fans and collaborators of the band including 6 Music’s very own Steve Lamacq and Erol Alkan and The Chemical Brothers. There’s also a free download of a re-recorded acoustic version of Love’s Sweet Exile.

* Kate Bush is back with her first new original material in five years - Wild Man is on Soundcloud right now



#Twitter Buzz – Are The Stone Roses reforming?

The Stone Roses – Waterfall



#Now Viewing

* Ryan Adams’ mew video for Lucky Now is on YouTube.

* Apparat has released a mini documentary called The Devil’s Walk Revealed – it gives an insight to the making of his new album. Have a look at Consequence of Sound.

* Lana del Rey is creating quite a buzz on blogs and especially this new acoustic version on Blue Jeans on YouTube.

* Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks’ video for Senator, staring Jack Black as the incompetent politician is an exclusive on Stereogum.



#Radiohead playlist part 1 – picked on Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, Spotify and the Now Playing Blog as well as At Ease

Radiohead – There There

Drugstore ft. Thom Yorke - El Presidente

UNKLE ft. Thom Yorke – Rabbit In Your Headlights

Neil Young – After The Goldrush

Modeselektor ft. Thom Yorke – This

Radiohead – The Reckoner



#Now Streaming

Jane’s Addiction - Curiosity Kills



#Now Playing

The Bassheads – Is Anybody Out There?



#MPFree of the week

Kele – Goodbye Horses



#Blogging - For Folk's Sake

The Extra Lens - How I Left the Ministry

#Radiohead playlist part 2 – picked on Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, Spotify and the Now Playing Blog as well as King of Limbs Part 2

Radiohead - Everything in its Right Place

Talking Heads - Radio Head

PJ Harvey & Thom Yorke - This Mess We're In

Phil Selway - By Some Miracle (live from The Hub)

Bjork & Thom Yorke - I've Seen it All

Radiohead - The Daily Mail (from The Basement)

Massive Attack and Burial – two pretty huge names – have come together and made this epic 12-minute track called Four Walls. It will feature on a limited edition 12” along with a re-work of Massive Attack’s Paradise Circus. Have a listen on YouTube. 

New, orginal Kate Bush material – on Souncloud now, and called Wild Man.



Jay Electonica has been quite quiet since signing for Jay-Z’sRoc Nation, but the blog sensation is now back, with the first offering from his new album, Act II: Patents of the Nobility (the turn). Called Call of Duty, it features Mobb Deep, and is up at Consequence of Sound.



While a slightly more mysterious hip-hop producer, The Weeknd, has released his latest track, Initiation, on his Tumblr page.



There’s a lot of buzz about Lana del Rey at the moment – see if you agree by watching this acoustic version of Blue Jeanson YouTube.



Ryan Adam’s new album Ashes & Fire is out today – and so is the video for his single, Lucky Now, on YouTube.

Radiohead and Thom Yorke have been everywhere this week: they’ve just thrown one of the biggest and most hotly anticipated online parties ever in conjunction with Boiler Room, their new remix album – TKOL RMX 1234567 – is out, Thom Yorke has recorded this weekend’s 6 Mix – Now Playing @6Music better build a playlist around Radiohead then.



The Oxford band are undoubtedly one of Britain’s most popular exports. They’ve single handedly moved goalposts: both musically with albums such as OK Computer and Kid A; and in the wider music industry by releasing In Rainbows on the basis of pay-what-you-want, as well as their own newspaper earlier this year.



Away from the band, the various members have been involved in their own interesting side projects. Thom Yorke has collaborated with a vast array of artists including PJ Harvey, Bjork, DJ Shadow and recently Modeselektor – as well as releasing solo material and holding impromptu DJ sets.



Jonny Greenwood has written various film scores, was hired as a composer in residence to the BBC Concert Orchestra and recently performed with Aphex Twin and Polish avant-garde composer Krzysztof Penderecki. Meanwhile Phil Selway released a solo album last year and Ed O’Brien played with 7 World’s Collide – the list is endless.



So, for Friday’s show we call on you to help us construct the ultimate Radiohead playlist:

• Their own material

• Their individual work and collaborations

• Oxford bands – Supergrass, Foals, Stornoway etc. (they all list Radiohead as a major influence)

• Bands who inspired Radiohead in the first place – maybe Talking Heads, Pink Floyd, R.E.M or Aphex Twin?



Let us know what you think. As usual you can get in touch by leaving a comment on this blog, on our Facebook page, Twitter, dragging a track to our collaborative Spotify playlist or sending us an e-mail.



And you can hear the results from 7pm on Friday.

Thom Yorke 6 Mix (BBC 6 Music) teaser by 6mix

Q have enlisted the help of The Killers, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Glasvegas and others to help celebrate the 20th birthday of U2’sAchtung Baby. Called AHK-toong BAY-bi Covered, Jack White’s take on Love is Blindness is up on Soundcloud.

With the Manic Street Preachers’ new singles collection coming out, National Treasures, a host of musicians and journalists from Steve Lamacq to NME editor Krissi Murison and The Chemical Brothers have contributed to a new biography for the band. It can be viewed here, and if you head to Amazon, you can get a free download from them.

Mikey Walsh, formerly of Weezer, has sadly died in a Chicago hotel. The bassist was just 40 and eerily seemed to predict his passing on Twitter a couple of weeks ago. More information on Billboard.



In a similar vain to Radiohead, Death Cab for Cutie have released a seven track remix record based on their album Codes and Keyes. From it, Cut Copy’s reworking of Doors Unlocked and Open is up on Soundcloud.



Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks are the latest band to pay homage to R.E.M by covering Radio Free Europe. Have a watch on YouTube.



Dubstep truly is winning, and flowing into popular mainstream. Nokia launched a competition to rework their infamous theme tune – think Trigger Happy – and VAS_SD electronic half-time version won. Check out all the top entrants here.

After a few years, even the most addled music blogger can spot distinct patterns in the new music world - male singers' fringes, for instance, tend to get increasingly ludicrous as their careers take off - but the most determinedly conspicuous generalisation that most bloggers make is this one: Scandinavian bands seem to make better pop songs than everyone else.



Indeed, the second band I ever wrote about on A New Band A Day were Scandinavian: The Alibies, hailing from a complicatedly-named town called Ylivieska, Pohjois-Pohjanmaa in Finland.



They make the sort of contorted, laptop-derived electro-pop music that, in itself, isn't so unusual: if you close your eyes and throw a punch at a fashionably scruffy bar you'll bloody the nose of an 'electronic musician' these days. However, like many of their Scandinavian bedfellows, The Alibies' firm grasp of pop melody sets them aside from the majority.



Why is this? Do those cold, bright winters drive musicians inside, where a bounty of ABBA, Roxette and The Knife box-sets hammer the knack for crafting killer pop hooks into them? Or is it more complicated than that?



I asked Johan from new Swedish pop-curios Lissi Dancefloor Disaster to reveal the secret, and was stunned by the answer.



Lissi Dancefloor Disaster's songs are frenetic, colourful and abstract - and yet have the catchy choruses, poppy charm and bouncy basslines that would allow them to slot happily into your local radio station's playlist.



Johan thinks what sets Swedish bands' music apart is... a series of government initiatives.



“What I truly believe does make a difference is that in Sweden you get a lot of support, both technically and economically, to work and to develop your relationship to music.



“In Sweden there is a thing called Studiecirklar, which are kind of study groups - a way to get economical support from the Swedish government for practising and rehearsal.



“When Lissi Dancefloor Disaster were touring in Europe this summer the Swedish state paid for our travel and hotel costs. This system makes it makes it easy to focus on the music. You don't need to work part time jobs and stuff.”



And – let's reflect on this for one moment - it's the unique economic generosity of the Swedish government that has allowed the band to focus on what matters the most: their songs. If you're in a band, you may want to pick your jaw up from the floor, brush up on your Swedish and plan your emigration right now.



Johan explains how this money allows the band to work hard and probe the boundaries.



“We want to experiment and create something new, both technically with how we work, but also from a melody perspective. And we also like to take something that already exists but to put it into a new context so that you listen to it from a new perspective.”



Of course, it's not all about money – there is the small matter of Sweden's enviable pop history lingering in the background. Does this help or hinder a band's musical ambition?



“It helps! Everyone I know that is into music has got a friend of a friend who is sister to someone in the Hives or knows someone who used to hang out with the people working with Abba.



“Sweden is a small country with a population of about nine million and still there are so many successful bands and artists. You get the feeling that it’s really possible to become something within music if you only practise and have fun and keep at it enough.”



So, about that secret behind Scandinavia's penchant for perfect pop: there is no secret. It's a result of hard work, a positive attitude and knowing the right people, just like in any other business.



Except that, of course, in Sweden, these specific businesses are given a handy leg-up by a thoughtful government. And if you lived in a country like that, wouldn't all your songs be filled with gleeful choruses too?

Where to start with a band like Pink Floyd? We kicked off 6 Music's evening dedicated to one of Britain's most pioneering, favourite and frankly best bands ever!

We'd like to thank PinkFloydOnline, NeptunePinkFloyd, BrainDamage and everyone else who posted about the show and got involved.

As well as this, thanks to LBY Music who also came on and told us about some of the music which they're currently listening to.

Tracklist:



Pink Floyd - Anold Layne



#Digital Digest

* Tributes to Steve Jobs have poured in after Apple announced the death of their visionary leader. Called the ‘Hardware Software Elvis’ by Bono, he’ll be remembered for spearheading the digital music revolution with the iPod and iTunes as well as founding the Pixar film studio. NME.com have complied a list of Twitter tributes.

* The Power of Independent Trucking have been given a previously unheard cassette with six demo tracks from R.E.M – which you can now download from the site.

* Justin Vernon has curated a playlist on iTunes, including the likes of Fleet Foxes, Bob Dylan and Don Williams which is available for download now.

* The BPI have shown digital purchases now accounts for 28.2 per cent of all albums sold in the UK – but there is an overall drop of four million records sold compared to the same point last year.

* MySpace have announced they will re-launch next year as an almost exclusively music streaming site.

* The Michael Jackson tribute concert this weekend will be Facebook’s first ever pay-per-view event as the site expands its music and video content service.

* Kurt Vile, releases a new EP So Outta Reach next month and has posted a brand new track from it on Stereogum, called Life’s A Beach.



#Now Playing

Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy, Hey Girl



#Now Viewing

The normally elusive Portishead performed on Fallon this week – their first US TV performance for 13-years.

* The Flaming Lips front man Wayne Coyne dropped by Rolling Stone this week to explain just why they created their new six-hour track for charity – fortunately edited to 23-minutes.

* Jack White’s latest protégées, JEFF The Brotherhood, have released their new video for Whatever I Want.

* Spank Rock’s video fo #1 Hit is also out on YouTube.

* And Fountains Of Wayne are the latest band to drop by NPR and play one of their Tiny Desk Concerts – you can watch it now and download the audio.



#Blogging – LBY Music

Chad VanGaalen - Sara

Dems - Lioness

Inspired and the Sleep – While We’re Young



Pink Floyd tracklist part 1 - with suggestions from Facebook, Spotify, Twitter, E-Mail, the NP Blog and various blogs and fan-sites

Pink Floyd – Summer ‘68

Roger Waters - Give Birth To A Smile

Robyn Hitchcock - I Often Dream Of Trains

David Bowie - See Emily Play

Pink Floyd – Cymbaline

Easy Star All Stars – Time



#Now Streaming

Radiohead – TKOL RMX 1234567 (Hypem)

Bjork – Biophilia (NPR)

Peter Gabriel – New Blood (NME.com)

James Blake – Enough Thunder (PMA)

Rustie – Glass Swords (Guardian)



#MP3 of the week

Hospitality – Friends Of Friends



Pink Floyd tracklist part 2 - with suggestions from Facebook, Spotify, Twitter, Text and E-Mail

Pink Floyd - Pike

Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall

Syd Barrett - Effervescing Elephant

Pink Floyd - Echoes (all 23-minutes of it!)

Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips has recorded a video for Rolling Stone explaining their six-hour track. But don’t worry – he only waffles for 23-minutes.

Some Kind of Awesome have the charity cover of The White Stripes’We’re Going to Be Friends by Bright Eyes and First Aid Kit.



The Rapture swung by Spin’s offices and played a few songs – which you can now watch on their site.



Have a look at the video for Jack White’s latest protégées – JEFF The Brotherhood. The White Stripes man has produced the track, called Whatever I Want, while the film is directed by his Dead Weather band mate’s (Jack Lawrence) wife, Jo McCaughey.



Bon Iver and iTunes seem to have become friends again, as Justin Vernon has put together this playlist on the Apple site – including Fleet Foxes, Bob Dylan, Don Williams and more.

The Maccabees have announced their return with a teaser video for new album Given to the Wild. Recorded with Tim Goldsworthy and Bruno Ellingham – of LCD Soundsystem and Massive Attack fame, it is due out at the beginning of next year.

A slue of artists from Bob Dylan to Norah Jones have finished previously unreleased tracks by Hank Williams and created the album The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams. And Rolling Stone have Jack White’s contribution up on their site to listen to now – called You Know That I Know.



The Power of Independent Trucking have made a R.E.M demo cassette from 1981 available on their site.



David Lynch has made the title track from his new album, Crazy Clown Time, available as a free download – well for the cost of an e-mail address – from his Facebook page.



Stereogum are celebrating Metallica turning 30.



After Ricky Gervais’ somewhat conflicted hosting of the Golden Globes earlier this year, the Office star has revealed he is working with a Californian technology company to offer his views on the ceremony again – but away from the actual auditorium. More at Gigwise.



Ever wondered what Tony Bennett dueting with Lady Gaga would look like – well not bad actually. Here’s the evidence on Vevo as they perform The Lady is a Tramp.

Now Playing kicks off Pink Floyd night on 6 Music this Friday, giving you the chance to make a playlist based around their incredible career.



From their early psychedelic output with Syd Barrett to their later, more experimental and progressive work, Pink Floyd are regarded as one of the most innovative group of musicians, ever.



Albums such as The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall regularly top ‘greatest album of all time’ lists and their influence on modern music is almost unrivalled.



Forming in the mid-60s, they found themselves at the vanguard of the prog-rock movement, which swept Britain and the world. Roger Waters’ disagreements with the bands led to a split of sort - though David Gilmour, Richard Wright and Nick Mason did continue to work together under the Floyd moniker until 1996 - before Bob Geldof managed to get the band back together for 20-minutes as they headlined Live 8 in 2005.



This week we want you to make a playlist based around everything Pink Floyd.



• Their own material, from rarities ad album tracks to their finest moments

• Solo work from band members past and present

• Acts they’ve influenced (well where to begin) – David Bowie, U2, Foo Fighters, Radiohead, Gorillaz, Mystery Jets etc

• Bands related to their early Joe Boyd produced work – think The Incredible String Band, Fairport Convention, Nick Drake and more

• Bands with amazing live shows – something pioneered by Floyd



You can suggest tracks in the usual way – Facebook, e-mail, Spotify and Twitter or leave a comment on this post (of course on Spotify there is a lack of actual Floyd material - but put it down anyway and we'll know what you mean!!)



If you’re a Floyd fan, make sure you tune in on Friday from 7pm.

Radiohead, alongside online streaming platform The Boilerroom, are having a bit of a doo at London’s Corsica Studios to celebrate the release of TKOL EMX 1234567. The event is guestlist only, and will see Thom Yorke, Jamie xx, Caribou, Lone and Illum Sphere jump on the 1s and 2s, with the whole thing available to watch live next Tuesday (October 11). 

Public Enemy’s Chuck D joined Portishead on stage – whaaat?! It’s true!! Have a look at the footage from ATP here.



MySpace have announced to relaunch next year. The site has been critisised quite a lot recentlty and will take this on board to become an almost exclusively music streaming service. More at CMU.



The new video for Zola Jesus’Vessel is up on the New York Times’ website, as well as a little Q&A.



Bon Iver have been working their magic on Bob Dylan tracks it seems – here’s them in Portland, Oregon, performing With God On Our Side.



Florence and the Machine’sMadonna-esque video for Shake it Out is also on YouTube.



After reaching 5,000 followes on Twitter, dance producer Mosca decided to release a free EP – get it from Mediafire.

Digital Music sales are increasingly going up and accounts for 28.2% of UK album sales, according to the latest figures released by the BPI. Although, they aren’t making up for the drop in album sales on the high street. Music Ally have more.



The Michael Jackson tribute concert in Cardiff will be the first Facebook pay-per-view event. Costing $3.99 in advance – or 40 Facebook credits - the event will see a varied range of acts from Smokey Robinson to JLS and a beamed in Beyonce take to the Millennium Stadium stage. More details at Hypebeast.



Whatever happened to The Hives – well Some Kind of Awesome are speculating about a new album. But one thing is for sure, they’ve recorded a new track for FIFA 12, called Thousand Answers, and it’s also at SKOA.



NME.com have a new Noel Gallagher track you can listen to called Alone on the Rope – which isn’t set to be on album High Flying Birds, as well as a very short interview where he reveals all he can about brother Liam.



The video for the lead single from Spank Rock’s new album is out. The track is called #1 Hit – and you can watch it on YouTube.



It’s been quite a year for Metronomy. The English Riviera has won huge acclaim, and although it didn’t win the Mercury – a nomination ain’t bad. They’d go as far as saying “Everything Goes My Way.” Well maybe not – but here’s the new video on YouTube for Everything Goes My Way.