Music news

It’s been going for ages now, the murder trial of Phil Spector, the pioneer behind the 1960s Wall Of Sound technique and producer for seminal albums like John Lennon's Imagine. Accused of murdering actress Lana Clarkson at his Los Angeles mansion on February 3, 2003, no one knows what really happened, especially, it seems, the courts. It’s been kind of like the OJ Simpson case, but for the noughties. Yet this time, after all the to-ing and fro-ing (no pun intended) it’s all ended in a mis-trial rather than an acquittal. After 12 days of deliberation, the jury were hung. Deadlocked. So he’s off...for the time being anyway.
Famed for un-nerving and slightly insane misdemeanours – he once held the Ramones captive in his Californian Mansion at gunpoint during the recording of the 1980 album End Of The Century - there’s certainly been alot of smoke around, but apparently, no fire.

It's been a long winter hearing how much fun friends and colleagues have been having at the North's seemingly endless run of music festivals. The Coachellas, Glastonburys, Roskildes and Benicassims. Every year more and more fantastic events pop up in the most picturesque of locales. Lucky. Well, damnit, finally it's our turn. With lineups for the epic Meredith and bi-state Falls Festivals already announced and sold out - feat. the likes of the Black Lips, Kings of Leon, BRMC and Gossip - at this stage it's the Big Day Out that looks to be offering the juiciest rumours. Just as a teaser, it seems Bjork, Rage Against The Machine and, wait for it, the Candian-folk-rock-heroes-who've-never-yet-toured ARCADE FIRE will be visiting our fair shores. This means side shows, too, people! Start saving your pennies...

Presented by YEN, DAZED & MySpace
YEN is pleased to announce the first ever Homebake Fashion Incentive - an exciting avenue for the new guard of Australian fashion designers to air their wares in front of a switched on audience live at Homebake this summer. It offers a valuable window of opportunity for local designers and the fashion industry while also bringing a fresh element to Homebake punters.  5 of Australias hottest up and coming fashion designers will be featured in a purpose built fashion tent run by YEN together with our mag of brotherly love DAZED & cyber-buddies MYSPACE at this years Homebake .

For more info stay tuned here at YEN Online.

Just arrived home from a wonderfully messy musical festival- End of the Road. Indeed it was the last of the season and not a moment too soon. Luckily it's also been the driest and the most relaxed, cause I could not have survived another rock n roll mud bath. Held in Lamer Tree gardens in Dorset, the place is a quaint English oasis, with peacocks roaming, old Tudor thatched cottages and manicured gardens, complete with an enchanted forest sparkling with fairy lights perfect for folky troubadours to trill to their hearts content.
My recently blogged about fav's Liz Green and Eugene McGuinness made my weekend, while Super Furry Animals, Midlake and Findlay Brown got our feet moving. Good clean fun.

The latest acts to join the already sold out Homebake bill were announced today - including the Scare.  You will have already heard their new track ‘Bats! Bats! Bats!’ lighting up airwaves across the nation, now get ready for ‘Eighty Eight’ their new single, which is at radio now. The coming twelve months will find them hitting the two lane blacktop, from European festivals to heroic homecomings, one of which is sure to be their fervent fuelled set at the HOMEBAKE Festival.  Check out the new names and final Homebake lineup.

Founded in 1996 Earthdance is a global movement which unites socially and environmentally conscious people from around the world in a celebration of peace and community. How, you ask? Through a massive free festival taking place simultaneously across 50 countries 16 September. Employing a 'think global, act local' ethos, each regional Earthdance event is organised through local support; with promoters pledging fifty percent of their profit to a charity within the community. This year Sydney’s Earthdance boasts a glut of rad DJs and bands including Stick Figures, Regular John and Infusion with proceeds going toward youth based charities Childwise and Oasis Youth support network.

This lil' Mancunian is rocking my boat at present. When Liz Green, a frail 24 year old from the Wirral, gets singing she swings from a wavering sadness to a ballsy, bluesy big momma from the Deep South (America that is). Painfully shy, Green has been known to imbibe some moonshine before performing, but with a finger-pickin' guitar technique and haunting vibrato from another time, she is capable of summoning up the "real" spirit of folk, acoustic blues and bluegrass.