The Maccabees have collaborated with rapper Roots Manuva on a heady re-working of Wall of Arms album track and live favourite No Kind Words. The track, newly titled Empty Vessels, features brilliant new lyrics and vocals from fellow south Londoner Roots. Maccabees’ guitarist Felix White had Roots in mind for No (Read more…)

Voting for the 2010 Shockwaves NME Awards has gone live. Head to NME.COM/awardsvote now and register your vote for the longlist. You can vote for any artist you like at this stage, as long as they are eligible in the relevant category. Everyone who votes will be entered into a draw to win tickets for a special awards party on January 25, 2010, which will feature an exclusive set by The Maccabees and the unveiling of the shortlist for the awards. The actual awards ceremony will be held at the O2 Academy Brixton on February 24. For more on the Shockwaves NME Awards, including details of this year’s tour and shows, head to NME.COM/awards.

Jay-Z, Katy Perry, Madonna and Janet Jackson among the performers. Beyonce, Green Day and Lady GaGa were the big winners at last night’s (September 13) MTV Video Music Awards. Green Day won three awards for ‘21 Guns’, including Best Rock Video, while Lady GaGa, and Beyonce, for her ‘Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)’, also picked up three prizes each. The latter video also triggered a bizarre stage invasion by Kanye West when it it lost out in the Best Female Video category to Taylor Swift. (Read more…)

The line up for Standon Calling just got bigger with Friendly Fires, Freeland and Golden Silvers confirmed for this year’s ultimate space-themed festival! They join headliners Femi Kuti and Positive Force, Ladytron and Tony Christie for the most delectable festival of the Summer. Fresh from the triumphant success of their self titled album Friendly Fires are set to headline the main stage on Saturday night at Standon Calling. With the album going Silver in the UK, the band were nominated for a Best Breakthrough Award at the South Bank Awards and for ‘Best Dancefloor Filler’ at the NME Awards earlier in the year. One of the most exciting live acts around Friendly Fires are poised to release their new single ‘Jump In The Pool’’ on XL next week. Stepping straight off the plane from OZ Friendly Fires make their triumphant return to Standon and are rumoured to be releasing an all new track at the end of the summer. Not ones to rest on their laurels, organisers of Standon have also confirmed Freeland (Adam Freeland’s live incarnation) for what promises to be an unmissable epic live performance. The band have just released their new album ‘Cope’ featuring none other than Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) on drums, Twiggy Ramirez on bass, Tony Bevilaque (Distillers/Spinerette) and Joey Santiago (The Pixies) on guitar. With a huge sound and jaw dropping visuals this is a band purpose built for the festival stage.

Also appearing on this stellar line up are NME favourites and band of the moment The Golden Silvers. Having just released their debut long player ‘True Romance’ to rave reviews the Silvers will join Florence and The Machine on their sell out UK tour at the end of the month. Other new confirmations include London folk sensations Mumford and Sons, N.A.S.A, The Aliens, Tommy Sparks, The Invisible, Delphic, The Fontanas, Detroit Social Club, The Fabulous Penetrators, Pulled Apart By Horses and many more.

And elsewhere in our galaxies, we present: Intergalactic dressing up competition, Stranger Than Paradise’s CCCP Cosmonaut Training Centre, Hot air ballooning, Rockaoke, Salena Godden’s Book Club Boutique tipi, Skandalous! presents: Intergalactic Red Light District, Underwater Disco, Beach Hut Karaoke, Heritage Arts’ Heliocentre live theatre experience, Extra-terrestrial experts from CERN, Astrological Blind Date with alien Cilla and loads more to be announced.

With the site set in rolling countryside only 35 minutes from London, Standon Calling is easily accessible by train, car or coach and is the musical picnic you and your friends have been waiting for.
FULL LINE UP:

FRIENDLY FIRES | LADYTRON | FEMI KUTI & THE POSITIVE FORCE | TONY CHRISTIE | THE WHIP | SUN RA ARKESTRA | ED HARCOURT | EASY STAR ALL STARS | GOLDEN SILVERS | ADAM FREELAND (LIVE)| CHROME HOOF | PALOMA FAITH | MICACHU & THE SHAPES | MUMFORD AND SONS | EDDY TEMPLE-MORRIS | SON OF DAVE | NOSTALGIA 77 | THE ALIENS | TOMMY SPARKS | DAVE HASLAM | N.A.S.A | BABYHEAD | WE HAVE BAND | CASIOKIDS | THE INVISIBLE | DELPHIC | CHEW LIPS | THE FONTANAS | SELFISH CUNT | DETROIT SOCIAL CLUB | DENT MAY AND HIS MAGNIFICENT UKULELE | THE FABULOUS PENETRATORS | PULLED APART BY HORSES | JOSH WELLER | JONQUIL | MR. DAVID VINER | DELIRIUM TREMENS | FIRST AID KIT | A. HUMAN | ARK PEOPLE | THEY CAME FROM THE STARS I SAW THEM | REVERE | BANJO OR FREAKOUT | TIM TEN YEN | GABBY YOUNG & OTHER ANIMALS | FLASHGUNS | YOUR TWENTIES | HOOK & THE TWIN | LOUIS BARABAS & THE BEDLAM SIX | CITADELS | CHANCERY BLAME & THE GADJO CLUB | THE LANGLEY SISTERS | YES SIR BOSS | CAT & MAX | FIVE MINUTE POP PROMO | DISASTERADIO | LULU LAMPSHADE | DOWNTOWN WOLVES | ANNIE D

The Gaslight Anthem rose out of the fertile punk and hardcore scene of New Brunswick, NJ, flaunting a unique style that melded the sounds of Bruce Springsteen, Wilson Pickett, and various Motown groups with the rough, emotional grit of Hot Water Music and Jawbreaker. The band — comprised of vocalist/guitarist Brian Fallon, bassist Alex Levine, drummer Benny Horowitz, and guitarist Alex Rosamila — began establishing a loyal hometown crowd after forming in 2005, and their soulful punk rock melodies attracted wider attention upon the release of their full-length debut, Sink or Swim, which droped in May 2007 via the local imprint XOXO Records. Although rough around the edges, the album presented plenty of energetic, sing-along songs that garnered accolades from punk zines, blogs, and fans alike. The increasing popularity was enough to score gigs with the likes of Against Me!, the Loved Ones, and the Draft, and by the end of 2007, the Gaslight Anthem had played over 200 shows. They recorded the four-song EP Señor and the Queen in Austin, having managed to secure some down time between tour dates, and the record surfaced on Sabot Productions in early February 2008. Meanwhile, the Gaslight Anthem announced their brand-new deal with the California-based indie label SideOneDummy Records.

Hailing from New Brunswick, New Jersey, The Gaslight Anthem’s anthemic tales of life, loss, family, heartbreak and youth have captured the imagination and hearts of fans and media everywhere. THE ’59 SOUND was hailed as one of the albums of 2008, with Kerrang! putting the band on the cover before ever having written a word about them, NME calling THE ’59 SOUND ‘one of the best albums of 2008′ and other immensely positive press coming from the likes of Q Magazine, Rock Sound, Big Cheese, Classic Rock, Clash, The Guardian and The Sun as well as from influential American magazines Rolling Stone, SPIN and Alternative Press.

Numerous spins on Radio One, Xfm and 6Music have contributed to this band’s meteoric and well-deserved success, and special BBC Radio One (with Zane Lowe) and XFM in-studio sessions aired recently.

The Gaslight Anthem’s latest single ‘Great Expectations’ off their critically acclaimed sophomore album, ‘THE ’59 SOUND’ is released on SideOneDummy records on March 23rd. This track was recently added to the Radio 1 upfront playlist. The band will also be playing numerous festivals across the world following their storming run of headline dates in the UK including a critically acclaimed NME Awards show at Shepherds Bush Empire.

MARCH HEADLINE DATES:

2nd Norwich @ Waterfront
3rd Nottingham @ Rock City
4th Dublin @ The Academy

FESTIVAL APPEARANCES:

April 19th Coachella (Indio, CA - USA)
May 23rd Sasquatch (George, WA - USA)
June 6th Rock Im Park (Nurburgring, Germany)
June 7th Rock Am Ring (Nuremberg, Germany)
June 13th Rock In Idro (Milan, Italy)
June 19th Nova Rock (Nickelsdorf, Austria)
June 20th Southside (Neuhausen, Germany)
June 21st Hurricane (Schessel, Germany)
June 24th Hove Festival (Hove, Norway)
June 28th Hard Rock Calling (London, UK)
July 3rd Vainstream Festival (Mannheim, Germany)
July 4th Vainstream Festival (Munster, Germany)
July 5th Ruisrock Festival (Turku, Finland)
July 9th BBK Alive (Bilbao, Spain)
July 12th T In The Park (Glasgow, Scotland)

www.gaslightanthem.com | www.myspace.com/thegaslightanthem

Last week’s Brit Awards were all very clean cut in the end. Pristine princess Duffy walked away clutching a bunch of gongs in her dainty hands, Paul Weller somehow won an award and even Lady Gaga looked reasonably sensible performing with the Pet Shop Boys. In short, very little scandal. There will be no such behaviour at the NME Awards, taking place tonight at London’s O2 Brixton Academy.

Stars appearing

Comedian Mark Watson is in charge - well as much as you can be with tables quaking under the pressure of free alcohol.

Joining Watson on the night to play live are White Lies, Friendly Fires, Glasvegas, Franz Ferdinand and The Cure, who’re being inducted into NME’s hall of Godlike Geniuses.

Those looking to pick up a middle finger [NME's crude statuette] include Oasis, leading the pack with seven nominations and Kings Of Leon closely following the Gallaghers with four.

The red carpet will be graced by, um, Grace Jones, MGMT, The Ting Tings, Little Boots, The Killers and Crystal Castles amongst a host of other stars.

Much of the running order and attendees remain undisclosed but rumours of a collaboration between Florence & The Machine and Glasvegas persist and that The Cure will play amongst a Tim Burton-esque forest stage set up.

What would really be exciting - seeing as Oasis are up for so many Awards - would be for Blur to make their first public appearance since reforming last year. We’ll see.

The nominations - with our predicted victors - in full:
BEST BRITISH BAND
Oasis

Bloc Party

Radiohead

Muse

Last Shadow Puppets

Going home with a finger: Oasis
BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND
Kings of Leon

The Killers

MGMT

Vampire Weekend

Crystal Castles

Going home with a finger: The Killers
BEST SOLO ARTIST
Ladyhawke

Jay-Z

Laura Marling

Lightspeed Champion

Pete Doherty

Going home with a finger: Jay-Z
BEST NEW BAND
Vampire Weekend

MGMT

Glasvegas

Late Of The Pier

White Lies

Going home with a finger: MGMT
BEST LIVE BAND
Radiohead

Oasis

The Killers

Muse

Kings Of Leon

Going home with a finger: Kings Of Leon
BEST ALBUM
Kings Of Leon

The Killers

Glasvegas

Oasis

Bloc Party

Going home with a finger: Glasvegas
BEST TRACK
Vampire Weekend - A-Punk

Last shadow Puppets - Age Of The Understanding

Kings of Leon - Sex On Fire

The Ting Tings - That’s Not My Name

MGMT - Time To Pretend

Going home with a finger: MGMT - Time To Pretend
BEST VIDEO
Late Of The Pier - Heartbeat

Last Shadow Puppets - My Mistakes Were Made For You

Radiohead - House of Cards

Vampire Weekend - A-Punk

Oasis - Shock Of The Lightening

Going home with a finger: Late Of The Pier
BEST DVD
Foo Fighters Live At Wembley

Rolling Stones - Shine A Light

Kaiser Chiefs - Live From Elland Road

Arctic Monkeys At The Apollo

Muse - HAARP

Going home with a finger: Arctic Monkeys At The Apollo
BEST BAND BLOG
Noel Gallagher / Oasis

Little boots

Lightspeed Champion

Radiohead

Foals

Going home with a finger: Little Boots