Kasabian mixing fourth album

The English indie group’s label have confirmed they have completed recording and now putting the finishing touches to the disc, set for release in October.
A source at the band’s record company, Sony/BMG, said: “They’re still working on it, although it’s nearly finished. They’re mixing it. It’s all secret – I can’t even give you a clue about what it sounds like because we haven’t heard it.”

Kasabian are thought to have worked with producer Dan The Automator, who oversaw their last record, ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’, and recorded in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The ‘Fire’ hitmakers have talked about a number of different influences on the album, including grunge and punk, but said they will retain the psychedelic and electronic elements which have always been part of their sound.

Guitarist and main songwriter Serge Pizzorno recently described the record, saying: “Well, it’s epic. It’s big songs that make you feel like anything’s possible. It’s a really positive record. I suppose it’s a combination of all three records but we’ve just taken it a bit further.

“I’m really excited about it, because after the last record, people really liked it and wanted to know what was next, and I’m happy to say that it’s got better. I’m excited about playing it live – there are tunes on there that are going to take people to a new place.”

The Stranglers, The Damned and The Saw Doctors join Solfest 2011

The Stranglers,

The first acts have been announced for Solfest 2011. Punk icons The Stranglers will be joined by fellow genre legends The Damned, cult Irish band The Saw Doctors and classic 90′s Britpop outfit Cast.

The Damned have specially chosen Solfest to celebrate 35 years since the release of their debut single ‘New Rose’, which landed in 1976.

Folk songstress Kate Rusby, Dr Feelgood guitarist Wilko Johnson, and a host of other folk, pop and rock bands will appear across the weekend, due to take place over August Bank Holiday Weekend in an idyllic setting near the Lake District.

Solfest is also very happy to welcome singer, actress, and all-round alternative entertainer Camille O’ Sullivan, who brings an element of burlesque to the festival for the first time.

Weekend Camping Tickets are now on sale for £89 via www.solfest.org.uk, following all 1,000 Early Bird tickets for this year’s festival selling out in record time.

Solfest is the definitive festival for music hungry families. Welcoming, inclusive, inventive and jam-packed with carefully selected chart-topping acts from across the decades; it’s one of North England’s best kept and beautiful festival secrets with a stunning family area, workshops and five stages packed with music.

Its unique setting allows you to park right next to your tent for the most effortless camping experience, while wood for campfires is provided free of charge for those wanting a classic outdoors adventure. Solfest also invites traders from around the world to sell goods, food and drinks around the site, so you’ll never be wanting for anything while on site.

The particularly family-friendly event, held between 26th ‘ 29th August and located on the edge of the Lake District, is one of the more wonderful British music festivals, tucked between the Solway coast and the Cumbrian fells. It offers a very open-minded and all-welcoming atmosphere for fans of music and the great outdoors, with a quality music programme incorporating classic guitar noise, pleasing new beats and eclectically satisfying melodies that Solfest hope will be accessible to their entire audience.

This beautiful setting has been the host for the last seven years to a mix of both well-established and emerging artists from all over the world, as well as an interesting array of walkabout acts and local talent.

Previous acts to play the festival include punk, Britpop, dance and indie legends The Charlatans, James, The Wonderstuff, Supergrass, The Proclaimers, The Orb, Sham 69, The Bees, Buzzcocks, The Levellers, Utah Saints and The Magic Numbers. With more acts still to announce, 2011 looks to have the most diverse and exciting bill yet for Solfest.

The Slits announce UK and European tour dates.

The Slits announce European dates. The Slits known for their infusion of punk and reggae sounds are one of the most significant female punk-rock bands in history. Both legendary and somewhat notorious there is a satiric, tongue-in-cheek quality to their songs instead of a strident peachiness. The Slits are loud, brash, bold and unrepentant. They never compromised their image or stance and their very presence threatened those that considered rock to be a male-only pursuit. In the late 1970’s an early 1980’s the band toured with legendary punks such as The Clash, The Buzzcocks and The Sex Pistols. They went on to influence many generations of bands including The Gossip and Sonic Youth whom they played with in 2007. The Slits continue to expand the boundaries of punk, combining it with various ethnic and experimental sounds and plan to continue doing so for years to come. Their latest album Trapped Animal was released October 2009. The current lineup features original members Ari Up and Tessa Pollitt along with Hollie Cook (daughter of Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook), Anna Schulte and Adele Wilson.

European Tour dates May, 2010:

6/5 Dublin Crawdaddy Ireland
7/5 Manchester Moho Live UK
8/5 Newcastle The Cluny UK
9/5 Glasgow ABC2 UK
10/5 Liverpool The Loft UK
11/5 London Islington Academy UK
12/5 Oxford Academy 2 UK
13/5 Brighton The Great Escape UK
14/5 Utrecht Ekko Holland
15/5 Groningen Vera Holland
16/5 Copenhagen Loppen Denmark
18/5 Stockholm Strand Sweeden
20/5 Berlin White Trash Germany
21/5 Koln MTC Germany
22/5 Turin Spazio Italy
23/5 Rome Roads to Ruins Festival Italy
25/5 Athens Venue TBC Greece
27/5 Paris Café Le Dance France
28/5 Barcelona Primavera Spain