Oh I Do Like To Be Beside...

If, like us, you recognise that the only place to live is by the seaside, and you also recognise that the coolest seaside resort in the UK is without doubt Brighton, then you will doubtless also be very keen to learn that Brighton now plays host to Loop, a one day celebration of music and digital art - which kicked off last year and was so successful the organisers are going for ‘bigger and better’ this year. The fun kicks of on August the 16th during the day in Victoria Gardens, and continues in various venues (with reductions for day ticket holders) late into the evening, and this years line-up already includes the New Young Pony Club, Holy F*ck, Caribou, Planningtorock, Seb Rochford’s Fulborn Teversham, Peggy Sue & the Pirates and the Nostalgia 77 octet, as well as bucket-loads of local talent from the Brighton music scene. More info can be had at www.loopbrighton.com

Free Stuff!!

Whilst giving stuff away is clearly not a sustainable way forward for the music business as a whole bands with an established fan base, like The Charlatans, have realised that the accompanying tour dates and deluxe editions (in the Charlies case a strictly limited vinyl 45’s box set) make fiscal sense and the free download will encourage new listeners to lend an ear. In fact there's never been a better time to bag free tunes, other bands currently tempting new listeners are the Infadels whose 'Play Blind' track is currently available for free here and new EMI/DFA signings Hercules & Love Affair who release their new single (coincidentally also called 'Blind', and starring Antony from Antony & the Johnsons on vocals) in March but are offering a free track entitled 'Hercules Theme' here. Our current favourite free download however, which comes courtesy of Warp Records signing Harmonic 313, comes in the shape of an online game which makes you work a little harder than filling in a form, but if you solve the problem a free unreleased track is the reward play the game here

Medium Rare

The Mars Volta released their new album The Bedlam In Golaith amidst a positive blizzard of promotional extras, including a USB flash drive that’s apparently designed to resemble a piece of an Ouija board (we say apparently but as they’re as rare as hens teeth we haven’t actually seen one, or even a picture of one), then there’s a series of webisodes posted on the official website, depicting the band in various and sometimes humorous situations, there’s also a scrambled picture puzzle featuring the front cover artwork for the album which, if solved, offers up a free MP3 download of the guys performing a cover version of ‘Back Against the Wall’ by the Circle Jerks and finally we have Goliath: The Soothsayer a scary point 'n' click online game based on the events that took place during the creation of The Bedlam in Goliath, try and play it without jumping, go on we dare you. Play Goliath: the Soothsayer

Signing On?

Ali Campbell, singer and founder member of UB40, has parted company with his band after almost thirty successful years. Contrary to reports that his decision to leave were so he could concentrate on his solo career Campbell cites his unhappiness with management as the deciding factor stating on his website that ‘I have been deeply unhappy with administrative practices and with many decisions that have been made in recent years and I have an ongoing investigation into the handling of my business affairs in relation to UB40’. A spokesman for UB40 has since repsonded saying: "The band would like to clarify that they do not have artist management and that all decisions relating to UB40 as a band - both past and present - have always been by a democratic process of all eight members."

OK (For) Computer(s)

Hot on the heels of the Bob Marley Exodus USB memory stick released earlier this year comes the 4Gb USB memory stick shaped into Radiohead’s iconic ‘bear’ image. This must have collectors item contains CD quality WAV audio files of all seven Radiohead albums released on EMI/Parlophone from 1993-2003 - Pablo Honey, The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A, Amnesiac, and Hail To The Thief plus live album I Might Be Wrong – and is limited to just 1000 copies. But fear not, if you miss out on this very desirable item you can pick up a box set containing all seven albums, or the same audio content as a digital bundle containing DRM-free 320kbps MP3 files. As an added incentive, for a limited time only, all three formats will also offer access to a high quality audio-visual online stream of the band’s 90 minute headline performance at Les Eurockéennes de Belfort festival in France (recorded on 4th July 2003).