Jay-Z, The Verve and Kings Of Leon will headline this June's Glastonbury festival. - Source

Jazz Summers, who has managed bands such as Snow Patrol and The Verve, has launched a new "all-encompassing" record company-style fund which bands will be able to sign to. - Source

The Verve are set to headline this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, sources confirmed today (January 21).  Source

Yeah, yeah... I know it's been awhile...

But holy crow, THE VERVE are back together!

In a statement, the band -- and the ORIGINAL line-up of the band at that, including once-estranged guitarist Nick McCabe -- say they're getting back together "for the joy of the music."

A winter tour is planned, and word is that new material is being recorded for perhaps a new album!

Whoa!

As ajay expressed back in March... there's soon to be a VERVE best of out on the market (well, in the UK anyway on October 11). With the details finally hammered out we can tell you that "This Is Music" will be entirely an A-Side collection and features two previously unreleased songs...

This Is Music
Slide Away
Lucky Man
History
She's A Superstar
On Your Own
Blue
Sonnet
All In The Mind
The Drug's Don't Work
Gravity Grave
Bittersweet Symphony
This Could Be My Moment (new)
Monte Carlo (new)

There was a blurb in the London tabloid, The Sun, yesterday that mentioned a possible VERVE compilation to be released this fall. NME confirmed the story today and narrowed down the release date to October of this year. This is all according to a spokesperson for Richard Ashcroft. The tracklisting hasn't been confirmed but I'm a huge Verve fan (having run the Verve Universe site for nine years) and have compiled my "dream" compilation below...

Despite rumors here and elsewhere Nick McCabe has not been named the new guitarist for Blur. In an official announcement from the Blur camp, Simon Tong (read the "other" guitarist in The Verve and member of The Shining) has become the hottest guitar player south of Manchester. Um... well ... err... you'll still be hearing Graham on the new album (due out early summer) but Simon will now have to wallow in the corner during the live version of the Albarn show instead of Graham. ;-)

By Lisa Y. Garibay and Ajay Sharma
(June 1999)

FINALLY we are pleased to present the definitive interview with Nick McCabe, former guitarist for Verve, exclusive to Excellent Online!

Welcome to Part 2. Here's Part 1 if you somehow missed it.

As mentioned earlier ex-Verve members Simon Jones and Simon Tong are in a new band called The Shining. They are coming to the US with a massive 3-date tour with stops in NY, LA, and Toronto! :) Allstar's got a little blurb about the band and how they've inked a US deal with EMI. Their debut album, 'True Skies', will be released this fall.