RAY DAVIES, leader of The Kinks, was shot in New Orleans last night by a mugger. Davies and his girlfriend were having a stroll when a pair of muggers accosted the pair, stole the woman's handbag, and fled. Davies gave chase until one of the muggers pulled out a gun and shot the seminal star in the leg. Davies was treated and released from local hospital, and CNN says that one of the perps has already been caught by authorities. Davies is reportedly in good spirits.

Every once in awhile when the press, the RIAA, etc stops their bitching about downloading music from the internet... some kind soul stands up and reinforces how music traverses the globe more now than ever through the internet. Case and point... at www.radio.plus.com you can find LEGAL downloads of songs John Peel has featured on Radio 1. All tracks on the site have been donated by the band's featured... which include Mogwai, Bearsuit, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Autechre, The Fall and MANY more. Just in case you haven't checked out Epitonic lately we'll give them a wee plug too. Featuring free downloads from prominant bands and labels alike... it's a one stop shop for checking out new talent.

'Fans Only' is the name of the BELLE & SEBASTIAN DVD that has received glowing reviews in the UK... and it's coming to America on January 20th. Shhh... we've got another secret though. You can pre-order it from Matador and get $ 1 off.

Well great you've told me when I can get it... but what is it?

Yeah sorry... got a little ahead of myself. This DVD is the ULTIMATE reference for B&S fans. It contains EVERY video, live performanaces, interview, tv appearances, a documentary, out-takes, etc etc. Music fans in the UK have been calling this the most complete music DVD ever released. There are over 75 songs on the DVD including covers of Serge Gainsbourg and The Who. More information and a tracklisting is available on the B&S site.

Ok... the Smiths haven't actually been resurrected, but their material has. Matinee Recordings has asked the artists on their roster to "take a stab at a Smiths cover"... and are releasing the material to honor the 20th anniversary of the band. Included on the new compilation, "Romantic and Square is Hip and Aware", are The Lucksmiths, Would-Be-Goods, Pines, The Liberty Ship and more. The album will be available late in December via Matinee Mailorder or in January in record shops.

Well... the fat lady hasn't sung yet! This morning in a NY District court, Daniel Geller and Ryan Lewis (the KINDERCORE founders) filed suit against I.D.E.A. (aka The Telegraph Co). Not only is the company named in the lawsuit but the Kindercore General Manger and I.D.E.A. CEO. Why? Geller and Lewis are alleging breach of contract, libel, slander and other infractions against the company that purchased Kindercore in 2001. According to Geller the November announcement that Kindercore was closing came as a shock to him.

Read the full press release below...

*Poof*. And like that, it's over. The financially troubled KINDERCORE RECORDS has shut down. The label, once home to the majority of the Elephant 6 Collective, has announced via a post on their message board that it, as well as its parent group The Telegraph Company, will cease operations effective immediately. Sadly, this doesn't come as much of a shock. About two years ago, the original owners of Kindercore sold out to the Telegraph Company to avoid bankruptcy and closure, and after that move, the label's biggest draws began immediately searching for new homes. The Telegraph Company will remain in effect as a distribution outlet, which means that the Kindercore back catalog will remain in print and able to purchase. But it DOES mean that completed and expected new albums from JAPANCAKES, I AM THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, MASERATI, and others are shelved. It DOES mean that these bands, along with Kindercore faves DRESSY BESSY, Olivia Tremor Control off-shoot THE SUNSHINE FIX, and OF MONTREAL will have to find new homes (for what it's worth, the guys in Of Montreal told us some time ago they were through with the label.) Regardless, it's kind of a sad day. The label was far removed from its halcyon days of buy-everything-it-puts-out-because-Kindercore-don't-put-out-crap, but it leaves us aching for another US label of the same calibre. Who's to become our favorite stateside label now? Skippy, it's time to put MARCH RECORDS in overdrive... will the label-less former Elephant 6 bands follow the trend of The Essex Green and move to MERGE or trail The Marshmallow Coast to MISRA? Or will our hottest tipped label become the young upstart FUTURE APPLETREE RECORDS with a roster so impressive it hurts? Time will tell...

The official statement:

"Suede would like to announce that from next year they will be working on their own individual projects.There will not be a new studio album until the band feel that the moment is artistically right to make one.This announcement does not affect the forthcoming touring commitments. Suede would like to thank the fans for their wonderful support over the years. See you in the next life."

To pay our respects Ajay has set up Excellent Radio to play All Suede... All Day.

Well a few musicians have gotten together again to take on Big Brother... and this time Big Brother takes the form of the media monopolies. Organized by Tom Morello of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE and Audioslave the 13 city tour will be featuring BILLY BRAGG, The Nightwatchmen, STEVE EARLE and Lester Chambers of the Chamber Brothers. Also joining the show on select dates will be Mike Mills of R.E.M., Jill Sobule, Boots Riley and Janeane Garofalo. According to Tom Morello, "When presidents and politicians lie, it is the job of the press to expose and challenge those lies. When the press fails, the lies become law. The point of the 'Tell Us The Truth' tour is to help others make these connections, and to show them that activism can change the policies of this country." Find out more on Common Cause.

The TRASH CAN SINATRAS will be quietly sneaking into New York City in November for a show at Fez under time. What's with the one-off gig? Well... they'll be in town to finish mixing their new record with ANDY CHASE. Andy's been working on it piecemeal throughout the summer and the last 5 tracks will be completed in the next few weeks. The album will be mixed and mastered before they head back to the UK so look for a springtime release around the world.

Is America ready for Dizzee? Matador and XL certainly hope so. The pair of labels are gearing up to release DIZZEE RASCAL'S 'Boy In Da Corner' album in the United States in January.

Who is Dizzee Rascal? Well at a meer 18 years old, this East Londoner is probably the youngest ever artist to receive Britian's acclaimed Mercury Music Prize (i'm gonna stick with "probably" cos my fact-checkers have taken Halloween off). The Guardian's Alexius Petridis called him, "the most original and exciting artist to emerge from dance music in a decade". Dizzee brings a unique blend of drum and bass, garage and hip hop to what can only be described as infectious independence... and it's coming to America.