Hush Records has come out with their very own Bjork tribute album entitled READ: Interpreting Bjork . Available as an 'eAlbum' for free download on the Hush website it includes covers of It's Oh So Quiet, Hyper-ballad, The Hunter, Joga, You've Been Flirting Again, Possibly Maybe, Immature, Unravel and In The Musicals. They do suggest you make a 2 dollar donation on the website via PayPal.

Sonic Youth are set to re-release their landmark 1992 album 'Dirty' on March 4 in the US. This new deluxe version will be adding 9 b- sides, 11 rehearsal recordings and a 28 page booklet with writings from Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo and Byron Coley.

Speaking to Billboard in May, Thurston Moore stated, "It's the full CD, and an extra disc of B-sides, 8-track demo stuff, and some sort of loose tape we had found from the songwriting sessions."

He whupped Batman's ass... and now let's hope he can whup cancer's as well. Chicago's only headbutting schizophrenic songsmith, WESLEY WILLIS, is currently receiving treatment for leukemia. According to Willis' label, Alternative Tentacles, the disease appears to have been caught in time and doctors are optimistic about Willis' recovery. Rock over London. Rock on Chicago. Wheaties - The Breakfast of Champions.

Wow. This wasn't how we wanted to start Christmas week. JOE STRUMMER, legendary frontman of THE CLASH, has been found dead at his Somerset home. Cause of death is unknown, but a heart attack is suspected. We're absolutely gutted. The Clash are to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame next year, and a reunion was highly rumoured. We are totally and absolutely gutted. Go play "London Calling" very, very loud.

Damon Gough (aka Badly Drawn Boy ) is getting a jump start on the new year with a single release on January 6 of 'Born Again'. You can watch the video now courtesy of Dotmusic.

German band The Notwist will be releasing their latest album 'Neon Golden' in the United States on February 25. The album will be released on the Domino USA label (who has brought us releases from band like clinic, mouse on mars, the silver jews, the pastels, gbv and more). The band is hoping to tour the US in April 2003.
Thanks to Torr for this story.

Mary Hansen, a member of STEREOLAB for the last 10 years, died on Monday in London in a bicycle accident. Mary, 36, had been a guitarist and vocalist with the band for the past 10 years. Oddly enough, Hansen, along with fellow bandmates Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier, all guest on "Electric Circus," the new album by Chicago rapper Common that hit stores just this week (a photo of Hansen even appears on the record cover collage.) Stereolab remains one of the most influential bands of our time, and we extend our deepest sympathies to Tim, Laetitia, and all of Mary's friends and family.

Guided By Voices frontman Robert Pollard is releasing a new 7 track mini-lp to celebrate the new year. Limited to 1000 pressings, the new material will be coming out only on vinyl on January 14. You can pre-order it now at www.gbv.com .

In celebration of an upcoming new Boyracer tour they are releasing a limited edition EP, 'Girlracer'. Available only on the road (dates coming soon) or mailorder are 6 fuzzy and poptastic covers of Boyracer's favorite girl bands including Dollie Mixture, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, The Shangri-Las, Yaz (Yazoo outside the US apparently), The Primitives and Strawberry Switchblade.

The Divine Comedy is looking for volunteers to help promote the upcoming west coast tour in each city. If you'd like to get involved please email: friends@thedivinecomedy.com by December 13th.

Also up on the Divine Comedy's news page is a statement by Neil regarding his future plans as 'The Divine Comedy', the loves of a new father, and more.
Neil will be playing in the following cities:

01/23/03 Portland, OR TBA
01/24/03 Seattle, WA Crocodile Café
01/25/03 Vancouver, BC Richard's on Richards
01/27/03 San Francisco, CA Slim's
01/28/03 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
01/29/03 Costa Mesa, CA Detroit Bar