The hip-hop and turntablist world is shocked tonight by the murder of Run-DMC's JAM MASTER JAY. Jay was shot fatally in the head at around 7:30 tonight during an altercation at his recording studio in Queens.

The hip-hop world is already reeling, with the founding fathers of the New York rap scene (including Public Enemy's Chuck D) converging on the scene of the crime.

Run-DMC's place at the front of rap history is indisputable. It was Run-DMC that first introduced most of the world to rap music, and Jam Master Jay was most of America's first glimpse at a turntablist DJ.

Beyond Run-DMC, Jay was also very instrumental in the DMC turntablist championships, the annual event that crowns the best turntablist DJ's in the world.

Click more for thoughts from EO Admin Shane Brown.

Word from a Sony rep is that The Shining have cancelled their upcoming US tour. Scheduled for November 5 - 23 there has been no word yet as to why. Ticketmaster does not list the Chicago show at Double Door on the 18th as being cancelled yet, but all other shows appear to be. Neither the UK nor US websites for the band contain any further info. We'll try to keep you updated.

As reported by their official website, Joe Pernice of The Pernice Brothers has signed a contract with an undisclosed publishing company to write a fictional/autobiographical novella regarding The Smiths' Meat Is Murder. The new novella is expected to be published in September 2003. Joe's previous book of poetry 'Two Blind Pigeons' is available via his website or live shows.

In band related tidbits, the new album (as yet untitled) is nearing completion and should be available on Joe's Ashmont Records in 2003.

Reading's electropopping SALOON have hit the record store shelves again with a new single. The followup to their critically acclaimed debut album (Now This Is) What We Call Progress is out now in shops in the UK and North America. The single, which is titled Girls Are The New Boys has just been released on Track And Field in the UK and Darla stateside. The single is limited to 1000 pressings and contains 3 new songs: Girls Are The New Boys, Solitude and I Am The Cheese. You can visit their website for a live version of Girls Are The New Boys.

I guess I can state as fact that MOMUS likes to make concept albums. For all that he's done, he may have come up with yet another interesting new idea. Momus is hard at work on his new album from his little home studio in Tokyo, or is he? According to a recent article on his website, Momus is working with John Talaga (aka one of the SUPER MADRIGAL BROTHERS) in an exchange similar to that of the first (and only thusfar) Super Madrigal album. John will apparently be reworking each and every song on the album from his own little studio in Bay City, Michigan. So on opposites sides of the planet, there is an album in the works... and you can peer into the songwriting process via Momus' website. A release is expected for next February on American Patchwork in the US, Analog Baroque in the UK and Europe, and Quattro in Japan.

Editorial comment: This idea sounds intriguing, as long as the folk trend is over...

The influential German record label Morr Music is bringing their catalog to North America with an upcoming tour. Headlining will be LALI PUNA . Their debut full length Tridecoder (available on Morr or Darla) garnered them praise from members of Radiohead and Andrew Weatherall. "Every time I play the record to someone, they fall in love with the music and I simply have to let them have it. Coward that I am, I'm on my fourth copy now." (Colin Greenwood, Radiohead on Tridecoder).
Supporting Lali Puna on this tour are OPIATE and STYROFOAM.

However, in an online discussion board, Derek of Of Montreal made the following statement, "nothing's really changed actually. just re- cast and reformed. we're all still here churning it out, and we all still help each other. so..." Apparently the E6 stamp will no longer be printed on new material, but friends they were and friends they all still are. There will be a final E6 compilation due out sometime this fall.

After a news story or two about the end of Elephant 6 Recordings surfaced this week, the unofficial website has made a simple and pronounced statement, "Elephant 6 is not dead.". Enough said?

No, not really. Hilarie Sidney of Apples In Stereo did make a statement to Toronto's Eye Weekly that the Elephant 6 Collective has been laid to rest. "I think that's all over now. Everybody's still friends, but it got really confusing. Robert and I were sick of dealing with the record-label end of it and, honestly, we were just ready to move on, and I think everybody else was too."

BILLY BRAGG has donated a new song, The Price of Oil, to a compilation CD being put together by the "Stop The War Coalition". You can read more about it on his official site. You can also download the track from an unofficial site. Thanks to Eddie for the story.

There has been an ongoing battle between PHIL SPECTOR and his one time proteges THE RONETTES. New York's highest appeals court ruled in Spector's favor on Friday, negating an earlier decision that Phil must pay the trio 3 million USD in back royalties. The Ronettes (Ronnie Bennett, Estelle Bennet and Nedra Talley) have been in court since 1998 seeking additional payment for the 28 songs they recorded for the Phillies label from 1963 - 1967. Under the original contract the group received a one time payment of 14,482 USD.
Links to check out:
Blogcritics
E! Online
NME

In a recent interview with the Edmonton Sun Norman Cook (aka FATBOY SLIM) has readily admitted to recently turning down a remix project by Britney Spears. Editorial comment: Cheers!

On another good note, Virgin will be releasing a DVD on Nov 5 of Norman's live performance in Brighton entitled Big Beach Boutique Vol. 2 (The CD of this is already out). Also to be released on Astralwerks on November 19 are 3 new EPs: Pimp, Illuminati, and Camber Sands. No word yet of a supporting tour.