NME is confirming today the rumour we've been hearing for months: ELASTICA are no more. Justine Frischmann, speaking to the British weekly, has confirmed that the band have split. A farewell single and Peel Session releases are in the works for later this year, and Justine mentions an as-yet-unnamed new project in the future.

Some may call them the most talked-about garage rock band in history. Others seem to call them "THE GREATEST AMERICAN BAND OF OUR GENERATION." (Thank you, UK press.) Whatever your take on 'em is, THE STROKES have the most hotly anticipated debut album of the fall... and now it's tracklisting is being changed in the wake of the tragedy at the World Trade Center. The gruff anthem "New York City Cops" has been pulled from all U.S. copies due to its anti-police sentiment.

Carl Crack, founding member of ATARI TEENAGE RIOT, has been found dead in his Berlin apartment. The 30-year-old, who had a history of mental illness, was said to have been in declining health due to alcohol and drug abuse. The band were in a one-year hiatus to allow Crack to seek psychiatric help. No official word yet on the cause of death.

Though at press time no official word had been made on the band's web site, NME is reporting as fact today that CATATONIA have split, following the sudden departure of vocalist Cerys Matthews. The band had recently cancelled a UK tour, with Matthews citing "exhaustion and a recurring athsmatic condition" as the sidelining ailment. NME, however, is reporting today that Matthews has been a guest at a London rehab clinic, and checked out just last week to travel to Wales and inform the band of her decision.

Excellent Online's own Roberto Nache (himself a veteran midwest radio jock) forwarded to us a VERY interesting bit of news. Ever heard of Clear Channel Communications? They're the world's largest radio network, and they've got their hand in the pot of nearly every radio market in the U.S. Anyhow, in the wake of last week's tragedy in New York, a program director at Clear Channel has sent all of their stations a list of songs considered "questionable" to play while the nation's in shell-shock.

PJ Harvey takes the Mercury Music Prize for her album, "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea". She beat out several great artist including Elbow, Basement Jaxx and Radiohead.

Tania notified us that the Charlatans have cancelled several dates on their upcoming east coast US tour "due to todays events in New York and Washington".

Four planes were hijacked this morning, two of them crashed into the World Trade Center, one hit the Pentagon in Washington DC, and the last one crashed in a rural area in Pennsylvania. The World Trade Center has been flattened and a section of the Pentagon is also damaged.

Jeff informed us that Ocean Colour Scene had to postpone their US tour. According to their official site, Damon Minchella has had a "reaccurence of tendonitis in his wrist". They are looking to reschedule later this year.

I actually got spam that was worth reading the other day and here it is:

Sigur Ros have a beautiful (and potentially controversial) new video for «Vidrar vel til loftarasa». You can see it along with the video for «Svefn-G-Englar», live footage, and an interview throughout September on MTV2. Tune in at the following days & times.

Click Read More for the dates and times.
Thu 9/13/01 12:30-1:00am
Sun 9/16/01 midnight-12:30am
Sat 9/22/01 midnight-12:30am
Fri 9/28/01 midnight-12:30am