Category: Music News

Another week passes where Kurt Cobain‘s tragic suicide in 1994 has left a stain on the music press across the world. The various photos of his body laying on the ground after shooting himself in the head have been plastered across many publications and social networks, alongside his personal possessions, drug paraphernalia and last moments thanks to the Seattle Police Department. It doesn’t make for fun reading whatsoever, but merely adds more reality to the obsession that the internet generation, be it journalists or public, want to know everything about everyone, despite its tragic content.

The partially-revealed ‘wedding vow’ letter that was released this week, allegedly found in Kurt’s wallet regarding his wife Courtney Love, was yet another blow of sadness. People seem to forget that his daughter Frances and wife are still out there trying to push their lives forward 20 years on, but essentially with the huge amount of chit chat that has been generated from an ‘OK’ Magazine reaction to his personal belongings, his family are never allowed to rest.

Today, that letter, that has been reported worldwide as though Cobain was mocking his wedding vows, has been made public in full, revealing that the note could well have been written by Courtney Love herself. The full letter reads:

“Do you Kurt Cobain take Courtney Michelle Love to be your lawful shredded wife, even when she’s a bitch with zits and siphoning all your money for doping and whoring. Will you promise to fuck her at least once a week, O.K.,”

The fascination surrounding his death has reached critical mass and hopefully the press will now be able to take a step back and realise that this constant bombardment of lack of privacy to his family and friends should come to rest now like Cobain himself.

Listen to our Nirvana interviews from yesteryear and remind yourself that these were, and still are, good people, who made incredible music that changed a generation. The world is so desperately in need of another Nirvana right now…

Fucked Up have welcomed none other than J Mascis to their new track Led by Hand. The Dinosaur Jr frontman joins Damian and co for the choruses in this more-mellow-than-ever new song.

Look out for the new album Glass Boys which is due out at the beginning of June via Matador Records.

It’s not often that Slayer release a new track but a freshly recorded song titled “Implode” has been posted online this week, the first since 2009’s World Painted Blood album.

This features new drummer Paul Bostaph who replaced Dave Lombardo (and used to drum for Slayer a while back) and of course, Jeff Hanneman, who tragically passed being replaced by Exodus guitarist Gary Holt with founding members Kerry King and Tom Araya.

Grab a free download and let us know if this is a Hit or miss?

Crossfire’s very own James Sherry (above, centre) features in a 20 minute documentary on the UK punk and hardcore scene from back in the 80s filmed in the Crossfire office.

Sherry discusses the importance of trading zines, attending squat parties and the original shows at the William Morris Club in Wimbledon where the likes of the Stupids, Crass, Napalm Death, Heresy and many others played early shows.

There’s way more than this of course so get the teas on and enjoy this.

(photo credit: Ben Rayner)

Parquet Courts wowed us all last year, exploding out of nowhere with their slap in the face of a debut, Light Up Gold, an album still firmly glued to record players the world over.

With the dust far from settled, Brooklyns finest four are ready and waiting with a follow up album, Sunbathing Animal, due this summer via Rough Trade Records.

The title track and lead single of this sophomore is streaming online now. The video for which is filmed in singer/guitarist Andrew Savage’s apartment, starring his beloved cat, Frida. Watch below.

Catch them on tour in the UK through June and grab your pre-order of this hugely anticipated 2nd album here.

June UK Tour
21st – Glasgow @ SWG3
22nd – Liverpool @ Kazimier
23rd – Birmingham @ Birmingham Institute
25th – London @ ULU
26th – Oxford @ Oxford Academy 2

Sunbathing Animal is due for UK release June 2nd via Rough Trade Records.

Ph: Keith Marlowe

If there was one legendary musician you would want to see up there alongside Krist Novoselic, Pat Smear, and Dave Grohl playing Nirvana tracks in a hot sweaty club, J Mascis would most probably be at the top of the list.

This phone footage from last night’s secret show after the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony at a 300 capacity bar in Brooklyn called Saint Vitus has just hit the web. It’s an absolute treat!

Joan Jett also played….

As did Annie Clarke….

Last night’s Hall of Fame ceremony with Nirvana as guests turned out to be a talking point. Joan Jett was picked to sing Nirvana’s biggest hit ‘Nevermind’ and crushed it in the process. When was the last time Jett reached notes this high? Her version filmed at the Saint Vitus club (230 capacity secret show after the awards) was much better. Lethal Bizzle would have been a better choice.

As for Lorde. Yuck. Amazed she was even invited. Thankfully Kim Gordon’s contribution made it worthwhile, but I bet Kurt would have been stoked on the fact that all three tracks were fronted by females. Good call.

Rap legends Public Enemy have announced a UK tour today and will be bringing their steez to the UK this June. Let’s see if Flava Flav can stay out of trouble long enough to make the trip and if so, the masters of politically charged hip hop should be worth your quids. Flava Flav will join Chuck D, DJ Lord and The S1W at the following dates below as well as headlining Tramlines Festival and Stockton Weekender on the weekend of July 26th and 27th.

Wed June 04 2014 – LEAMINGTON SPA Assembly
Thu June 05 2014 – LOWESTOFT Aquarium
Sat June 07 2014 – LONDON Electric Brixton

Public Enemy Tickets are on sale from 9am on Friday April 11th priced from £23.50 and £35.

London four piece Wolf Alice have just dropped the lead track to their upcoming EP Creature Songs.

‘Moaning Lisa Smile’ is the first look in we get from Wolf Alice this year, and it’s a bloody good one. If this brand new track is anything to go by then it seems like Creature Songs is going to be a step towards the grungier side of the indie guitar waters.

Waste no time in pressing play for two and a half minutes of hard rocking grunge. Tainted with bitter sweet, boy girl harmonies and enormous guitar sounds, this is hit repeat good and no doubt the best we’ve heard from Wolf Alice yet.

The band head out on a full UK Tour in May, scroll down for live dates.

Look out for the EP from May 26th on Dirty Hit Records.

Wolf Alice Tour Dates:

May 1st King Tut’s, Glasgow
May 2nd Liverpool Sound City, Liverpool
May 3rd Live at Leeds, Leeds
May 4th Sunday Live, Stockton
May 5th Fruit, Hull
May 6th Leadmill 2, Sheffield
May 7th Think Tank, Newcastle
May 12th Institute Temple, Birmingham
May 13th O2 Academy 2, Oxford
May 14th Portland Arms, Cambridge
May 15th Esquires, Bedford
May 16th Boileroom, Guildford
May 17th Cookie Jar, Leicester
May 18th Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
May 20th The Haunt, Brighton
May 21st 53 Degrees, Preston
May 27th Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes
May 28th Scala, London