Mark Ronson is a well known DJ, born in London who was swiftly packed off to NYC by his mum where he learnt to play records and now enjoys his routine slot on the East Village Radio called Hello Echo.
Last year he hooked up with vocalist Alex Greenwald and unleashed such a brilliant cover of ‘Just’ from Radiiohead you will ever hear with its voluptuous horn section and rework that had people clucking for a copy all over the UK.
Ronson is back this month with a 10″only release of a cover of Britney Spears monstrous pop hit ‘Toxic‘ and if you think that no one could take a cheesy pop track and make it sound cool as f*** then think again because it’s done – he even threw Ol’ Dirty Bastard in there!
Mark will release an album titled ‘Versions‘ in April that includes a killer cover of ‘Stop Me’ by The Smiths, ‘Oh My God‘ by The Kaiser Chiefs with Lily Allen on vocals and a bunch more. It sounds cheesy but once you hear these tunes and realise they are infectious, you will be searching for his stuff for the rest of the year.
Check out this stream over at Radio 1 of Ronson in the mix, it says everything if you like to party. You can find it at the bottom column of the page under the Evening session – Mark Ronson Essential Mix.
Zac Slack
It was a long time in the making but long island emo-supremos Brand New are back in the ring with their eagerly anticipated new album ‘The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me’, which takes its title from a conversation frontman Jesse Lacey had with a schizophrenic friend whilst making the album.
Has the whole world gone fucking deaf? First, last years utterly brilliant ‘World’s Apart’ album was almost universally ignored when it should have been heralded an instant classic and made compulsory listening for the whole damn world. Now the follow up comes out and what happens? The press doesn’t give a shit; people have left his album on the shelf and should be shot for their ignorance.
Rap producer Diamond D has said that Diggin’ In The Crates are planning to put out a new album.
Now in its fifth year, the Persistence tour remains a popular fixture in hardcore circles, bringing some of the genre’s finest and most respected bands together under one roof. This year, NYHC veterans Sick Of It All sit atop a typically strong line-up, which tonight has attracted plenty of tattooed, bandana-clad hardcore disciples to comfortably fill the London Forum.
As with their Sounds Of The Underground performance (back in April at this very same venue), Madball struggle to match the ferocity and intensity of what has come before them. The crowd is definitely on their side, and there’s no doubting Freddy Cricien et al’s sincerety, but songs like ‘Hold It Down’ and ‘Heaven And Hell’ are fairly generic rap-core at best. There’s a definite sense that these veterans are having trouble keeping up with a scene that they themselves helped to spawn.
Over the past year, Klaxons have proved time and time again that they are a mighty force to be reckoned with. Being able to fill dancefloors everywhere with their bizarre cocktail of throbbing bass alongside dizzy keyboard melodies and harmonies that dance with perfection is no mean feat. But to help spawn and pioneer a genre that has thrust itself onto the UK music scene with more of a thunk! than any earthquake in San Fran can claim spells out the work of a genius. Not too shabby for a years work.
Not only are Gallows starting off the New Year as support for the Bullet For My Valentine tour, they have also bagged themselves a support slot on the As I Lay Dying dates too!
The Camden Crawl has been confirmed for 2007 and it promises to be even bigger and ever better than this year’s. A new 2 day format will be included, taking place on the 19th and 20th of April. 
Soil will be supporting their last release, True Self, with a number of UK tour dates alongside Godhead, Brand New Sin and Lennon. The dates are:
Dead Moon have announced they are to split after almost 20 years together. Fred Cole, guitarist and vocalist with the group, confirmed the split after they’d suddenly cancelled some shows: