Joe Kavanagh's Music News

By Joe Kavanagh

Snow Patrol were in the news for two contrasting reasons last week. Firstly, they were forced to cancel their appearance at Ireland's Meteor Music Awards following news that drummer Johnny Quinn broke his arm in a recent snowboarding accident, leaving organizers scrambling for another big name act for the Irish version of the Grammy Awards. The band's appearance at the upcoming Brit Awards is also in serious doubt with manager Jazz Sumner telling reporters last week: 'Johnny has said he'll play the Brits, even if he has to go on stage in plaster. But on TV things have to be right. He's been told by doctors that he'll be out of action for between four to six weeks.' The band has already enlisted the help of longtime friend, Graham Hopkins, to step in on stick duties for their upcoming European tour. Snow Patrol have enjoyed unprecedented success over the past 12 months but little luck when it comes to the band's health. Having been forced to cancel their US tour last summer when Gary Lightbody lost his voice, they were then forced to call of a further six dates in October when bassist, Paul Wilson, suffered a shoulder injury. They say that these things come in threes so hopefully that's the end of it, or else they are going to have to start traveling with a triage unit. The band also announced that they will donate 10% of the profits from their latest single, Open Your Eyes, to Save The Children's Rewrite the Future Campaign, with their label, Polydor, saying that they will match the sum. The campaign is dedicated to giving an education to children living in places of conflict around the world...

Seminal Scottish rockers, Jesus And Mary Chain, announced that they are to reform for this year's Coachella Music Festival, after a hiatus lasting almost a decade. Undoubtedly one of the most important bands of the 20 years, their influence can be heard in everyone from the Killers to Franz Ferdinand and you could make a good case that every rock band in the current burgeoning indie scene has a little bit of JAMC in their DNA... It must be a week for reunions, because Manchester band James also announced last week that they will begin recording a new album in the coming months after calling it quits six years ago. The band is best known for their hits Sit Down and the early 90s US smash: Laid...

You would imagine that selling millions of albums guarantees overnight opulence but a couple of curious stories reported on last week would appear to suggest otherwise. First, there was new UK crooner, James Morrison, who complained recently that the only thing he has been able to afford since selling 1.5 million copies of his debut album is a new coat. Then there was another story claiming that Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner has been dumped by his girlfriend because the pair were constantly arguing about a lack of money, despite the fact that his band have the biggest selling debut album in UK history. Apparently it can take up to two years before royalties are released to artists and I would imagine that the former Miss Turner will wish she was the current Miss Turner right around this time next year. In fact, I'd say you could set your watch by it...

Former Bay City Rollers manager, Tom Paton, was fined $38,000 by British authorities last week after being convicted of dealing cannabis and ordered to pay a further $342,000, which he was accused of earning as a result of his illegal dealings. 68-year-old Paton claimed in a statement: 'I'll never get involved in anything like that again. Let it be a lesson to people.' Where does the 'people' part come from? He's the one down almost $400 G's...

The feud between Kasabian and Emo rockers, My Chemical Romance appears to be heating up as the two bands traded insults through the media last week. Kasabian singer, Tom Meighan told reporters recently that MCR's music is 'like ventriloquists' music. It's weird and dark. They don't have anything positive to say. The only good news is that it won't last. These clowns won't be around for much longer. Their make-up will flake off and the scene will die out. And it can't happen soon enough.' MCR frontman Gerard Way was quick to respond saying: 'It was obviously meant as a slam, but it was so poorly worded that it ended up sounding like a compliment! 'Weird and dark'... that just makes them kind of ignorant. This band has never had a bulls**t war ever. I haven't found an opponent worthy enough yet. If you're gonna take me on, you'd better have the balls for it! If you're gonna talk s**t about us, you'd better have the juice. And we haven't found anybody with the juice yet.' First Way takes Meighan's insults as a compliment and essentially admits that he is not smart enough to understand them then goes on to claim met anyone in the entire world of rock that can take on a bunch of guys wearing lipstick, mascara and foundation? That's just crazy talk. As for his use of 'juice', I haven't heard the word used in that sense since cheesy movies from the early 90s. I'd say that's a TKO to Kasabian...

First it was Radiohead singer, Thom Yorke, who backed out of a recent meeting with Tony Blair after he grew frustrated with the continual interference of the Prime Minister's concentric layers of spin-doctors. Now another rock star has left Blair's sinking ship after it emerged that Blur/Gorillaz etc. singer, Damon Albarn, turned down a recent invite to 10 Downing Street. Albarn claims that he is 'no longer a New Labour supporter' feared that the increasingly embattled leader would just use the meeting as another cheap PR stunt.