Little Boots Returns to Studio for Second Album, 'Nocturnes'

Little Boots Returns to Studio for Second Album, 'Nocturnes'The British dance-pop singer gives a taste of her next phase $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); OO.ready(function() { OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer', 'x0dms2YTrgCqvKxYlLS2PfhW3hpqFf1B', {'autoplay': true }); });By

Three years after announcing that she was beginning work on a new project, the British electro-pop songstress Little Boots (a/k/a Victoria Hesketh) is ready to release her second album, Nocturnes. The album is due out May 6th on Heskins' On Repeat Records and was produced by DFA Records cofounder Tim Goldsworthy.

In this exclusive video, Hesketh gives an inside look into her return to the studio, her love for songwriting and Goldsworthy's talent for mixing her signature sound of modern-day disco with progressive electronica. Hesketh explains that Nocturnes is "an album indebted to the night" and was inspired by her experiences as a DJ and her immersion in the club scene. "It's got that nighttime feel," she says.

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Little Boots Returns to Studio for Second Album, 'Nocturnes'

Little Boots Returns to Studio for Second Album, 'Nocturnes'The British dance-pop singer gives a taste of her next phase $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); OO.ready(function() { OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer', 'x0dms2YTrgCqvKxYlLS2PfhW3hpqFf1B', {'autoplay': true }); });By

Three years after announcing that she was beginning work on a new project, the British electro-pop songstress Little Boots (a/k/a Victoria Hesketh) is ready to release her second album, Nocturnes. The album is due out May 6th on Heskins' On Repeat Records and was produced by DFA Records cofounder Tim Goldsworthy.

In this exclusive video, Hesketh gives an inside look into her return to the studio, her love for songwriting and Goldsworthy's talent for mixing her signature sound of modern-day disco with progressive electronica. Hesketh explains that Nocturnes is "an album indebted to the night" and was inspired by her experiences as a DJ and her immersion in the club scene. "It's got that nighttime feel," she says.

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Rihanna 'Still Recovering,' Cancels Second Tour Date in Baltimore

Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour is off to a rough start: the singer is still dealing with the flu and laryngitis and has canceled her show tonight in Baltimore. A statement from Live Nation, reported by the Associated Press, said Rihanna is "still recovering" and suggested fans hold onto their tickets "pending rescheduling show date information."

Rihanna: Crazy in Love

Rihanna kicked off her Diamonds World Tour last Friday in Buffalo, New York, but canceled her show on Sunday in Boston after falling ill. "#BOSTON this is the hardest thing for me to deal with! I feel like we've been waiting on this day forever, and I'm hurt that I let you down," she tweeted at the time. "I hate disappointing people that never ever let me down!! I'm so embarrassed about this! Thank you for your prayers and well wishes!"

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Rihanna 'Still Recovering,' Cancels Second Tour Date in Baltimore

Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour is off to a rough start: the singer is still dealing with the flu and laryngitis and has canceled her show tonight in Baltimore. A statement from Live Nation, reported by the Associated Press, said Rihanna is "still recovering" and suggested fans hold onto their tickets "pending rescheduling show date information."

Rihanna: Crazy in Love

Rihanna kicked off her Diamonds World Tour last Friday in Buffalo, New York, but canceled her show on Sunday in Boston after falling ill. "#BOSTON this is the hardest thing for me to deal with! I feel like we've been waiting on this day forever, and I'm hurt that I let you down," she tweeted at the time. "I hate disappointing people that never ever let me down!! I'm so embarrassed about this! Thank you for your prayers and well wishes!"

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Metallica Book Chili Peppers, Bassnectar and More for Second Orion Festival

Metallica Announce Orion 2013 LineupAngel Delgado/Clasos.com/LatinContent/Getty Images

"We didn't know what was going to happen, but it was a blast – so we said 'Let's see if we can do that again.'" So says Lars Ulrich, the always-excitable drummer and co-founder of Metallica, explaining why he and bandmates Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Robert Trujillo are returning for round two of the Orion Music + More Festival – the annual gathering they've created and curated in collaboration with C3 Presents, producers of Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits – which made a successful debut last year in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Today, Metallica is revealing Orion's even more varied, adventurous lineup for 2013 – one that ranges from superstar co-headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers, EDM rave king Bassnectar, indie-rock heroes Japandroids and all points in between, when Orion arrives at its new venue, Detroit's Belle Isle, on June 8th and 9th.

Of course, the event wouldn't be complete without a titanic performance from Metallica: As such, Orion pulses with the pioneering metal band's DNA, right down its name, taken from the title of the epic instrumental at the center of Metallica's 1986 classic album Master of Puppets. For Ulrich, the Metallica ethos is embodied most in Orion's surprising juxtapositions, a tradition that commenced in the festival's 2012 incarnation, which featured the likes of Modest Mouse, Best Coast and Eric Church alongside more expectedly heavy acts like Avenged Sevenfold, Sepultura and Suicidal Tendencies. "Our idea was to bring North America the kind of festival experience you get in Europe, which is all about diversity and new experiences," Ulrich says. "When we first proposed this, people were like, 'Why isn't Metallica doing a metal fest?' That surprised me; we weren't interested in doing that. Admittedly, a lot of things we put together could've been weird, but we were stunned how people really vibed on it."

Metallica Feel Confident on Eve of Orion Festival 2012

Indeed, the new Orion bill goes even farther in its genre sprawl. Punk of various generations and dimensions proves more deeply represented than ever, slamming together hardcore forefathers FLAG (a conglomeration of original members from the groundbreaking Black Flag), Warped Tour faves Rise Against, Dropkick Murphys’ Celtic fury, Gypsy punks Gogol Bordello, and Midwestern garage rebels the Orwells and the Dirtbombs alongside SoCal mosh-pit anachronists the Bronx and FIDLAR. Those sounds are paired unexpectedly, meanwhile, with bold alternative acts like the Joy Formidable, Foals and Silversun Pickups and hip-hop iconoclasts Death Grips. Heavy music, meanwhile, is represented by a surprisingly challenging selection of artists, from Deftones' atmospheric grooves to experimental supergroup Tomahawk, Dillinger Escape Plan's complex mathcore, the contemporary thrash of Battlecross and the vintage stoner rock of Fu Manchu. "My girl [model Jessica Miller] turned me on to Fu Manchu – we've been blasting them in the car," Ulrich says. "And my son's been playing Foals' new record for months. It's just so cool to get people like the Chili Peppers and Bassnectar and Foals together. We just made endless lists of our favorite bands; we even reached out to Iggy [and The Stooges] – which would've especially highlighted the Detroit element – but he's got a gig in L.A. that day. If you saw our iPods, you'd see we live that kind of diversity in our day-to-day lives. We love heavy music, but we're music fans above all." Ulrich notes how Orion continues a grand tradition started when Metallica's late original bassist Cliff Burton would broaden the band's musical horizons early on in the band's career, exposing them to the decidedly non-metal likes of R.E.M. and Tom Waits. "We'd be listening to Simon and Garfunkel on the tour bus, and then go play 'Fight Fire with Fire'!"

The biggest change in Orion's focus is the addition of an electronic dance tent headlined by Bassnectar's speaker-shredding low-end, along with moombahton maven Dillon Francis, French club-kid combo Dirtyphonics and a massive dubstep contingent comprising Borgore, Datsik, 12th Planet, Adventure Club and Destroid. "For that, we have to blame our kids," Ulrich says. "Hetfield and I went with our kids to watch Skrillex at a festival we were both playing, and we were blown away by his presentation – he had 25,000 kids going insane. We thought, 'We've got to get that!'" Ulrich sees EDM as a natural addition to Orion, pointing out the links between the hard intensity of today's dance music and Metallica's genre roots. "A lot of those guys come from a background in heavy music, and you can hear it – Bassnectar is a huge metal fan," he says. "A lot of the rock fans might be skeptical, but when they see it’s about energy and unison, they'll relate to it."

And even if they don't, they'll still have Metallica – who, in another change, will only play one night, alternating the headlining spots with the Chili Peppers. As well, while Metallica graced Orion's debut with special sets that featured the band's signature records Ride the Lightning and the Black Album played in full, Ulrich isn’t sure that approach will be repeated in 2013. "It's the 30th anniversary of Kill 'Em All, so that would be an option, and it's also the 25th anniversary of . . . And Justice For All – but if you're in a band for three decades, you can find an anniversary for anything," Ulrich said, laughing. "We haven't made a decision, but if I was a betting man, I'd guess that us getting stuck playing an album in its entirety isn't going to happen." He also says not to expect any new material from upcoming releases: "We've been writing the better part of the last couple months, but we're taking it very easy. There are a lot of cool ideas and riffs – it's pretty rocking stuff – but we're still shaping it into songs." And a substantial preview of Through the Never – Metallica's upcoming 3D film blending concert footage and narrative concepts, due out August 9th – isn't likely either. "We just saw the first full cut two weeks ago," Ulrich says. "It's very unique and cool, but we're still honing the fine details. To be honest, paying for it ourselves, working by committee – it's a little overwhelming; it makes me appreciate making records more! But it's a motherfucker of a movie, and [lead actor] Dane DeHaan [who also starred in Lincoln, Chronicle and episodes of True Blood] is riveting onscreen. There's something about the looks of real movie stars – he makes us musicians onstage look dorky by comparison."

What Ulrich says to definitely expect for Orion 2013, however, is the same kind of "fan-friendly" intimacy that the first version held. There, Metallica's members would be frequently seen wandering around onsite, watching bands and personally introducing the artists they had an investment in bringing to the festival: Hammett gave Gary Clark Jr. a warm welcome well before he'd had his mainstream breakthrough, while Ulrich ambled onstage to give the Arctic Monkeys his blessing. "Introducing bands was the most fun part," Ulrich says. "Getting to introduce the Arctic Monkeys made me the cool dad of the year!" The second Orion will also be bringing back the memorabilia-stuffed Metallica Museum and exhibitions that highlight the individual members' interests, like Hetfield's Custom Car & Motorcycle Show, Hammett's cult-horror themed Crypt, Trujillo's skater-friendly Vans Vert Ramp, and Ulrich's Hit the Lights Film Tent. For his film tent, Ulrich hopes to have a special session "highlighting my favorite movie of last year, which just happens to be about a Detroit musician. Yeah, I'd love to do something with Searching for Sugar Man – doing it in Rodriguez's backyard would be especially poignant, and emphasize Detroit’s rich musical heritage. But I usually figure that shit out in the last week. Winging it is part of the fun!"

That casual attitude, Ulrich adds, is what gives Orion its distinctive edge amidst typical mega-festival fare. "We want an intimate atmosphere," he says. "When I did the film tent, it was like we were all hanging out in my living room. Instead of being one of these festivals that charges 50 bucks for a bottle of water, ours felt more like a giant backyard barbecue. That's the kind of feeling we want people to come away with."

Orion Music + More Festival 2013 Lineup

Metallica
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rise Against
Deftones
Bassnectar
Dropkick Murphys
Gogol Bordello
FLAG
Silversun Pickups
Foals
Tomahawk
Destroid (Excision + KJ Sawka + Downlink)
The Joy Formidable
Datsik
Borgore
Japandroids
Dillon Francis
Adventure Club
12th Planet
Death Grips
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Dirtyphonics
The Dirtbombs
DEATH
Fu Manchu
The Bronx
FIDLAR
All Shall Perish
The Orwells
BATTLECROSS
Cauldron

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Metallica Book Chili Peppers, Bassnectar and More for Second Orion Festival

Metallica Announce Orion 2013 LineupAngel Delgado/Clasos.com/LatinContent/Getty Images

"We didn't know what was going to happen, but it was a blast – so we said 'Let's see if we can do that again.'" So says Lars Ulrich, the always-excitable drummer and co-founder of Metallica, explaining why he and bandmates Kirk Hammett, James Hetfield and Robert Trujillo are returning for round two of the Orion Music + More Festival – the annual gathering they've created and curated in collaboration with C3 Presents, producers of Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits – which made a successful debut last year in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Today, Metallica is revealing Orion's even more varied, adventurous lineup for 2013 – one that ranges from superstar co-headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers, EDM rave king Bassnectar, indie-rock heroes Japandroids and all points in between, when Orion arrives at its new venue, Detroit's Belle Isle, on June 8th and 9th.

Of course, the event wouldn't be complete without a titanic performance from Metallica: As such, Orion pulses with the pioneering metal band's DNA, right down its name, taken from the title of the epic instrumental at the center of Metallica's 1986 classic album Master of Puppets. For Ulrich, the Metallica ethos is embodied most in Orion's surprising juxtapositions, a tradition that commenced in the festival's 2012 incarnation, which featured the likes of Modest Mouse, Best Coast and Eric Church alongside more expectedly heavy acts like Avenged Sevenfold, Sepultura and Suicidal Tendencies. "Our idea was to bring North America the kind of festival experience you get in Europe, which is all about diversity and new experiences," Ulrich says. "When we first proposed this, people were like, 'Why isn't Metallica doing a metal fest?' That surprised me; we weren't interested in doing that. Admittedly, a lot of things we put together could've been weird, but we were stunned how people really vibed on it."

Metallica Feel Confident on Eve of Orion Festival 2012

Indeed, the new Orion bill goes even farther in its genre sprawl. Punk of various generations and dimensions proves more deeply represented than ever, slamming together hardcore forefathers FLAG (a conglomeration of original members from the groundbreaking Black Flag), Warped Tour faves Rise Against, Dropkick Murphys’ Celtic fury, Gypsy punks Gogol Bordello, and Midwestern garage rebels the Orwells and the Dirtbombs alongside SoCal mosh-pit anachronists the Bronx and FIDLAR. Those sounds are paired unexpectedly, meanwhile, with bold alternative acts like the Joy Formidable, Foals and Silversun Pickups and hip-hop iconoclasts Death Grips. Heavy music, meanwhile, is represented by a surprisingly challenging selection of artists, from Deftones' atmospheric grooves to experimental supergroup Tomahawk, Dillinger Escape Plan's complex mathcore, the contemporary thrash of Battlecross and the vintage stoner rock of Fu Manchu. "My girl [model Jessica Miller] turned me on to Fu Manchu – we've been blasting them in the car," Ulrich says. "And my son's been playing Foals' new record for months. It's just so cool to get people like the Chili Peppers and Bassnectar and Foals together. We just made endless lists of our favorite bands; we even reached out to Iggy [and The Stooges] – which would've especially highlighted the Detroit element – but he's got a gig in L.A. that day. If you saw our iPods, you'd see we live that kind of diversity in our day-to-day lives. We love heavy music, but we're music fans above all." Ulrich notes how Orion continues a grand tradition started when Metallica's late original bassist Cliff Burton would broaden the band's musical horizons early on in the band's career, exposing them to the decidedly non-metal likes of R.E.M. and Tom Waits. "We'd be listening to Simon and Garfunkel on the tour bus, and then go play 'Fight Fire with Fire'!"

The biggest change in Orion's focus is the addition of an electronic dance tent headlined by Bassnectar's speaker-shredding low-end, along with moombahton maven Dillon Francis, French club-kid combo Dirtyphonics and a massive dubstep contingent comprising Borgore, Datsik, 12th Planet, Adventure Club and Destroid. "For that, we have to blame our kids," Ulrich says. "Hetfield and I went with our kids to watch Skrillex at a festival we were both playing, and we were blown away by his presentation – he had 25,000 kids going insane. We thought, 'We've got to get that!'" Ulrich sees EDM as a natural addition to Orion, pointing out the links between the hard intensity of today's dance music and Metallica's genre roots. "A lot of those guys come from a background in heavy music, and you can hear it – Bassnectar is a huge metal fan," he says. "A lot of the rock fans might be skeptical, but when they see it’s about energy and unison, they'll relate to it."

And even if they don't, they'll still have Metallica – who, in another change, will only play one night, alternating the headlining spots with the Chili Peppers. As well, while Metallica graced Orion's debut with special sets that featured the band's signature records Ride the Lightning and the Black Album played in full, Ulrich isn’t sure that approach will be repeated in 2013. "It's the 30th anniversary of Kill 'Em All, so that would be an option, and it's also the 25th anniversary of . . . And Justice For All – but if you're in a band for three decades, you can find an anniversary for anything," Ulrich said, laughing. "We haven't made a decision, but if I was a betting man, I'd guess that us getting stuck playing an album in its entirety isn't going to happen." He also says not to expect any new material from upcoming releases: "We've been writing the better part of the last couple months, but we're taking it very easy. There are a lot of cool ideas and riffs – it's pretty rocking stuff – but we're still shaping it into songs." And a substantial preview of Through the Never – Metallica's upcoming 3D film blending concert footage and narrative concepts, due out August 9th – isn't likely either. "We just saw the first full cut two weeks ago," Ulrich says. "It's very unique and cool, but we're still honing the fine details. To be honest, paying for it ourselves, working by committee – it's a little overwhelming; it makes me appreciate making records more! But it's a motherfucker of a movie, and [lead actor] Dane DeHaan [who also starred in Lincoln, Chronicle and episodes of True Blood] is riveting onscreen. There's something about the looks of real movie stars – he makes us musicians onstage look dorky by comparison."

What Ulrich says to definitely expect for Orion 2013, however, is the same kind of "fan-friendly" intimacy that the first version held. There, Metallica's members would be frequently seen wandering around onsite, watching bands and personally introducing the artists they had an investment in bringing to the festival: Hammett gave Gary Clark Jr. a warm welcome well before he'd had his mainstream breakthrough, while Ulrich ambled onstage to give the Arctic Monkeys his blessing. "Introducing bands was the most fun part," Ulrich says. "Getting to introduce the Arctic Monkeys made me the cool dad of the year!" The second Orion will also be bringing back the memorabilia-stuffed Metallica Museum and exhibitions that highlight the individual members' interests, like Hetfield's Custom Car & Motorcycle Show, Hammett's cult-horror themed Crypt, Trujillo's skater-friendly Vans Vert Ramp, and Ulrich's Hit the Lights Film Tent. For his film tent, Ulrich hopes to have a special session "highlighting my favorite movie of last year, which just happens to be about a Detroit musician. Yeah, I'd love to do something with Searching for Sugar Man – doing it in Rodriguez's backyard would be especially poignant, and emphasize Detroit’s rich musical heritage. But I usually figure that shit out in the last week. Winging it is part of the fun!"

That casual attitude, Ulrich adds, is what gives Orion its distinctive edge amidst typical mega-festival fare. "We want an intimate atmosphere," he says. "When I did the film tent, it was like we were all hanging out in my living room. Instead of being one of these festivals that charges 50 bucks for a bottle of water, ours felt more like a giant backyard barbecue. That's the kind of feeling we want people to come away with."

Orion Music + More Festival 2013 Lineup

Metallica
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rise Against
Deftones
Bassnectar
Dropkick Murphys
Gogol Bordello
FLAG
Silversun Pickups
Foals
Tomahawk
Destroid (Excision + KJ Sawka + Downlink)
The Joy Formidable
Datsik
Borgore
Japandroids
Dillon Francis
Adventure Club
12th Planet
Death Grips
The Dillinger Escape Plan
Dirtyphonics
The Dirtbombs
DEATH
Fu Manchu
The Bronx
FIDLAR
All Shall Perish
The Orwells
BATTLECROSS
Cauldron

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Adele's '21' Is Top-Selling LP for Second Straight Year

John Shearer/WireImage;Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage

Adele's mega-smash 21 was 2012's best-selling album in the United States, marking the first time during the SoundScan era that the same album has taken that top spot two years in a row, Billboard reports.

Selling 4.41 million copies this year (down from last year's 5.82 million), 21 also became the 21st album to sell 10 million copies since SoundScan started tracking music sales in 1991. The album hasn't left the Billboard 200, nor the weekly top 40, since its debut on March 21st, 2011. Along with topping the Billboard charts again, Adele's 21 was the best-selling album on iTunes two years running. 

Coming in second in album sales was Taylor Swift's Red, which moved 3.11 million copies. One Direction nabbed both the third and fifth spots with their two records, Up All Night (1.62 million) and Take Me Home (1.34 million), becoming the first act in the SoundScan era to take two of the top five spots. In fourth place was Mumford & Sons' Babel, whose 1.46 million made it the biggest selling rock album of the year, and the only rock record appear in the top 10. 

Gotye had the year's biggest digital single with "Somebody That I Used to Know," with sales of 6.8 million. Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" was second with sales of 6.47 million; and fun. came in third with their Janelle Monáe collaboration "We Are Young," which sold 5.95 million. All three songs sold more than the previous record-holder for sales in a single year, which was Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," which moved 5.81 million in 2011. 

In fourth place for singles was Maroon 5's collaboration with Wiz Khalifa "Payphone," while Nicki Minaj's "Starships" sold 3.98 million copies to land in the fifth spot. Rounding out the top ten were One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful" at number six (3.89 million), fun.'s "Some Nights" in seventh (3.84 million), Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" in eighth (3.82 million), Psy's "Gangnam Style" in ninth (3.59 million) and Maroon 5's "One More Night" in tenth (3.46 million).

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Obama Shares Vision for Second Term on 'Daily Show'

Obama Shares Vision for Second Term on 'Daily Show''The stakes in this election are really big,' president says $(document).ready(function() { $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .email-content').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.email').hide(); } ); $('.socialActionsTop .pageActions .print-page').hover( function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').show(); }, function() { $('.socialActionsTop .bubble.print').hide(); } ); }); By

President Barack Obama visited The Daily Show last night for an interview that touched on his first debate performance and his vision for a second term. Obama started by giving a shoutout to "women warriors" that the USO had brought to the show, before jumping into the presidential debates. After host Jon Stewart asked if Obama performed as well as he'd liked, the president played it cool and honest.

"Obviously, I had a bad night, and the presentation wasn't what it needed to be. But the issues haven't changed," the president said. "And that is the stakes in this election are really big. Gov. Romney makes a good presentation, but the fundamentals of what he's calling for are the same policies that got us into this mess that we've been fighting against for the last four years."

Obama also talked about his vision for a second term. "I do think part of the president's job is not only moving forward on things that will work, but also preventing things that won't work," he said. "So I think you want a president in the Oval Office who's going to say, 'No, we're not going to amend our Constitution for the first time to restrict rights for gay and lesbian couples. We're not going to pass a budget where all the work that we've done to make college more affordable to young people gets wiped aside so that suddenly lenders and bankers are getting tens of millions of dollars. We're not going to rollback health care so that millions of people are thrown out to [the] wolves. We're not going to turn medicare into a voucher system.'"

Be sure to check out part two of the extended interview.

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Report: Second Man Found Dead Near V Festival in England

The V Festival in Chelmsford, England.

A second man has reportedly been found dead near the site of the V Festival in Chelmsford, England, according to NME. A 39 year-old was found yesterday in the backyard of a house after a private party near the festival. Early examinations show the man died of head injuries. The police have arrested 10 men between the ages of 23 and 35 on suspicion of murder.

Police have also identified the 22-year old who was found dead earlier at the V Festival. Timothy Brockhurst was discovered unresponsive and not breathing inside a tent at 1 a.m. yesterday morning. Foul play is not suspected in his death.

LMFAO, the Killers, David Guetta, Snow Patrol and the Stone Roses were among the performers at the V Festival. Nicki Minaj withdrew due to strained vocal chords. Frank Ocean was also set to perform, but the singer has canceled many European dates, including his tour with Coldplay. 

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Jerry Seinfeld's Second Act

Ricky Gervais and Jerry Seinfeld in 'Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.'

You can think of Jerry Seinfeld and Breaking Bad as competing myths of American manhood. In the Walter White version, you get a death sentence – a terminal disease, with just a short time to live. What do you do with your last shot? You become as evil and violent and corrupt as you ever could have feared, but you also become master of your domain – and you like it.

And then there's the Jerry Seinfeld version. In this timeline, you reach the same plateau, dragging around the same bile and neurosis, except you get the opposite diagnosis: an endless future of infinite possibility. You achieve all the success you ever craved. You can retire, have kids, collect vintage cars. You can do whatever you want, forever. So you do nothing.

Jerry got a life sentence of nothing with Seinfeld and he's still doing the time, as he shows on his new Web series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Seinfeld is around the same age as Walt White, but you can't imagine him spelling out his age with bacon for a laugh. Walt got a death warrant and feels born again; Jerry got a lifetime pass and feels bored. Which fate is tougher?

It's baffling that nearly 15 years after Jerry pulled the plug on Seinfeld, at the height of its success, he still hasn't figured out his Plan B. People still obsess over the continuing agony of Jerry Seinfeld. People love to fantasize: What's it like to hit that kind of success, walk away from it while you're on top, and then struggle to come up with an encore? How do you compete with the legacy of Seinfeld? And what the hell do you do all day?

Jerry wonders about that, too. So he makes a clever joke out of it with Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. He's gone for the hipster cred of online video, taking a low-budget approach. In each episode, he picks up a famous comedian in one of his vintage cars, then they go for some coffee and talk shop. He picks up Larry David in a 1952 Volkswagen bug, and Ricky Gervais gets a 1967 Austin-Healey. That's the whole concept. The simplicity of it raises the question: Why is Jerry doing this? It looks like Jerry has the same question, which makes Comedians in Cars compelling on an emotional level, as well as a pleasant hang with famous dudes. It has a "Ladies Who Lunch" feel. Nobody has to be there; nobody needs the exposure. They probably don't even need the coffee. They drive around. They have a pretty good time. They wonder why this is all happening.

The fact that Jerry is still funny might be the weirdest part of his profoundly weird afterlife. Larry David is right when he tells Jerry that with Comedians in Cars, he "finally has done the show about nothing" that Seinfeld aspired to be. But it's a different kind of nothing, because there really is something at stake here. Every scene is haunted by the questions any adult male asks about his life: Did I make the wrong decision? Could my life have gone in another direction? How much time have I wasted? Did I blow it?

And ultimately, that seems to be why people are still so fascinated with Seinfeld – we ask these questions about his life, because it distracts us from asking these questions about our lives. And somehow it's touching that Seinfeld – despite his 46 or so Porsches and his $32 million mansion – has the same doubts. So Comedians in Cars is not anything as banal as Jerry Seinfeld needing to prove he's still got it, or anything as simple as him needing to get off the couch. It's just the need to do something. Because sometimes nothing isn't enough.

This story is from the August 30th, 2012 issue of Rolling Stone.

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Tour Alert: The Black Keys Kick Off Second Leg of American Tour

Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys perform during the 22nd Annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas concert in Universal City, California.

The Black Keys
The Black Keys are heading on the road for the second leg of their North American tour in April with special guests the Arctic Monkeys.

4/25 Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center
4/27 St. Louis, MO - Chaifetz Arena
4/28 Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
4/30 Denver, CO - 1st Bank Center
5/2 Salt Lake City, UT - Maverick Center
5/4 Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena
5/5 Sacramento, CA - Power Balance Arena
5/7 Portland, OR - Rose Garden
5/8 Seattle, WA - Key Arena
5/9 Vancouver, BC - Rodgers Arena
5/11 Calgary, AB - Saddledome
5/12 Edmonton, AB - Rexall
5/14 Winnipeg, MB - MTS Centre
5/15 Minneapolis, MN - Target Center
5/16 Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center 

Built to Spill
Built to Spill have confirmed their first tour dates for the new year in support of their current Warner Bros. Records album, There Is No Enemy.

2/23 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
2/24 Visalia, CA - Visalia Fox Theatre
2/25 Napa, CA - Uptown Theatre
3/8 Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon
3/9 New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks
3/11 Denton, TX - Denton 35 Festival
3/12 Houston, TX - Fitzgerald's

Rise Against
Rise Against announce the second leg of their spring 2012 tour as their new single, "Satellite," climbs the alternative radio charts.

1/17 Austin, TX - Austin Music Hall
1/18 San Antonio, TX - Illusion Theater
1/19 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
1/21 Orlando, FL - UCF Arena
1/22 Columbia, SC - Township Auditorium
1/24 Norfolk, VA - Old Dominion University
1/26 Kent, OH - Kent State University
1/27 Chicago, IL - UIC Pavilion
1/29 State College, PA -  Penn State
1/30 Poughkeepsie, NY - Mid Hudson Civic Center
2/1 Lowell, MA - Paul E. Tsongas Arena
2/3 Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum (with Glassjaw)
2/4 Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
2/5 Fairfax, VA -  Patriot Center
4/15 San Diego, CA - Viejas Arena
4/16 Bakersfield, CA - Rabobank Theater
4/17 San Jose, CA - Event Center at SJSU
4/19 Kent, WA - ShoWare Center
4/20 Boise, ID - Century Link Arena
4/21 Salt Lake City - UT Saltair
4/23 Rio Rancho, NM - Santa Ana Star Center
4/26 Birmingham, AL - Verizon Wireless Music Center
4/27 St. Augustine, FL - St. Augustine Amphitheatre
4/28 Boca Raton, FL - Sunset Grove Amphitheater
4/30 Tampa, FL - Green Iguana Stadium
5/1 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade Music Park
5/2 Charlotte, NC - Time Warner Cable Uptown
5/4 Indianapolis, IN - The Lawn at White River State Park
5/5 Cincinnati, OH - PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music
5/6 Pittsburgh, PA - Trib Total Media Amphitheatre
5/8 Syracuse, NY - New York State Fairgrounds
5/10 Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre

Andrew Bird
Following his highly praised 2009 release Noble Beast, Andrew Bird will soon begin touring for his much-anticipated twelfth studio album, Break It Yourself, which is due on March 6th.

1/12 Honolulu, HI - Hawaii Theatre
3/15 Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre*
3/16 New Orleans, LA - The Howlin' Wolf*
3/17 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle*
3/19 Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium*
3/20 Columbus, OH - Southern Theatre*
3/22 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant*
3/23 Kansas City MO - The Uptown Theater*
3/24 Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater*
4/9 Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre†
4/10 Vancouver, BC - The Vogue†
4/11 Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall†
4/13 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater†
4/18 Mesa, AZ - Ikeda Theater at Mesa Arts Center†
4/19 Santa Fe, NM - Lensic Performing Arts Center†
4/20 Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theater†
5/3 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer‡
5/4 New York, NY - Beacon Theatre‡
5/5 New York, NY - Beacon Theatre§
5/6 Boston, MA - House of Blues‡
5/8 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club‡
5/9 Baltimore, MD - Ramshead Live‡
5/10 Detroit, MI - The Fillmore Detroit**
5/12 Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre**
* with Eugene Mirman
† with Laura Marling
‡ with Patrick Watson
§ with Tift Merritt
** with Mucca Pazza

Johnny Winter
Johnny Winter, "one of the world's premiere electric guitarists" (The New Yorker), prepares to kick off his 2012 tour by doing something he hasn't done in 30 years: appear on television. Winter and his band will play a set on the Late Show with David Letterman on January 12th before hitting the road for six months.

1/10 New York, NY - BB King’s Blues Club
1/14 Albany, NY - Empire State Plaza
1/15 Morgantown, WV - Mountain Stage
1/20 New Haven, CT - Toad’s Place
1/21 Plymouth, NH - Flying Monkey
1/24 New York, NY - BB King’s
1/27 Shirley, MA - Bull Run
1/28 South Burlington, VT -  Higher Ground
2/2 Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
2/3 Houston, TX - Warehouse Live
2/12 Piedmont, NY - Turning Point
2/23 – 3/18 Europe
3/31 Woodstock, NY - Bearsville Theater
4/7 Londonderry, NH - Tupelo Music Hall
4/14 Baton Rouge, LA - Baton Rouge Blues Festival
5/15 Napa, CA - Napa Valley Opera House
5/19 Dana Point, CA - Doheny Blues Festival
5/29 Japan
6/10 Hughesville, PA - Billtown Blues Festival
6/20 Carrboro, NC - The Arts Center
6/21 Virginia Beach, VA - Jewish Mother
6/22 Alexandria, VA - Birchmere
6/23 Colonial Beach, VA - High Tides

Sinead O'Connor
Irish singer-songwriter Sinead O’Connor is heading stateside this February for several shows with her new five-piece band in Los Angeles and New York City to support her latest album, How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?, out February 21th via One Little Indian/MRI.

2/20 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Cemetery
2/21 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Cemetery
2/23 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
2/24 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom

Delta Spirit
Fresh off a successful December run with My Morning Jacket, Delta Spirit will begin a 30-date tour on March 19th in Little Rock, Arkansas.

3/19 Little Rock, AR - Revolution Music Room
3/20 St. Louis, MO - The Old Rock House
3/ 21 Minneapolis, MN - First Line Music Café
3/22 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall
3/23  Chicago, IL - the Metro
3/24 Indianapolis, IN - Radio Radio
3/26 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
3/27 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
3/29 New York, NY - Webster Hall
3/30 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
3/31 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
4/2 Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater
4/3 Carrboro, NC - Cat¹s Cradle
4/4 Asheville, NC - Greg Eagle Tavern & Music Hall
4/ 6 Nashville, TN - Cannery Ballroom
4/7 Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade-Hell Stage
4/9 Birmingham, AL - WorkPlay Theater
4/10 New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks
4/12 Houston, TX - Fitzgerald¹s-Upstairs
4/13 Austin, TX - Emo¹s East
4/14 Dallas, TX - Granada Theatre
4/30 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
5/1 Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre
5/2 Boise, ID - The Nurolux
5/4 Seattle, WA - Neumo¹s
5/5 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
5/6 Vancouver, BC - Electric Owl
5/8 Sacramento, CA - Ace of Spades
5/10 San Francisco, CA - Fillmore
5/11 Los Angeles, CA - The Music Box at Fonda

* WATERS to support Delta Spirit on all dates.

Fanfarlo
UK-based Fanfarlo will soon tour much of North America – including multiple appearances at Austin's South by Southwest Conference – in celebration of their new album, Rooms Filled with Light.

3/5 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
3/6 New York, NY - Webster Hall
3/7 Washington, DC - U Street Music Hall
3/8 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
3/9 Chapel Hill, NC - Cat's Cradle
3/10 - Atlanta, GA - Vinyl
3/13 Houston, TX - Fitzgerald's
3/14 Dallas, TX - The Loft
3/15-18 Austin, TX - South by Southwest Music & Media Conference
3/19 St. Louis, MO - Blueberry Hill
3/20 Nashville, TN - Mercy Lounge
3/22 Louisville, KY - Zanzabar
3/23 Ann Arbor, MI - The Blind Pig
3/24 Toronto, ON - Mod Club
3/25 Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Smalls
3/27 Columbus, OH - Skully's
3/28 Chicago, IL - Lincoln Hall
3/29 Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon
3/31 Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theatre
4/1 Kansas City, MO - Record Bar
4/3 Denver, CO - Bluebird
4/5 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
4/6 Boise, ID - Neurolux
4/7 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
4/9 Vancouver, BC - The Biltmore
4/10 Seattle, WA - Crocodile Café
4/17 San Francisco, CA - Slim's

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Bryan Ferry Marries for Second Time

Bryan Ferry and Amanda Sheppard attend the GQ Man of the Year party at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris.

Bryan Ferry married his girlfriend, Amanda Sheppard, at a luxury beach resort in Turks and Caicos on January 4th. The former Roxy Music frontman, 66, wed the 30-year-old publicist in an intimate ceremony. Ferry originally met Sheppard while she was romantically involved with his son, Isaac.

Photos: Random Notes

This is Ferry's second marriage. He was married to Lucy Henmore from 1982 to 2003, during which time they had four sons. Prior to that relationship, Ferry was involved with Jerry Hall, until she left him to be with Mick Jagger.

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