17 July 2026
Next Sunday it’s the big finale of the World Cup 2026
between Argentina and Spain.
The Cure‘s frontman Robert Smith isn’t impressed with the halftime
show, curated by Coldplay‘ orchestrater Chris Martin. See message
below.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH
#Breadandcircuses
#MUGWANK
#pleasejustfuckoff
Every day of this summer we go back to the same summer day somewhere in history
17 July 2026
On 17 July 1959 jazz/soul legend BILLIE HOLIDAY died in a New York City hospital from cirrhosis of the liver after years of alcohol abuse, aged 43, while under arrest for heroin possession, with Police officers stationed at the door to her room.
In the final years of her life, she had been progressively swindled out of her earnings. The singer who had recorded classics such as God Bless The Child and the civil rights anthem Strange Fruit died with just $0.70 in the bank.
17 July 2026
Hello, Peter! Photo by Turn Up The Volume
The feud between the still awesome former JD/NO bassist Peter Hook and his former colleagues in JD/NO stems from a bitter 2007 split over band finances, branding, and royalties.
The dispute culminated in a 2015 high-court battle where Hook sued his former bandmates for setting up a separate company behind his back, drastically reducing
his royalty share. The tension has played out in the public eye through legal battles, competing memoirs, and ongoing press wars.
Full interview with MOJO right here.
17 July 2026
Tired of his limited role with Massive Attack, trip-hop bigwig TRICKY (born Adrian
Nicholas Matthews Thaws in Bristol, UK, 58 years ago) wanted to do his own thing.
So, 31 years ago (I know, sounds like ages), he
left MA and started his significant solo career.
Today his new 15th full-length DIFFERENT WHEN IT’S SILENT is out.
Press info: “‘Different When It’s Silent‘ follows a prolific period of activity. Since 2020’s ‘Fall to Pieces’ LP, Tricky has released music under several different guises, all via his own label, ‘False Idols‘. Yet returning to an album under his own name took on a different shape. For Tricky it was another side project, until his manager Alan McGee felt the songs clearly belonged to a Tricky record.’
TUTV: The longtime trip-hop master didn’t/doesn’t change his sonic palette for the past
few years/albums. Not necessary whatsoever to my satisfied ears. His tense and tenebrific trademark synth-grooves, mostly mid-tempo, still have a transfixing and chilling effect.
And as ever, a vocal partner (in the early years Martina Topley-Bird, then Marta Zlakowska and Francesca Belmonte as the most notable) is an instrumental part
of Tricky‘s overall bewildering sound.
This time it’s young, riveting Bristol voice Mitch Sanders who co-stars for the greater
part with Tricky‘s whispering vocals in the back, engendering the familiar, spookish twilight atmosphere. Again Tricky makes you feel comfortable in his cliffhanging cosmic space.
Standout Tracks: Singles Because I Don’t Know and I’m Yours /
Paris Maybe / So Cold / Piano / Frontier Town and Out Of Place.
ALBUM
17 July 2026
Ohio‘s musician/singer-songwriter LOU BARLOW, co-founding member of Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh and The Folk Implosion, was born named Louis Knox Barlow on 17 July 1966.
Happy 60 to the man credited with helping to pioneer the
lo-fi style of rock music in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Have a flaming day.
– SEBADOH –
– DINOSAUR JR –
Brand new single
17 July 2026
British rockers MUSE have more than 3 decades on their clock. Impressive.
The band fronted by singer/guitarist/songwriter MATT BELLAMY
released their 2nd LP ORIGIN SYMMETRY on 17 July 2001, today
25 years ago.
The album title derives from the 1994 book Hyperspace by the theoretical
physicist Michio Kaku, which suggests the title The Origin of Symmetry for a
future book about the discovery of supersymmetry.
#3 in the UK.
NME – 2001
Bellamy said: “Everyone’s been writing about the origin of life
so now they’ll start looking at the origin of symmetry; there’s a
certain amount of stability in the universe and to find out where
it originates from would be to find out if God exists.”
LEAD SINGLE
ALBUM
16 July 2026
BOB DYLAN, arguably the greatest singer-songwriter ever, started
his so-called Never Ending Tour ages ago. Even at 85, he doesn’t like
to sit in a lazy chair at home. He thrives on playing live like no one
else (I know).
He’s in the middle of another extensive world tour. ALL DATES HERE.
And he’ll return to the UK in November/December.
TICKET INFO HERE.
How does it feel to tour forever like a rolling stone, Bob?
16 July 2026
On July 16, 2007, today 19 years ago, THE WHITE STRIPES entered the record books
by playing the shortest-ever live gig when they appeared at a Newfoundland venue
called George Street during a Canadian tour.
They played just a single note with a cymbal crash (no encore, I suppose) before
exiting the stage. The “concert” was recognized by the Guinness Book Of World
Records in 2009. Unfortunately, the book’s compilers dropped the category a year
later after being swamped by applications for similar record-breaking attempts.
I want more than one note (fantastic video).
Daily electricity to load your batteries
16 July 2026
Photo by Turn Up The Volume
No expiration date for Liverpool‘s indestructible
post-punk-pop rockers ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN.
On 18 September they will launch their 13th LP,
their first in 12 years, named Apples For Isaac.
No idea who that guy is.
Press info: “The Bunnymen have recorded an album that is as bold as it is vulnerable, that perfectly captures the essence of what makes the Bunnymen so great. All but one of the tracks features the late drummer Clem Burke, who sadly passed away during its creation.”
On the first single, frontman, big mouth and big voice Ian McCulloch explores
the ghosts and characters of the Belgian capital haunted by World War 2. As a
fanatic E&TB fan, I know they played Brussels countless times, but the last time
I was in Brussels (I’m Belgian), about two weeks ago.
But you never know these days.
Can you hear me, Ian? You can
run, but you can’t hide.
Whatever, this new single confirms that longevity isn’t always
a negative, getting boring, factor for artists. BRUSSELS IS HAUNTED
is, er, a haunting, sha la la home run.
See you in Brussels, Ian.
