(SEVERAL DAYS LATE) UPDATE ON IAN WATKINS TRIAL

Quick update on the ongoing trial of Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins - in December 2012, he was charged with multiple sex offences, including 'conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a one-year old girl, and with possession of and/or distribution of indecent images of children and 'extreme animal pornography' (from Wikipedia). Appearing in court via video link on June 3rd, he denied all charges. The trial will now begin on November 25th, supposedly taking a month. 

More updates as I hear them. 

HAZ-MAT SUITS AT THE READY; NEW ENTER SHIKARI TRACK 'RADIATE'

Never ones to, you know, slow down, Enter Shikari have written, recorded and made a video for a new track. Named Radiate, it's classic Shikari - lyrically, calling out on the flaws of society in an anthemic way, amid a backdrop of crashing guitars and bouncing synthesisers, all the while ebbing and flowing between ranting and more sombre interludes. Give it a few listens, it'll grow on you. 

WIN FREE FESTIVAL ENTRY (IN ASSOCIATION WITH JACK DANIEL'S & J.D. ROOTS)

Festival season is upon us! With more well-known events such as Slam Dunk already been and gone, and the big ones like Download and Reading/Leeds still to come, there's much to look forward to. But I have some opportunities for you, my readers, to get into a couple of fests happening over the summer, as reviewers/writers. Jack Daniel's, liquor of Epic Meal Time fame*, has a campaign to promote up and coming bands; J.D. Roots. JD has stages at some festivals in order to give these artists some limelight - to quote them, "JD Roots will be getting involved with the local music scenes that produce the legends of tomorrow and the moments of today." So you would be going to these festivals to cover bands appearing on the JD stages. 'But which festivals?' I hear you ask.

The first is Long Division, a 3-day event in Wakefield, just south of Leeds. Click on the link, in bold < to find out about the lineup and what's going on. The dates of this are the 7th-9th June, so next week. But if there is anyone who could get to Wakefield next Saturday, get in touch via Twitter, email, or comment below, and I will give you some more information about the doings!

The second is SWN Festival in Cardiff. This year taking place from the 17th-20th October, the JD Roots stage will be at Cardiff's rather famous Clwb Ifor Bach. Details about the festival are yet to land, in terms of who will be appearing etc, but the likes of Aluna George and Palma Violets have appeared in previous years, to give you an idea. Again, if you're interested, get in touch!

*to be fair I stopped watching EMT a while ago. Also I know you know what JD is.

NEWS: NORWICH LCR RENAMED IN MEMORY OF LATE MANAGER NICK RAYNES

To music fans in the East of England, Norwich's LCR, situated on the University of East Anglia campus, is well known as one of the principal live music venues in the region. A huge plethora of bands, such as Muse, Enter Shikari, Bowling For Soup, Mastodon, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Motorhead, and a frequent stop-off for the Kerrang! Tour (there have been hundreds of amazing bands playing the LCR, this list is just off the top of my head) have all stopped off in Norwich, and these are all largely thanks to the work of the late Entertainments Manager at the university, Nick Rayns.

He worked for 34 years, bringing in some truly incredible acts over that time, and in his honour: RIP Mr Rayns, and thank you for your work in bringing in some incredible acts over the years.

The late Nick Raynes - image courtesy
of the Norwich Tab

NEWS: TIM LAMBESIS (AS I LAY DYING) POSTS BAIL, RELEASED FROM JAIL

Tim Lambesis, vocalist for As I Lay Dying, has apparently posted bail reportedly to the sum of a cool $2 million, releasing him from custody following charges of arranging to have his wife killed. If you haven't been aware of the story, Lambesis is alleged to have asked someone, in fact an undercover police informant, how he would go about having his wife killed - the prosecution claims to have audio evidence that Lambesis gave $1000 to end the murder his partner, with whom he is separated from and currently in the middle of divorce proceedings. 

The trial is set to begin on June 10th. If found guilty, he faces between 3 and 9 years in prison.

Lambesis in court - image courtesy of Metal Hammer

STEP INTO MY OFFICE, BABY

Come in. I'll take your coat, you make yourself comfortable. Take a look around, why don't you? No, I'm not referencing you, Fred Durst.

So. You may notice there has been a...makeover...here at theNOISE. Well, not theNOISE. In a style befitting of Pokemon*, I have evolved the blog into YESTHISISNOISE. Newly re-designed layout, and to come, the things I did before - reviews, news and the odd opinion or personal piece. But I've decided to scrap my prior ratings system for reviews, so there will no longer be stars or '/10' marks, just the written part. Because I think that no rating system can truly capture something; reviewing is a subjective process, and ratings systems, in my mind, distort the true opinion of the review. God I sound pretentious.

But anyway, I hope the new layout is more pleasing to the eye than the black and white lark I had going on before, and as with my last post, remember...don't look, just keep your eyes peeled. New stuff coming very soon...

*not really

DON'T LOOK...JUST KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED

This time, I'll refrain from making any "Heeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!" statements declaring how I'm back for good, daily posts etc...but I've fallen by the wayside on this, because I've been busy, inbetween working and travelling, so I've just not had the time nor motivation to write in a while. 

But, my stint in Spain comes to an end in mere days...and while I'm not gonna go from busy to zombic stupor, I will have time to re-gather myself and get writing again. 

In the works then, are reviews for the new Queens Of The Stone Age album ...Like Clockwork, which hits all good shops (or doormats, if you've pre-ordered it) on Monday June 3rd, Kvelertak's Meir and a long-time-nearly-finished piece on Bring Me The Horizon's latest effort Sempiternal. 

There may also be some more pieces coming from sources that aren't me, including some smaller festivals and Jack Daniels' JD Roots programme regarding these festivals.

So, with everything above in mind, I will leave you with the oddly appropriate opening line to the first track on QOTSA's new record - "Don't look...just keep your eyes peeled"