Monday Newsmix: Battle of the indie douches; plus Portishead and more

Monday Newsmix: Battle of the indie douches; plus Portishead and more

When two relatively minor but abrasive personalities in the indie rock “community” duke it out, it seems that it’s always bound to generate at least a few rounds of whining and passive-aggressive jabs. So transpired the events of the past weekend, featuring emo-haired Wavves singer Nathan Williams in one corner and loudmouthed Black Lips bassist Jared Swilley in the other. This past Friday, after the two bands played separate shows in Brooklyn, the pair of musicians converged at Daddy’s bar in Williamsburg. Soon, the meeting became a confrontation, from which Jared walked away “bloody.” (Nathan was apparently unharmed.)

Now, the two parties involved have released conflicting stories as to what exactly happened. Nathan claims that Jared was “looking for a fight” and that the latter’s girlfriend was “spitting in the face of all [his] friends.” Jared claims that Nathan wasn’t involved (referring to him multiple times as [insert well-known slur for a homosexual person that I won't repeat here]), and that Wavves’ tour manager clobbered him over the head with a glass bottle.

Me? I don’t care what the truth is. All I want to know is when these two colossal jerkasses will shut the hell up and start acting like adults.

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After releasing last year’s critically acclaimed and universally beloved Third, Bristol trip-hop trio Portishead could have rested on their laurels for another ten years and let fans yearn for a follow-up. Thank Jebus they aren’t going to do so. NME reports that the band, consisting of singer Beth Gibbons and multi-instrumentalists Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley, are hard at work on new material – even though they aren’t signed to a record label.

According to the article, the band is currently “weighing up options” concerning how to release this new material – a strong hint that it won’t come in your typical album format. But, heck, it’s a new Portishead album – they could print it on friggin’ eight-track tapes for all I care and I’d still grab it day one, along with – I’d imagine – about a million other fans.

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R.I.P. Lucy O’Donnell, the “girl with kaleidoscope eyes” who inspired The Beatles’ classic tune, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”

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Industrial pioneers Throbbing Gristle have announced the release of “GRISTLEISM,” an industrial music generator that operates on two AA batteries. Looks like a neat little experiment, though I don’t know who would buy it.

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Stream Air’s latest album, Love 2, for free via the band’s website.

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Alt-rockers The Cranberries have announced their reunion tour, complete with dates.