now U2 see it, now U2 don't

Heard about the recent invasive automatic download of the latest U2 album on iTunes? Of course you have. After the thickheaded publicity stunt cooked up by the corporate monster (choose your pick which one it is) Apple have now done an about face and made a removal tool available after gazillions of complaints of not being able to remove the playlist once it had arrived in their iTunes music library. They have also added in somewhat sour grapes fashion, words to the effect of, once you remove it you can't play with our toy no more.
If you would like to rid yourself of 'Songs Of Innocence' get the download here
And before we all have a quiet smirk at how that's all turned out remember it's been downloaded by 33 million people already. A more sobering thought altogether.

fruits de mer 7 and 7 singles

And now something that won't be forcing itself on you and is much more desireable, the new Fruits De Mer "7 and 7" singles release. A box-set of fine vinyl 45s featuring some of the labels favourite bands reinterpreting songs by some of the best bands that came out of the USA in the 60s.

The Bevis Frond play Clear Light
The Higher State play 13th Floor Elevators
The Chemistry Set play Love
Sendelica play the United States of America
King Penguin play The Byrds
The Gathering Gray play Moby Grape
Black Tempest/The Seventh Ring Of Saturn play Spirit/Grateful Dead

All in FDM's bespoke packaging and even with a free 7" bonus vinyl.
Details of ordering from fruitsdemerrecords.com Here's a preview of one of the treasures within - Nature's Way' by Black Tempest (originally recorded by Spirit).

bevis frond new album

You got to love Nik Saloman. Along with a just few fellow passengers left on the psychedelic magic bus that began it's journey over 5 decades ago, Nik keeps rolling on.
Over the decades as the pop/rock world split into a pieces of mainstream generic music Nik Saloman, along with the likes of Hawkwind are the last men standing in the UK in a style that is completely detached from commerciality. They felt comfortable in the late 60's early 70's underground experimentation and never felt the need to follow the latest trend. That takes some doing as a musician when your not earning much.
He's released the bands 21st album 'White Numbers' (Amazon stock it) this year on his own label Woronzow, a 2 cd set or 3 vinyl LP's that includes the rarity of a 40 minute guitar space out for the last side.
Recently Bevis Frond have been playing gigs in Germany where guitarists Salamon and Paul Simmons have been joined rather joyously by Hawkwind's ex-bass player Adrian Shaw and ex Camel drummer Andy Ward.
They'll be appearing at the Yellowstock Festival in the second weekend of August in Geel, Belgium. A perfect time for a festival and a perfect place for the old heads to turn out.
For those in the UK the 100 Club in London on Saturday 13th July will provide a suitably classic setting for the band.
Here they are from the recent Germany tour at Nürnberg, Hirsch earlier this month playing 'Reanimation'.

the bevis frond

Nick Saloman has been recording as The Bevis Frond for an amazing 23 albums and 11 singles since 1987. South Londoner, ("the Walthomstow wizard"), "..is an artist of singular vision whose staunch devotion to the spirit of vintage psychedelia has yielded a shelf full of unmistakably '60s-derived albums. But there's more to the Bevis Frond's extensive catalogue than mere hippie revival. The singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist's twisted pop tunes, reflective acoustic excursions and extended guitar freakouts.." for more see Trouser Press

Another prolific and independent artist. It's easier to just list the one man enterprise. Frontman and songwriter, plays guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals, producer, releases records on his own Woronzow Records label (Woronzow artists), publishes the Ptolemaic Terrascope alternative music magazine, and there's probably more besides.
In 2011 released 'The Leaving Of London' album, the first for 7 years and touring Germany playing the excellent Roadburn festival in 2012.
There's also a track on last years The Psychedelic League Of Gentlemen EP (see Fruits De Mer website) and the download site is here

Here's Bevis Frond's 'Stain on the Sun' (1990) and a nice psyched out video,