Metallica have announced yet another round of shows on their 'World Magentic' tour when it hits Australia this October.

All tour dates are in capital letters, as befits the metal group. The dates in bold, are the third and final additions to the tour schedule.

BRISBANE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE MONDAY OCTOBER 18
BRISBANE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE TUESDAY OCTOBER 19
PERTH BURSWOOD DOME FRIDAY OCTOBER 22
PERTH BURSWOOD DOME SATURDAY OCTOBER 23
SYDNEY ACER ARENA WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 10
SYDNEY ACER ARENA THURSDAY NOVEMBER 11
SYDNEY ACER ARENA SATURDAY NOVEMBER 13
ADELAIDE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE MONDAY NOVEMBER 15
ADELAIDE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE TUESDAY NOVEMBER 16
MELBOURNE ROD LAVER ARENA THURSDAY NOVEMBER 18
MELBOURNE ROD LAVER ARENA SATURDAY NOVEMBER 20
MELBOURNE ROD LAVER ARENA SUNDAY NOVEMBER 21

Tickets go on general sale Thursday May 13 with the Ticketek pre-sale running from midday today, Tuesday May 11, until 5pm Wednesday May 12 (or until pre-sale allocation has been exhausted). From: ticketek.com.au

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Interpol have just finished their new record. So it comes as odd timing that Carlos D, the bassist and arguably most recognisable member of the group, has told the band that he is leaving to pursue other interests.

In a note posted on their website, the band announced Carlos' intentions, as well as whom might replace him:

Dear fans,

As some of you have surely heard, Interpol has completed it's new album.

It was recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York, and mixed with Alan Moulder at Assault and Battery, London.

The four of us poured our collective heart into this music and we are very proud and excited to share it.

It's a heavy record. But we're feeling limber; and we're going to carry it all around the world for you.

Touring begins this summer, so check here soon for announcements and show dates.

There is more:

Sadly, Carlos will not be joining us.

After the completion of the album, Carlos informed the rest of us that he would be leaving the band. He has decided to follow another path, and to pursue new goals. This separation is amicable, and we whole-heartedly wish him great happiness and success. We will remain, as always, deeply respectful fans of this blazingly talented individual.

We can tell you that we have some very exciting new recruits joining us on the road. So stay tuned - we will promptly be revealing the identities of these illustrious players.

We eagerly await the opportunity to reconvene with you all
- the greatest fans known to Rock.

Thank you.
Interpol

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M.I.A is gearing up to release her new, as-yet-untitled album in June. BBC radio played this Lady Gaga-esque track 'xxxo' from it yesterday.



M.I.A - 'xxxo' (Radio Rip)

In related news, we received a long, weird email today from an artist 'ihtgw' who claims that M.I.A "looks like she's fighting for democracy but in reality she's contributing to the  corruption". Such claims appear to be based on ihtgw's belief that M.I.A ripped her off via a non-payment for a tee-shirt design.

ihtgw has posted the story on a blog, as well as appeared talking about the situation in her YouTube channel. Here's a portion of spiel:

About a month went by; after emailing these quotes, and there was no reply from M.I.A's team, I thought they didn't like the samples, and weren't going to use them. M.I.A launched her webstore in early August 2007, and she was selling t shirts I sampled, technically I had had 50% design rights over those t shirts. I spoke to one of my long term business advisors, who has worked in the fashion industry for atleast 30 years. He was adamant that I take further action; he heard, a very similar story from another designer about MIA.


This was not a simple copy right issue, it was a technical copy right issue, only specialist design lawyers are skilled enough to work on these issues. They understood my case, and agreed that I had rights over each one of those 5000 t shirts. These lawyers cost £400 an hour, there was no way I could afford to hire these lawyers, so I had to put the case on hold.


In the past couples of years I've come across similar stories about M.I.A. What triggered me to write this today: recently I found out MIA president T shirts (t shirts I sampled), were her best selling merchandise t shirts. When I first heard this, I laughed it off, but it kept on knocking on my head in past couples of days. Fact there's no mention ever by MIA that I even worked on designing those t shirts, she could have even given me that much credit. I have tried to discuss above issue with MIA and her team, but there is NEVER no response. A fews months after all this happened in 2007, I received a message on myspace from Afrikan Boy, who said maya and sugu, recommended he contact me for t shirt designs. And no, there was no work with Afrikan Boy; I laid out costs and contracts from the first second and he never replied. THE SHAME!

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Finally, reclusive figure Jeff Mangnum appeared in official capacity for the first time in ten years this week, as part of a New York benefit for ailing New Zealand artist Chris Knox, who suffered a stroke last year. (You might remember Knox from our list of Top 5 Golden Moments in Oz TV).


(Pic: Stereogum)

Mangnum, otherwise known as the mastermind behind the band Neutral Milk Hotel, and thus one of the greatest indie-rock records ever (no hyperbole here folks), In The Aeroplane Over the Sea, became somewhat of a recluse after his bands demise in 1998. Since then, In The Aeroplane Over The Sea has become an underground classic, influencing thousands of bands, selling steadily, and painting Mangnum as a reclusive figurehead for legions of indie nerds. Mangnum for his part, has appeared only sporadically, often unannounced alongside friends Apples in Stereo. Magnum's last official appearance under the Neutral Milk Hotel banner until now, was, in fact, in 2002 at a small bar in New Zealand at the behest of one Chris Knox.

Mangnum played six songs at New York's Le Poisson Rouge. A couple of videos have surfaced, and while they're barely tolerable thanks to the crowd's horrible singalongs, they're still rather moving.

Jeff Mangnum - 'Oh Comely'


Jeff Mangnum - 'Two Headed Boy Pt. 2'