Don't Be Told What You Want. Don't Be Told What You Need (John Lydon/Iggy Pop Feature)

Back in the good old days Public Image Limited’s John Lydon sneered at the system with the lyric of “Big Business is very wise. I’m crossing over into enterprise”. Thirty years on the same spokesman for a disaffected generation has appeared in a butter advert. Lydon isn’t the only punk to be labelled as a corporate shill. Iggy Pop is now maintaining his lust for life by doing car insurance adverts. The way things are going Thomas Cook adverts will be accompanied by The Sex Pistols’ ‘Holidays in the Sun’ and Iggy’s 'Passenger' will be used to promote mobility scooters.

Written by: Rob Burns | Date: Wednesday, 09 February 2011

Why Government Legislation Of Secondary Ticket Resale Would Be Bad For Music Fans (Feature)

Anyone who has been attending concerts, sports games or any other ticketed events for more than 10 years will have noticed a significant drop in the number of dodgy looking blokes wandering around outside venues mumbling to anyone passing ‘buy or sell, anyone need tickets’ but a Labour MP is claiming this is a bad thing.

Written by: Dave Ball | Date: Tuesday, 08 February 2011

Stereoboard Tour of the Week – The Vaccines

After previously being confirmed as the opening act for Crystal Castles, Magnetic Man and Everything Everything at this month’s Shockwaves NME Awards Tour, it seems that London four-piece The Vaccines have already surpassed the prominence of the other bands on the bill before the tour has even begun. Over the past couple of months since the tour was announced, The Vaccines have managed to create a buzz that can be heard up and down the country and has now reached a deafening level that is almost impossible to ignore. That’s no small feat either. Especially when you bear in my mind that they are yet to release an album.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Friday, 04 February 2011

What's My Name Again? (Stage Names Feature)

  So you want to be a pop star? Right you need to have some of the following things : your own songs, a measure of talent (unless you’re on X Factor), an image, a good manager and a great stage name. Why should a good stage name count for anything? I mean John Logie Baird’s invention of the television wouldn’t have commanded more respect in the scientific community if he had worked under the pseudonym of Zak Wonderpants.

Written by: Rob Burns | Date: Tuesday, 01 February 2011

A Few Reasons The Black Eyed Peas Should Phunk Off

Clubs. I bloody love clubs...obviously. I love the chunky bouncer who gets to third base with you before you’ve even entered the building. I love paying a crisp ten pound note to get in and then nigh-on five pounds for a pint of Fosters-flavoured water. I love getting evil looks from the man in the toilets for washing my own hands. I love being hugged by sweat-drenched strangers. I love being guilted into putting my hands up for Detroit and I love to superman dat ho...obviously.

Written by: James Conlon | Date: Monday, 31 January 2011

Stereoboard Tour of the Week – Big Audio Dynamite

It’s been a busy few days as far tour announcements go and this week’s winner has faced some steep competition from the various bands that have been revealing new live dates for the next few months. One of the main ones, of course, is the new tour from Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye. Everyone’s eagerly awaiting February’s release of their debut album ‘Different Gear, Still Speeding’ to find out what Liam can do without big brother Noel. Their live dates in March and April are sure to add some extra excitement to all the hype. Then there’s the confirmation of a huge post-Libertines’ reunion tour from Mr Pete Doherty himself, as well as more dates from hotly-tipped Slough indie-rockers Brother.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Monday, 31 January 2011

Stereoboard Tour of the Week – The Black Crowes

Last year, after over two decades of playing and recording a kick-ass brand of bluesy Southern rock, the Black Crowes from Atlanta, Georgia celebrated their 20th anniversary with a huge US tour entitled the ‘Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys Tour’. Well, the good news is that, this summer, the long-haired rockers will be bringing the tour over to the UK for three dates in Manchester and London. Unfortunately, the bad news is that the ‘Say Goodnight to the Bad Guys Tour’ isn’t just a clever name. After the string of European shows, the Black Crowes will indeed be saying “good night”. For now anyway. The six-piece have confirmed that the tour will be their last for a while as they prepare to go on an indefinite hiatus to spend time with family and to work on other projects.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Friday, 21 January 2011

Money Changes Everything (BRIT Awards Feature)

In the 1980s there seemed to be some certainties in life: the Tories would win the general election; I would never get to own a Commodore 64 and Annie Lennox and Phil Collins would get a nomination in the Brit Awards. Many pop videos were only shown on cable channels that few people had access to in the 1980s. You’d have to wait until at least the early evening to listen to some good tunes in the evening on Radio One (eg John Peel or Annie Nightingale). In those days to mention bands like The Smiths or other alternative music on mainstream TV could lead to hideous tortures such as death by Orville (being set alight in a huge wicker replica of Keith Harris’ loveable bird puppet).

Written by: Rob Burns | Date: Thursday, 20 January 2011

Stereoboard’s Top 10 Worst Cover Versions Revealed (Feature)

Following the response to the recent Christmas Number One, a cover of Biffy Clyro’s ‘Many of Horror’ by X Factor winner Matt Cardle, which saw thousands of people around the country either embracing or snubbing the decision, we decided to ask you to come up with your worst-ever cover version by an artist. And here is the result. To coincide with this week’s ‘The Cover Version: Hasn’t It Had Its Day?’ feature, we’ve put together a list of ten of your least favourite covers. Whether you thought that the original was sacred or just that the cover was too horrendous for words, here is how you responded.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Monday, 17 January 2011

The Cover Version: Hasn’t It Had Its Day? (Feature)

The cover version. Pay dirt for every pub band and fledgling teenage rock group around the country. Or alternatively, and more commonly these days, a quick way for a fame-hungry popstar wannabe to grab a few minutes in the limelight and for a mega-rich music exec and TV producer to get their hands on more of that much-needed wonga. After the recent Christmas Number One, a reworking of ‘Many of Horror’ by Scottish alt-rockers Biffy Clyro, which also happened to be the fourth X Factor Christmas Number One cover version in a row – excluding Rage Against the Machine’s brief stint at the top spot at the end of 2009 – is seems that it is now virtually impossible for an aspiring pop singer to come up with an original piece of music, even with an overpaid team of professional songwriters behind them. So what does this mean for the future of British pop music? Ignoring the dreadful thought that we may have to spend every Christmas from now until the end of eternity listening to one of Simon Cowell’s minions singing a god-awful, dreary love song while we eat our sprouts, it also means that there is a pretty good chance we will be forced to listen to a second-rate version of a track that was perfectly fine as it was. Come on, Britain – isn’t it about time we said no?

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Monday, 17 January 2011

Stereoboard Tour of the Week – Bright Eyes

Four years on from their splendidly well-received Glastonbury set, their critically and commercially successful seventh album ‘Cassadaga’ and their less well-received cancelled UK tour dates, US folk-rockers Bright Eyes are back with a number of small shows announced for next month. Following their previously-announced date at the Royal Albert Hall, which has since sold out, the band have now revealed three new dates that will coincide with the release of their new album ‘The People’s Key’ and includes a show at London’s Scala venue on 14th February – the day the album comes out.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Friday, 14 January 2011

The Big 4, Blink 182 & Foo Fighters Listed In Stereoboard's Hottest Tickets Of 2011 (Feature)

With Christmas and New Year now well in the rear view mirror, it’s time to start looking forward to what promises to be another spectacular year of live music. With hot new bands popping up everywhere you look, plenty of current artists continuing to get bigger and better and a welcome return from several old favourites, we felt it was time to look at the 10 tours we, at Stereoboard, are most looking forward to in 2011.

Written by: Dave Ball | Date: Wednesday, 12 January 2011

The Duke Spirit – Stereoboard Tour of the Week

Happy New Year! Hopefully by now, the hangovers, belly aches and New Year’s resolutions are beginning to wear off and you’re ready to get well and truly stuck in to another year of gigs, festivals and good, old fashioned rock’n’roll-type fun. Yes, that’s right – after a couple of weeks off for the oh-so short Christmas break, it’s time for the new tours of 2011 to start rolling in so that the ticket-buying British public can see what’s on offer this year.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Friday, 07 January 2011

Black Rose - A Rock Legend (Phil Lynott Thin Lizzy Feature)

Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of the death of Ireland’s first true rock star Phil Lynott. Most famous for his work in Thin Lizzy, Lynott stood out as one of the most unique performers and musicians of his era and his legacy remains to this day. One of the few black Irishmen in Dublin, he was instantly recognisable to Dubliners and it was this fame, rather than any great musical ability which won him a place in Brush Shiel’s Skid Row which also featured Gary Moore on guitar.

Written by: Daniel Lynch | Date: Wednesday, 05 January 2011

Why The X Factor Doesn't Get My Vote (Feature)

Cast your mind back to the end of 2009 and the United Kingdom was split into 3 distinct groups: those who wanted the X Factor winner to get the Christmas number one ; the anti-X Factor brigade who wanted the protest Rage Against the Machine single to get the position and those who didn’t give a toss either way. I must confess that I was in the “I don’t give a toss” brigade at the time. X Factor was no more than an annoyance to me and I always found Rage’s teenage angst chorus a bit laughable. It turned out that Rage got the number one which must have shaken the foundations of the Cowell empire for such a blink and you’ll miss it period of time that a new unit of time measurement called the Cowell was created.

Written by: Rob Burns | Date: Tuesday, 04 January 2011

Stereoboard Reveals Their Top Tips For Success in 2011

Another year is nearly up and it’s time to have a quick look back at 2010 before we have a long look forward into 2011. As we left the Noughties, 2010 brought us another exciting and eventful year in music. Bands like Mumford and Sons, The Drums and, of course, the xx have been among the new names that have given us plenty of good reasons to head out to the nearest gig venue or download another great album to our iPods. On the other hand, we've had old favourites like the Libertines, Biffy Clyro, Rage Against the Machine and Guns n' Roses, who have reared their ugly heads and, once again, astounded us - for the right reasons or otherwise.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Monday, 20 December 2010

Warpaint – Stereoboard Tour of the Week

As 2010 draws to a close, the last few tour announcements for 2011 are still coming in. This week’s stand-out tour news is almost certainly that of all-girl LA rock troupe Warpaint. It’s been only a few weeks since the release of their widely-acclaimed debut album and already the four-piece are beginning to stir-up a great deal of interest in their biggest UK tour to date. Following the recent announcement of their NME Awards Show at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in February, the experimental rock group have confirmed details of ten new dates in May, including one in Dublin. Looking back at the initial excitement that Warpaint have managed to create over the past few months, it is likely that this will be one of the most sought-after tours of the spring.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Friday, 17 December 2010

Lady Gaga Reigns In Stereoboard's Top 20 Tours Of 2010 & Top 10 Tours For 2011 (Feature)

Stereoboard have compiled a list of the best selling, and most in demand, tours that took place in 2010. We've dug out our extensive sales data over the past 18 months, covering over 44,000 UK events and hundreds of thousands of ticket sales, to bring you the definitive list of what events the people of Great Britain and Ireland have splashed the cash to see live this year.

Written by: Dave Ball | Date: Wednesday, 15 December 2010

A Fool And His Money (Bon Jovi Feature)

Rather than risk getting sidetracked by requests for recipes and handy hints, it’s probably best if I don’t dwell on my previous life as a cook.

Written by: David Evans | Date: Tuesday, 14 December 2010

The Rise Of The Eccentrics (Lady Gaga Feature)

Now I don’t normally ask a lot from people, but please could you do this one thing for me: The next time you’re on a night out and see a man wearing a bowtie, hit him with the nearest blunt object you can find. I’m not even joking on this one: beer bottle, chair leg, hammer – anything capable of ending his evening early will do.

Written by: James Conlon | Date: Friday, 10 December 2010