While he released his solo debut, Dr. Dee this week, Damon Albarn has confirmed to BBC4 that he is already making another solo album. Albarn said, "This week we're mucking around with these Russian synthesizers in a very loose mind of doing some kind of record under my name. I suppose you could call it a solo record, but I don't like that word. It sounds very lonely - solo. I don't really want to be solo in my life. But yeah, I'm making another record."
The Joy Formidable have confirmed they have completed recording their sophomore record. The follow-up to last years, acclaimed, The Big Roar still has no release date.
In a very brave move, Tommy Gabel of Against Me! has confirmed to Rolling Stone magazine that he is coming out as transgender. The singer has revealed that he will soon undergo the transition process from man to woman and is set to begin taking hormones and undergoing electrolysis treatments in the next few months. Gabel, who has a wife and child, said to the magazine, "I'm going to have embarrassing moments and that won't be fun. But that's part of what talking to you is about – is hoping people will understand, and hoping they'll be fairly kind." Gabel will eventually switch his name to Laura Jane Grace.
Producer Nigel Goodrich (Radiohead, Beck) has formed a new band with former Beck drummer, Joey Waronker. The duo call themselves, Ultraista and have released the single, "Smalltalk." No other information is available about the band other than that.