Incubus have just inked a deal with Island records. The band say they will release two EP's next year on their new label. The band's last album, If Not Now, When? came in 2011.
Are The Afghan Whigs working with Dennis Leary? Earlier this week, Whigs leader Greg Dulli posted a photo of him and Leary in the studio with the caption, "Yes that's Denis Leary of Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll. FX July." Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll is the title of Leary's new FX show, no word yet if Whigs are doing the theme song or will have a part in the series.
Band of Horses have confirmed they are working with Grandaddy's Jason Lytle on a new album which they hope to have out next year.
Pussy Riot's Nadya Tolokonnikova spoke to NME about how music is secondary to their message, saying, "We're not really musicians or from the music world. At that moment we just decided that we should do a punk band, and we got our friends together and tried to do a song. We did what we were able to. it wasn't brilliant, but it was enough for a political video. Our goal is not to make a political album, but the form of our statements is very important to us and the video clip form is one we like. Maybe at some point in the future we will do an album, but right now we want to make videos."
Also speaking to NME is RZA, who talked about Wu-Tang Clan's latest album, A Better Tomorrow, and said that the influential hip-hop group tried to get James Blake to work on the record. RZA said, "I tried to get James Blake to do a hook on 'A Better Tomorrow' but we couldn't make it happen in time." RZA worked with Blake on the British singer's sophomore album and 2013's best record, Overgrown.
Another person opening up to NME is Brandon Flowers who talked about the direction of his upcoming solo album. The Killers frontman said, "Even though I'm still young, you can start to get set in your ways. Change is good and there's always growth, I'm always looking for that. It's nice to steer the ship and that's what you'd think I’d do on my own album, but I'm letting Ariel take over every now and then. That's led to some really exciting things and sounds I would never have used. As I've gotten older I'm much more open to that – I'm much more open to peoples' strengths and really trying to utilise them – and that's where Ariel comes into the picture. He's really knowledgeable about every genre; it's pretty incredible what he's able to reference and pull out. It's definitely going to be different, but I'm still in the thick of it, hammering away."