Arguably the most respected British music festival behind Glastonbury, The Leeds / Reading 3 day event, that takes place August Bank Holiday, weekend (22nd - 24th), was announced this evening at the Cockpit venue in Leeds. After several free beers and an assortment of nibbles, I’ve rushed back (mid pint I might add) in order to bring you the full line-up as it stands, first. So here goes…

The headliners are as follows

On Friday in Leeds / Sunday in Reading on the Main Stage, headliners are……

Metallica

Supported by…

Tenacious D
Slipknot
Feeder
Avenged Sevenfold
Dropkickmurphys

This is clearly a rock wet dream, so if you favour an indie palate, do not fear, for on the Radio One / NME Stage, we have the following Headliners…

The Cribs

Supported by…

Conor Oberset
Pendulum

Moving onto Saturday in Leeds and Friday in Reading, Main Stage headliners are as Follows

Rage Against The Machine

Supported by…

The Fratellis
The Enemy
Biffy Clyro
Serj Tankian
Dizzee Rascal
Taking Back Sunday
Get Cape Wear Cape Fly
Anti Flag

The Radio One / NME Stage offers an alternative of…

Babyshambles

supported by…

The Wombats
Vampire Weekend
MGMT

The final day of shenanigans ends with the Main stage climax of…

The Killers

Well in Leeds anyway, if you are attending Reading you Climax early, on Friday in fact

Support comes from…

The Raconteurs
Editors
We Are Scientists
Dirty Pretty Things
The Subways

The Radio One/ NME Stage plys us with…

Manic Street Preachers

Supported by…

Bullet For My Valentine
Justice
Foals

So there you have it! The initial line-up announcement for the Leeds Reading Festival, but if you’re feeling a little underwhelmed by these artists and are blighted by an insatiable need for more, remember, new acts will be added at regular intervals over the next few months, so there’s bound to be something for everyone. I personally have my fingers crossed for the Adams Singers, or Max Bygraves to be added but I’m told that isn’t likely, but a boy can dream….!
Keep your eyes glued to Reject Musical Trash for more news as and when it happens!!

James Heward

Joy Division’s stock has never been so high. The award winning film, the iconic artwork on skateboards, trainers and tops, the many books, the re-re-mastered ‘deluxe’ cds, ringtones and the omnipresent use of their music from televised football matches to even more bizarrely, documentaries about Michael Jackson. Although great for spreading their music to a new generation, it also strips yet more layers off one of the finest and most mysterious legacies of British music.

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Berlin based four piece piece fronted by Kings of Convenience singer, Erland Oye have here a sleepy low slung stoner pop tune which although very charming, is also quite non-descript. Flip straight over the original for the bside remix which is the winner here. Mixed by Frank Falke, he has transformed the tune into a guaranteed Ibiza Summer stormer. Reminiscent of ‘Discovery’ era Daft Punk but dripped in even more Georgio Moroder style synths, this mix is guarantedd to put a smile on your face and a spring your step.

Chris Todd

The funny thing about this band right, is that, they’re not all black….and none of them are kids, hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Anyway, the buzz band for 2008 have hit a winner on this, their official debut single. Produced by Bernard Butler who after the success with Duffy, seems to be hot property production-wise, ‘Dance with you’ is endlessly uplifting pop about the singers ex girlfriends new boyfriends inability to dance as well as him; “He’s got two left feet and he bites my moves”, followed by a shout of ‘I’m not gonna teach him how to DANCE! DANCE! DANCE!”, the latter being a total steal of any Go! Team track you’ve ever heard.

Chris Todd

The thing about Pete Doherty is well, he’s rubbish, he serves no purpose, has no obvious talent and has people frothing at the mouth as if he’s some sort of genius bard of our times, he’s not.

For some inexplicable reason he has just been voted ‘Hero of the year’ by the NME. The NME has had a similar decline in quality as the alternative UK music scene has, almost as if they are in cahoots together to drag everything down and make it as bland as possible. Once upon a time the NME was essential reading, brilliantly written by a crack team of the finest music journalists out there; David Quantick, Stuart Maconie, Andrew Collins, Steve Lamacq, Stephen Wells, Dele Fadele…now it’s an indie version of Heat magazine, full of posters, gossip from the indie scene, free cds, only people perceived as being cool on the cover rather than being there for any musical merit.

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A live Morrissey concert is the nearest music can get to a truly religious experience with his fans elevating him to an almost messiah like position as the room physically shakes with anticipation.

The crowd are whipped up to rabid fervour by a series of bad 70s Eurovision videos, 1950s leather clad troubadours interspersed with footage of New York dolls and homo-erotic out-takes of James Dean in East of Eden.

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For some reason everybody loves Led Zepellin again, it’s like punk never happened. Punk HAD to happen because of overblown behomoths suck as these over-rated wankers and now 30 years after punk Led Zepellin have taken their place on the rock throne again, indicative of the derth of decent bands around and the derth of people with good taste buying music.

There are many reasons for Zeps suckage, here are just a few of those reasons.

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Everyone remembers the first time they come across the weird and wonderful world of Steven Patrick Morrissey, it is a date way more important than some Princess dying in a car crash or some politician named after an airport in New York being assassinated, his words have literally saved the lives of millions of people all over the world.

My first experience was early on in his musical career, accidentally on Top of The Pops in between the hair sprayed nothingness of Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet, The Smiths were on, they were playing ‘Heaven knows it’s miserable now’ and I was transfixed.

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The Long Blondes - ‘Couples’ (Rough Trade)

Sheffield band The Long Blondes have always been an interesting proposition but their style has outshone the music. Their 2006 debut, ‘Someone to drive you home’, had the correct boxes ticked but due to ex Pulp member Steve Mackeys’ production, it was a lame offering with only occasional hints of brilliance.

It is the golden touch of electro/indie dj and producer Erol Alkan who has taken this potential and together with the band, produced an album which is instantly up there as one of the best albums from these shores this decade, which let’s face it, wouldn’t be difficult. 22.20’s, Gorillaz and Artic Monkeys (1st album only) aside, we have been totally eclipsed by our Atlantic cousins this decade.

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