Zutons, Coral, Summertyme against fracking

There's plans afoot to smash the bedrock of Wirral to pieces in order to release some fossil fuels, because if we don't burn that gas we might not be able to hit the oil industry's target of making the planet uninhabitable by 2020.

There's protests against the plan, including a gig with some Merseyside luminaries:

The Fight UCG and Fracking gig is being organised by Wirral band The Sundowners with Zutons guitarist Paul Molloy. It will feature sets from Viper Kings with guests Dave McCabe (Zutons) and James Skelly (Coral), Ian Skelly and the Serpent Power, We Are Catchers, Sundowners (acoustic) Edgar Summertyme and Marvin Powell.

There's a petition on 38 Degrees if you'd like to add your voice without having to listen to The Zutons.

Much of New York tries to help out Yellow Dogs

After the murder of two members of Yellow Dogs and others earlier in the week, New York is rallying round. Brooklyn Vegan reports:

Monday (11/18) at Brooklyn Bowl there will be a "Special Memorial Evening / Fundraiser" featuring performances from Nada Surf, James Chance, Luke Temple, Dirty Fences, Kyp Malone (of TVotR), Helado Negro, Hamish Kilgour (The Clean), Iranian visual artist and activist Shirin Neshat and more; plus DJ sets from Paul Banks (Interpol), Jonathan Toubin, Sinkane, Vito & Druzzi (The Rapture), The Men and more.

Tickets ($15.00 - $30.00) for the benefit go on sale Saturday (11/16) at noon. 100% of the door will be going to the families of the deceased, the hospital bills of Sasan Sadeghpourosko who was wounded in the shooting, and then as well as the two surviving members of Yellow Dogs.

There doesn't seem to be a non-tickety way of donating if you want to help out but can't be in Brooklyn, but if we come across something we'll pass it on.

Rain Parade reuniting

After years of refusing demands for a comeback, The Rain Parade have announced a reunion. But it's in a good cause:

As for benefit show, promoter Chris Chandler says he asked Piucci why he’s reforming the Rain Parade now after years of resisting pleas for a reunion. Piucci’s response: “Our friend [The Windbreaker's Bobby Sutliff] was badly hurt. We were asked to help. Here we come.”

But reunions, once enacted, tend to stick. The band are apparently advertising for a drummer to play some European dates...

Helping Shingoose

A couple of months back, Curtis 'Shingoose' Jonnie, native Canadian music pioneer, had a massive stroke.

Fellow Canadian musicians, though, are rallying round to help:

And come they will. Eagle & Hawk, Ray St. Germain, Mark Nabess, Dustin Harder, Jesse Green of Bruthers of Different Muthers and Don Amero have all signed up to play the fundraiser on May 26 at Winnipeg’s Pyramid Cabaret.

“Shingoose is a musical elder in our music community and it’s always been my belief to acknowledge those folks who have helped blaze the trail,” says Vince Fontaine, co-founder of the multi-award winning group Eagle & Hawk.

There's more about the Shingoose fundraiser at the Manitoba Music site.

Magnapop: Slowly me again

Magnapop getting back together isn't a big deal. Well, it was, when it happened in 2002, but as a reunion that's lasted nearly a decade, it's pretty much business as ususal.

What is exciting, though, is the original line-up of Magnapop getting back together. Don't worry, it's not a Sugababes battle of the iterations; Sharon Mulvaney and David McNair are coming back for one gig, in aid of Criminal Records in Atlanta. Paste reports:

According to Mulvaney:

“The inspiration behind bringing back the original lineup was that back around when our first record and singles came out, Criminal carried them. It was a big deal for us being a local band at the time to see the posters up and to tell your friends you could buy the record at Criminal. The idea behind the show was to try and create a bill that might have happened back in 1991 back around when our record came out.”

Which is the sort of gesture that makes you wonder if you could get to Atlanta easily.

It might also make you wonder if stressing how important a record shop was twenty years ago actually helps with the fundamental problem of how it can find a role in 2011, but the important thing is buying some breathing space.

PIAS benefit comes together

A fundraiser is being pulled together for the labels hit by the loss of the Sony/PIAS warehouse in last night's fire. For full details, or to get involved, follow the #piasfundraiser hashtag on Twitter.

The Guardian reports that every single copy of Charlie Simpson's debut album was destroyed last night, so there won't be a release for that this Monday.

Elton John campaigns for president

Elton John has been busily raising funds for the Hilary Clinton campaign, while apparently trying to campaign on behalf of Jimmy Carter, too. He took time off to, erm, complain about the Reagan administration's inaction on AIDS which, while admittedly important, is hardly a hot-button issue in the 2008 election.

Nelson pushes blow

Clearly, then, his most recent run-in with the law didn't stop him: Willie Nelson is setting out on pro-cannabis tour across the US today:

Nelson did not respond to a request to discuss the concert, but Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project, said the funds will be used for legalization efforts around the country. At least a dozen states allow people to use marijuana to relieve pain or treat other ailments, and Kampia said his group is helping to push ballot initiatives making medical marijuana legal in several other states.

“The goal is to end marijuana prohibition in the US” Kampia said.

We're not sure why Willie Nelson wasn't available to talk about the positive aspects of cannabis use - rumours that he was hiding under his bed muttering something about "the man" couldn't be confirmed, etc etc...

Indie fights the elements

Amongst the effects of the flooding, the loss of Truck Fest has left the organisers facing a loss and unable to make their usual donation to charity. The festival itself has been rescheduled to the weekend of the 23rd of September; before that, there's to be a benefit gig in Hoxton, including Get Cape Wear Cape Fly and a surprise superact.