Membranes forming up again

The comebacks which delight are often, it seems, centered on All Tomorrow's Parties, and this one adds to that strike rate: The Membranes are getting back together at the behest of My Bloody Valentine. This is the Nightmare Before Christmas one.

John Robb is, naturally, verbose in his excitement:

Like King Arthur's knights buried beneath the soil of Merrie Englande we are ready to be called on in the country's hour of peril. We were called. And we will play.

It's not clear where they were during the time of Gareth Gates, but better late than never, eh?

Kevin Shields invites you to a Christmas party

This year's Nightmare Before Christmas is in the control of Kevin Shields, who has wasted no time in booking some acts, including Sonic Youth and, somewhat more puzzlingly, De La Soul.

Although given their 'splitting the audience into bits and getting them to sing against each other' schtick, perhaps a holiday camp is just the right stage for La Soul.

The Horrors, too, are rewarded for having attempted to pass themselves off as the Telescopes by getting a slot, too, which means they're going to have to keep it up until December.