Can we all get over the bloody Pavement speculation, please?

Before the Spice Girls finally did their comeback, you couldn't move for speculation about when it might happen, or why it wouldn't, or if it did, who would be involved. It got quite dull quite quickly.

With that in mind, do you think everyone could stop the tiresome alt-rock equivalent of posting likely Pavement reunion dates online? Scott Kannberg mutters they might do something for the Matador reunion and so - depsite Malkmus clearly not being interested in anything this decade - the circles are being drawn for 'sometime in 2009'.

Perhaps they should do it, if only to stop the bloody guessometers running.

Jings! Its the Jicks

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks are doing a slew of UK dates and, erm, a one of Ireland dates:

Shepherds Bush Empire – June 5
Manchester Academy 2 – 7
Glasgow Oran Mor – 8
Dublin Tripod – 9

Gorky, it's the compilations

Amongst a smattering of new and repackaged material being announced: Gorky's Zygotic Mynci have got an early singles compilation scheduled for March; Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks - talk about giving a band a bad name - have a new album 'Pig Lib' due March 14th; Supergrass desperately try to raise interest in their forthcoming tour by bringing out 'Seen The Light' as a single and Moloko return on February 10th with Statues. It's not all good news, though, Madonna is putting something out in April. If we start praying now, we might just persuade the powers that it should be more Ray of Light than American Pie.