Although, having said that, it is getting eerily similar to the Mars Volta NBC of 2005. Overlaps = Kill Me Tomorrow, Mastodon, The Locust, Dalek... Actually, it's just those four bands for now, but it has a similar kinda feel no? 

And speaking of that ATP, why didn't I watch Blonde Redhead?

Anyhow, right now I am particularly excited about the colossal riffage action and the opportunity to bang my head off to Melvins, Mastodon, Big Business and especially TORCHE.

But, when it comes to bands I've never seen before, I'm hoping Black Heart Procession will be something special. Nothing like some melancholy indie rock to get the party started.

Regardless of my Mike Patton cynicism (is he a genius? Really?), this ATP is shaping up to be probably my best yet already. HERE'S HOPING.

Playlist: Rilo Kiley, Alexisonfire

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Thank you Geranium Shops on West Norwood High St.

£1.

Playlist: Karp

Another year, another list of average British albums compiled for the Mercury Music Prize. The event which matters to PR companies and the press more than anyone else (maybe even the artists) doesn't really enter my radar that often, but then no awards ceremonies really do. The only good thing about the Mercuries/Mercury Prize/Nationwide Music Prize (one of these is right) is the fact Dizzee Rascal won in 2003 and Radiohead have never won. Now people seem to forget that M People have won it and Ms Dynamite went on to get a criminal record for punching a policeman in the willy.

Anyhow, here are this year's nominations:

Adele - 19 - As a female solo artist the odds are in her favour. Being a bit tubby probably helps.
British Sea Power - Do You Like Rock Music? - Never liked this band much anyway, and this album is pretty much appalling.
Burial - Untrue - Has to win. It's between Burial (who coincidentally lives on the same bus route as me) and Radiohead.
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid  - YAWN.
Estelle – Shine - Black female solo artist. Could take it.
Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim - Slightly more obscure woman solo artist.
Neon Neon - Stainless Style - It's got the guy out of Super Furries so it's considered credible even though it's actually rubbish.
Portico Quartet - Knee Deep In The North Sea - Token obscure/jazz.
Rachel Unthank - The Bairns - Token obscure female solo artist.
Radiohead - In Rainbows - Like the Arctic Monkeys, if there's a new Radiohead album out, they'll be on the list.
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand - One for the Q readers.
The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement - No Arctic Monkeys album so this will have to do. 

I'm considering placing a bet on Burial to win. The odds are currently 6/1 so a tenner might be worth it. Following on from my winning streak (I won £30 on the Grand National earlier this year) it might just be worth it....

Playlist: Rainer Maria, Foot Village

(Not really misjudging, just hearing half a song and deciding I wasn't interested).

Bon Iver played ATP vs Pitchfork and I didn't go and see him as that weekend I really didn't want to see a bearded singer-songwriter tug at my heartstrings with his sincere and overwrought melodies. Obviously I was completely full of rubbish and downright WRONG as since album 'For Emma, Forever Ago' has been creeping up my Last.fm charts and I've been kicking myself for being a fool.

Anyhow, apologies yet again for being late to the Bon Iver Appreciation Party. I am months behind Pitchfork, as per usual. The worst thing is, I'm behind Jools ruddy Holland too. God damn you Jools.

Bon Iver performing 'Skinny Love' on Jools Ruddy Holland:

Playlist: Jesu/Envy split, Les Savy fav

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I hate buzz bands. Most of the time my idea of a buzz band is when 2 or more people from my Last.fm friends are listening to the same thing at the same time. And I get annoyed when I haven't heard them.

Foot Village are a four piece percussion band from California who were first recommended to me a few months ago. Then they announced some UK tour dates and I took the time to listen and realised it was pretty good and not at all about 'concept drumming' and just being daft and all tribal/primal. They are actually very rocking.

I asked them some (job) interview questions:

What are your weaknesses?

One of the largest obstacles we face in founding the nation of Foot Village is to learn to love. A lack of compassion is our weakness. It is this weakness that made us play a pivotal role in bringing upon the apocalypse of 1998. Now we must overcome this weakness in order to rebuild civilization out of the ruins we created.

Why did you leave your last job?

Although we would love to still be a part of the Los Angeles police force, and all the payoffs that go with it, we cannot have a job that no longer exists. Like all organizations pre-1998, it crumbled in the apocalypse.

How do you deal with criticism?

Well. Very well.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Hopefully living in a prosperous world that we helped create. By then our bodies will be broken and useless from this constant drumming and screaming, so things better be peaceful by then.

How do you deal with authority?

We are the authority. What is with these questions? It is as if you have no knowledge of current affairs and historical facts post-1998...

What do you think of your last manager?

He made me laugh. I was sad to see him go.

What's the riskiest thing you have ever done?

As far as worthwhile risks go, I kinda don't believe they exist. Most worthwhile things require some sort of bravery, but it is better not to think of them as risks. That implies some sort of justified fear, and fear in any form is not justified. Fear is evil through and through. Even when things don't work out the way one hoped, or even bring about terrible results, there are always more amazing things on the way for those who keep following their bliss. Risk is nothing.

Please give me one example demonstrating how you overcame adversity in a difficult situation.

Once, when digging a well, we tapped into a lava stream. It rose quickly and threatened to flood our newly built nation. There was no time to divert the lava or move the city or built a wall. So we made our skin impervious to heat by focusing all the love in our hearts onto our flesh. The power of this cauterized our skin into a robust shell. The brimstone destroyed our buildings, but we just lived in the melting rock for the next few month untill everything hardened. Then we shed our shells and ate them. Just to make sure we got all our love back.

Foot Village are playing the Luminaire in London on 3rd October.

Playlist: Parts & Labor, Husker Du

My neighbour downstairs is called Judy and when she first introduced herself to me she invited me to her church. While she's nice enough most of the time recently she's been complaining about the noise coming from my flat. Aside from my housemate's penchant for severely bass-heavy drum and bass on a Saturday morning, she usually gets annoyed with walking around, talking in anything above a whisper and taking our shoes off. Now she has it in for  Omaha's indie rock heroes Cursive. You know, that band that used to have a cellist and sing about being an intellectual and toured with the Cure and Mogwai. It reminds me of the time my Mum told me to turn the Sigur Ros down. I am a terrible and inconsiderate human being.

Playlist: Bon Iver (turned down very low)

This weekend sees Plan B's 'festival of the year' taking place in sunny Birmingham and I'll be making my fourth trip to Supersonic. Rain is forecasted and funds are tight but regardless of those irrelevant aspects, the home of heavy metal is seeing a VERITABLE WEALTH of incredible bands descend,

In case you missed it my interview with Lisa and Jenny AKA Capsule is here. In the meantime, before everyone starts moaning about the Battles/Harvey Milk clash, here are my top 10 bands to watch this weekend. In no order.

1.) Cutting Pink With Knives - It's their last UK show, and beyond even the obvious reasons I have for being sad about them splitting up, their set (which is in fact the first of the whole festival) will no doubt be typically fun and filthy. But tinged with the melancholy of their demise. Sad times.

2.) Harvey Milk - Their legends and all that but I just want to wheel out my story about getting chatted up by one of them in a bar in New York before a High On Fire gig while he was waiting for his buddy Joe Preston.

3.) Dalek - Reppin' the hip-hop, Dalek might not be quite on the same form as they were with their album 'Absence', but to get blasted with some dense, wall of sound phat beats is always lovely.

4.) Efterklang - Having missed the Danes on a number of occasions, not even the clashes with Thrones and Beestung Lips will hold me back from another lost opportunity now.

5.) Parts & Labor - The good thing about festivals like Supersonic is they can add as a catch-all for bands you really should've seen by now but keep missing. P&L are one of those bands.

6.) Errors - The abundance of bands with one word names beginning with 'E' is probably above the national average at Supersonic. Errors are Mogwai's new chums and if they're alright by Mogwai they're alright by me.

7.) Earth - Earth are carrying the torch for the Sunn/Boris/Earth holy trinity this year at Supersonic. You could place bets on one of these playing, or at least an incarnation of an O'Malley band in some shape or form. Earth's last album "The Bees Made Honey In The Lions Skull" was completely perfect and hopefully they'll sound just as good this weekend.

8.) Guapo - Just another band with a confusing name (this is not EL Guapo), the much under-appreciated Guapo were essentially made for Supersonic.

9.) Rolo Tomassi - Having just signed with Hassle Records and taking their first steps out of the Holy Roar stables, it's onwards and upwards for Rolos, and by this time next year they'll be headlining Glastonbury so watch them now while they're small!

10.) Cath & Phil Tyler - Supersonic has always had folk leanings, which shouldn't be held against it as Tunng have been one of the highlights in the past, but this year it'll probably down to Cath and Phil (just like the couple off Eastenders??) to fill that space.

Playlist: Rolo Tomassi, Flying Lotus, Errors

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..but this cover of Efterklang's 'Mirador' could be the cutest thing I've seen/heard since that little girl jumping around in her video for 'Equestrian' by Les Savy Fav.

Proper excited about seeing Efterklang this weekend. Round of applause to Molly (10) and Jojo (7) for this cover though.

Playlist: Harvey Milk

Yesterday I was accused of 'selling out' and only going to big band gigs, like MBV and Radiohead. Which is fair enough. I am all about buying in and being punk as anything. So I thought I'd reassure myself that I've still got it and am down with the kids. Here is a selection of some lower-key gigs coming up which do not involve £40 tickets in advance. Oh and apologies to the Pre/Pens gig last night I didn't make, that would've been my number 1.

- Comanechi/Mirror! Mirror! - Tonight! But not going as I have book club. I'm not even joking. (Also tonight is Pivot supporting White Denim, bad night for gigs).

- Susan George Booth - 5th July, Dublin Castle.

- Micah P Hinson - 14th July, Puregroove Records instore. Love this man.

- Fu**ed Up/Shi**y Limits/Lovvers - 14th July, Old Blue Last.

- Sexfest (Dananananaykroyd, Pre etc) - Sunday 27th July, 93 Feet East.

- Dananananaykroyd/Mae Shi - 4th August, Old Blue Last.

- Rapturefest (Mirror! Mirror!, Omerta, Tubelord etc) - 9th August, Reading.

- Throats/Lakes/'Black Heart Kings' - 19 August, Underworld.

I am back in the game.

Playlist: Cat On Form, Thursday

Planes Mistaken For Stars have consistently been one of my favourite bands since I was about 18. Since they split up last year I've been anticipating any new bands members go on to form, and while there are a few others floating about it's Git Some who sound the most promising.

Git Some features Planes's ex-guitarist and ex-bassist and make the most satisfyingly filthy, sludgey punk rock 'n' roll you could ever really need.

If all this wasn't good enough news already there are already UK tour dates announced and an album on the way. No messing around here. 14th October at the Windmill in Brixton. Start getting excited now.

Playlist: God Is An Astronaut