If you’re keen on hearing a remixed version of The Cure’s finest live recording, then you’ll be pleased to know that the 1990 promotional album, Entreat, is being given a deluxe reissue treatment on double vinyl in January of 2011. As a former Cure bootleg obsessive, I can attest that this performance is the sound of The Cure at its absolute zenith. It was the best line-up of The Cure, touring behind the best Cure album on what should have been the band’s last tour (following up on all of Robert Smith’s threats, promises, etc.). But, alas, the 90’s happened, anyway, and The Cure decided to participate. The new remixed collection, which was originally part of the Disintegration reissue from earlier this year, will be released by The Cure’s longtime home, Elektra Records. The expanded form adds four tracks to the original promotional disc, and rumors are circulating that it will receive a CD release of its own as well. I have yet to hear any of Robert Smith’s remixes of these recordings, but I’m not sure how they could be improved upon. The version of Disintegration‘s title track is inarguably the best thing the band ever put to tape.

Blur bassist turned foodie, Alex James, has been given an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from Bournemouth University. James, who grew up in Bournemouth, accepted the honor with a speech that opened thusly: “I would just like to say a few words to you about cheese.” He went on to express his love of cheese, advising, “If you find something you love just go after it with all guns blazing.” He went on to stress the importance of higher education, particularly in the arts because, well, you can meet your future bandmates there.

Echoing the Saint Etienne cover of the original Neil Young track:

How bizarre. Also, they absolutely ruined “The Constant.” Pity.

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Via Metafilter See also “The rage of Common People”

Sigh. I don’t even know where to begin. This comment from YouTube of all places hits the spot: “for a band whose first album was based entirely around the notion that consumerist society was slowly eking away at common decency and sense, to go with one of the most unscrupulous tech companies there is is just a bit sad.”

As amusing as Kanye West can be sometimes… just… no:

“I honestly think Coldplay are on the same level as The Beatles. In 30 years, when Coldplay are old men, people will look back and say, ‘These guys were more talented than The Beatles.'”

Um, no they won’t. I can’t even get into how wrong this is. On every level. Man, he’s going to get so much shit for saying this.

So, Liam Gallagher has finally revealed what his life post-Oasis sounds like. And the result is, well, underwhelming. But what song wouldn’t fail to live up to the hype of a Gallagher brother’s middle-fingered salute to his (more) talented older brother? You know, the one who wrote all the Oasis hits? Anyway, Beady Eye is the oddly named quartet that will live in the shadow of Oasis in perpetuity, unless, of course, lightning strikes twice and Liam Gallagher somehow manages to outshine his original band. As unlikely as that is, Beady Eye isn’t terrible. In fact, if you’d played me “Bring the Light” and didn’t tell me who it was, I would have been pleasantly surprised. It’s a decent, retro ’60’s throwback, replete with boogie-down piano and a chorus of ill-advised backup singers. Liam’s voice sounds uncharacteristically un-whiny. I’ve played it several times in a row. On its own it probably would get some steam behind it, but lingering in the trail of high expectations it merely sounds OK. Liam hasn’t come out swinging. Maybe he’s saving the knock-out punch for Noel for the album.