More on that Bloc Party Split

With the band planning an extended break Bloc Party drummer Matt Tong suggested that following their current Bloctober tour he may be finished with music

"Unfortunately that is going to be it for the time being, ... I don't know, I wouldn't mind trying something else for a while."

Bloc Party or no Bloc Party, Tong doesn’t thinks we will be hearing more from the rest of the band.

"Kele is an insatiable workaholic and creating is something he is so connected to so you'll definitely hear from him again along with Russell and Gordon also."

You can hear the whole interview on BBC’s Subculture or read more excerpts on the BBC 6 Music News website.

Bloc Party to Split?

Bloc Party have cancelled tonight’s Newport show for medical reasons, but is there something more sinister going on?

Speaking to the BBC the Bloc Party drummer Matt Tong has suggested that after three albums the band might be calling it quits.

We wait further news from the Bawley favourites.

One More Chance for Bloc Party

Hot on the heels of their Intimacy Remixed album Bloc Party have a new single called One More Chance.

The new track was recorded in April with Jacknife Lee who previously worked with the band's on Intimacy and Weekend in the City albums and mixed by Phillipe Zdar (Cassius) who has just finished working on the delicious new Phoenix album (Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix) .

One More Chance will get its first radio play this Thursday, and will be available through Witcha Recordings from August 10th.

Splendour is Back and the line up is bigger than ever.

Starting with the reformed Jane’s Addiction who should be fresh of their NINJA shows with Nine Inch Nails will bring their OTT stage antics to Byron as will The Flaming Lips back in the country for the first time in ‘who knows?’.

Bawley favourites The Gutter Twins, Bloc Party and MGMT for Bloc Party and MGMT the Splendour shows will be their only Australian performances for 2009.

Of course there is also a great list of up and coming and established Aussie bands excitingly this includes the stars of the last two Bawley sponsored Friday Freebie stars The Middle East, and Bob Evans, along with Midnight Juggernauts, Decoder Ring, Josh Pyke, Birds of Tokyo, and Lost Valentinos.

Line up so far:

Bloc Party
The Flaming Lips
Jane’s Addiction
MGMT
Hilltop Hoods
Grinspoon
Midnight Juggernauts
The Specials
Sarah Blasko
Augie March
Josh Pyke
Friendly Fires,
Little Birdy
Birds Of Tokyo
The Gutter Twins
Manchester Orchestra
Yuksek
Bob Evans
White Lies
Kram
Yves Klein Blue
Decoder Ring
Lost Valentinos
Leader Cheetah
Jack Ladder
The Middle East
Polaroid Fame
Glass Towers

The event takes place on the Saturday July 25th and Sunday July 26th 2009, Belongil Fields, Byron Bay.

Tickets will go on sale and no doubt sell out on 14th May.

Remix Bloc Party

Way back in 2007 Bloc Party gave their fans a chance to remix The Prayer some of the results were great the k-rad remix even found its way into that years Bawley 100.

Jump to 2009, ahead of the release of Intimacy Remixed Bloc Party are giving you another chance to mess with their music. The Intimacy tracks Signs, Ares, and Ion Square are all available to download as multipart mp3 ‘stems’.

When you are finished you can share your completed work and listen to other fans attempts on www.blocparty.com.

Download Here:

Signs
Ares
Ion Square

And don't forget to tell us know how your remixes are coming along.

Can't Get Enough Intimacy

On the 11th of May Bloc Party will release Intimacy Remixed.

The remix version of Intimacy will join the download, premium download, standard, standard plus bonus tracks and deluxe versions of Intimacy. You might remember that Bloc Party’s debut Silent Alarm was released in about 92 different formats each with a slightly different track listing and/or cover art.

I look forward to seeing how many more different versions of Intimacy we will be asked to buy.

For now it is Intimacy Remixed; the album’s first single will be Armand Van Helden's reworking of Signs will be out on April 27th. Before then Signs is this week’s Friday Freebie – download the mp3 here.

The full Intimacy Remixed track listing:

1. Ares – Villains remix
2. Mercury – Herve is in Disarray remix
3. Halo – We Have Band Dub
4. Biko – Mogwai remix
5. Trojan Horse – John B remix
6. Signs – Armand Van Helden remix
7. One Month Off – Filthy Dukes remix
8. Zephyrus – Phase One remix
9. Talons – Phones RIP remix
10. Better Than Heaven – No Age remix
11. Ion Square – Banjo or Freakout remix
12. Letter To My Son – Gold Panda remix
13. Your Visits are Getting Shorter – Double D remix.

Bawley (Hearts) 2008: Bawley crew concerts of the year: Nick

5. Malcolm Middleton, Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney, March

It was almost uncomfortable but utterly engrossing to watch Malcolm Middleton, with only an acoustic guitar for company, singing some incredibly bleak and personal songs in this tiny, intimate venue. Gigs don't get much more raw than this.

4. Goldfrapp, Opera House, Sydney, October

The opposite extreme: Goldfrapp, with full band and fourteen piece string section, making an awesome noise under the world's most famous roof. (FasterLouder Review)

3. The National, City Recital Hall, Sydney, January

It takes a very special band to mesmerise a crowd in a soulless, library-like venue like the City Recital Hall. The National are a very special band. 'About Today' was epic.

2. Sufjan Stevens, State Theatre, Sydney, January

Brass, woodwind, a pitch-perfect voice and an encore that included hula-hooping. Magnificent.

1. Bloc Party, Hordern Pavillion, Sydney, November

They came, they saw, they conquered. A perfect set, a super-tight performance and a spectacular light show helped Bloc Party tear the Hordern Pavilion to pieces.

Runners Up:

MGMT, Birmingham Academy, Eels, Enmore Theatre, Band Of Horses, Metro Theatre

Kele wants your sexy problems.

Mini Post As part of Bloc Party's takeover of UK newspaper The Guardian, Kele Okereke is turning agony aunt to help readers with their problems over the next few weeks.  And Kele has apparently specifically requested your "sexy questions".  

Also on the site: cooking with Matt Tong, and the band's musical map of London.

Bloc Party: Put on Free Shows, Take Over Radio Station

Despite sending one of our best correspondents out on to the streets of America for a few weeks, weddings, time zones and massive distances have ruled Bawley out of a ticket to this Friday’s FREE Bloc Party gig at the New York Roseland Ballroom. Better located readers should go here for ticket details.

If - like us - you can’t make it to the show, you can still get your fill of Bloc Party love as the band take up a September long residency on UK digital radio station XFM.

From 9pm(BST) every Sunday night Matt and Kele will be in to chat about and spin some of their favourite tunes. The kind folk at XFM have posted the previous shows for your streaming pleasure.

Bloc Party are Kylie fans? Hmm not that surprised really.

Check Your Email: (More) New Bloc Party

Hello!

Following the download release of Intimacy last month, Bloc Party is back with another new track.

The track, one of the CD edition bonus tracks, is set to debut on Zane Lowe’s Radio One show tomorrow night.

Those that have already purchased the album will be able to download the track as soon as it has had its radio debut.

At Bawley we hope it is more Biko and less Ares.

Update: the new track produced by Paul Epworth is called Talons, just a few more hours.

Update: Mini Review: Talons has a danceable beat, angular guitars, and builds into something of an epic rock song - what else would you expect from a Bloc Party single? Do we like it? I think so, listen here and tell us what you think?

The Verdict on Intimacy

HOT NEWS: After a lightening quick listen of Bloc Party's new album Intimacy upon it's release late on Thursday night, the early verdict is in. It is good. In fact, it is better than good. It's safe to say bawley's faith in Bloc Party has been restored. From the upbeat Trojan Horse to the aching lovesong Biko it is almost a perfect combination of Silent Alarm and A Weekend In The City proving that the mix of Paul Epworth and Jacknife Lee working together is nothing but a good thing.

Mercury is the worst track on the album. What a relief.

Expect a blow by blow review from the bawley team in the days to come. We are sated.

The Golden Age

Mini Post: With new releases on the way from Bloc Party, Deerhunter, Mecruy Rev, and Deftones the next few months could be the beginning of the new Golden Age, or this could just be an excuse to post a link to the new TV on the Radio single Golden Age from the album Dear Science, due out on September 23rd.

Bloc Party share their 'Intimacy'.

So Bloc Party make the shock announcement that their new album will be made available this week as a cheap download only available from the band's website, before a physical version (with extra tracks) is released later on.

Did anyone say 'Radiohead'?

The album, called 'Intimacy' can be preordered from Bloc Party's website here. Half of it wass produced by 'Silent Alarm' producer Paul Epworth, with the other half (including recent disappointing single 'Mercury') was produced by 'A Weekend In The City' producer Jackknife Lee.

Bawley is currently hoping that it'll be at least half good.

Everything is Going to Shit

mini post: Today Bloc Party released their new track Mercury after quite some build up and even a facebook countdown application (cool huh?). Early reviews from punters are less than impressed with the direction Kele Okereke continues to take the band. Where are the guitars one might ask.

Like 2007's Flux, Mercury is produced by Jacknife Lee and gives us a hint of what the coming third album will sound like. In the end controversial Flux was loved by fans the world around however here at bawley we're not quite sure we'll warm to Mercury anytime soon. Kele, we get your retrograde-war sub-text but perhaps this time mercury going into retrograde is a sign for something else. Maybe I just got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?

Listen and watch here.