iCast: Björk

 MTV needs your help determining which videos get nominated for the Best Female Video! Select the one you love best by casting a single vote. You've got until Wednesday (July 23) to make your selection here. The two Björk-videos up for nomination are Declare Independence (directed by Michel Gondry) and Wanderlust (directed by Encyclopedia Pictura).

http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2008/best-female-video/?page=3

Verona, the location of hopeless love.

Romeo knew that when he started 'singing' underneath Juliets balcony, trying to get her out on the town.

The town then being Verona today being the beautiful city of Verona, with it spectacular arena.

He, Romeo did not know that he would not have had to spend so much time underneath the balcony if Björk had been playing in town.

Well how would Shakespeare have known?

The Madwebcarpenters of bjork.com know something.

Never to walk under a ladder or stand underneath somebodies balcony whispering sweat nothings.

The MWC know this:

We have 30 tickets to give to 15 people who want to see the show in Verona on the 28th of July.

Simply send us and email at bjork.verona@gmail.com and 15 will be picked of random and given 2 tickets to the concert.

For  you and your loved one!

Only the lucky ones will be contacted on Monday 21st

This is one of the last Volta concerts so if you have not seen it yet, this is the place to go. 

Shortly before the Náttura concert The Reykjavik Grapevine published an interview with Björk and author Andri Magnason.

The interview is very enlightening as to the reasons for the concert. We pulled this off nattura.info :

"ThE GRAPEVINE: First, tell me a little about how this is all connected: the concert, Andri’s book release and his upcoming film  release. Is there more? How did this come together?

BjöRk: It was really just a coincidence. But with this, like so much  else that has to do with this issue, people are very upset. I’ve never  been a part of anything like this before, and I never really thought  I would. But there is just so much at stake here. ... Also, I thought I would just do more good that way. But now, there  was little slump, so I decided to just raise as much hell as possible.  There were still people around who hadn’t given up entirely, and I  started talking to them, and that’s when I met Andri. His book was  just about to be released in English translation"

 More can be read at www.nattura.info and at Reykjavik Grapevine. 

Náttúra, the largest live music event ever held in Iceland, took place yesterday evening in front of 30,000 people in central Reykjavik. As well attracting 10% of the country's total population, the event was also broadcast live to a global audience via National Geographic's World Music website.

Náttúra, the largest live music event ever held in Iceland, took place yesterday evening in front of 30,000 people in central Reykjavik. 

As well attracting 10% of the country's total population, the event was also broadcast live to a global audience via National Geographic's World Music website.

During the headline performance, performed under blazing sunshine in Laugardalur park, Björk protested against the hugely destructive industrial developments (mainly aluminium smelting plants and their associated infrastructure, which have caused the total annihilation of many unique and ecologically important areas such as Kárahnjúkar) that have been already built, with many more planned, in Europe's largest unspoilt wilderness, Iceland.

During the encore, referring to the aluminium smelting plants, she repeatedly chanted: "náttúra, náttúra, náttúra, náttúra," ending with "náttúra - don't sell it" to huge cheers from a crowd that ranged from young children to grandparents.

Sigur Rós, who recently released the album 'Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust', performed several songs from the record including the single 'Gobbledigook', which received an especially warm reception as Björk and Ólöf Arnalds joined them on stage for a unique collobaration. 

About 10% of the total population of Iceland attended the free event, which also saw Ólöf Arnalds and Ghostigital performing on a massive stage near the centre of Reykjavik, Iceland's capital.

Organiser Einar Örn Benediktsson, Björk's Sugarcubes bandmate who joined her on stage for one song, simply said after the event: "This was a truly momentous evening."

It is hoped that the event will inspire and inform a different way of approaching the issue as many believe that Iceland, ranked #1 in the world in a recent UN quality of life survey, can maintain a strong and progressive economy without the intrusion of polluting industrial processes and the sale of ecologically rich land (at reduced prices) to multinational companies.

www.nattura.info

nattura famous ringtones

Fantastic atmosphere is gripping Reykjavik for the <strong>Náttúra</strong> Concert on this coming Saturday. The stage is built in Laugardalur and today the Náttúra concert released a whole scope and range of ringtones made from the sounds of nature in Iceland. The icelandic soundartist Finnbogi Pétursson compiled and cut and recorded these tones. They give a great sense of nature, and of humour. All the profits from the ringtone sale go to a fund to support the website Björk, Sigur Rós and Ölöf Arnalds are playing in aid of. The concert has a great environmental tone and now: ringtones. If you want share in this, you can buy ringtones and have your phone ring in Icelandic where ever in the world by going to <a href="http://www.nattura.info">www.nattura.info<;/a> and get directions there how to get them ringtones. [taken from bjork.com]

IS the PHYSICAL bouncing back? It might as we have just received communication from One Little Indian regarding vinyl re-issues. We read it and decided to post it here:

"For all the audiophiles out there we are reissuing some classic OLI albums using the newest technology in vinyl manufacturing - Half Speed Direct Metal Mastering. The groove is cut directly in copper metal. Transient response is greatly improved. Stampers are plated directly from the DMM Copper Master, eliminating two of the three plating steps required for lacquers. In short, DMM yields better detail resolution and a lower noise ratio. This is especially good for long play albums, or audiophile material. All albums are remastered direct from the original master tapes and pressed on heavy weight 200g vinyl audiophile discs. Each release is strictly limited, housed in a plastic wallet and individually numbered.
Released on 30th June, all titles are listed below and available from OLI webshop:

Björk "GLING-GLO" - order here
Björk "DEBUT" - order here
Björk "POST" - order here
Björk "TELEGRAM" - order here
Björk "HOMOGENIC" - order here
Björk "JOGA" - order here
Björk "SELMA SONGS" - order here
Björk "VESPERTINE" - order here
Björk "GREATEST HITS" - order here
Björk "MEDULLA" - order here
Björk "DRAWING RESTRAINT 9" - order here
Björk "VOLTA" - order here

We have a collection of singles box sets from the Sugarcubes. These box sets will be available as eight 7" singles and as a six CD box set containing all of the single recordings between October 1986-October 1989.

Order The Sugarcubes 7" box set
Order The Sugarcubes CD box set

The Sugarcubes "LIFE'S TOO GOOD" - order here
The Sugarcubes "HERE TODAY, TOMORROW NEXT WEEK!" - order here
The Sugarcubes "STICK AROUND FOR JOY" - order here
The Sugarcubes "IT'S IT" - order here
The Sugarcubes "GREAT CROSSOVER POTENTIAL" - order here "

Revamp the turntable right Now!

And where is the photo to accompany this news? it is on its way! :)

18 HOURS OF MUSIC…
18 MINUTES BY TRAIN FROM LONDON…
ECLECTIC, ECCENTRIC, ELECTRIC…

GET ‘WILD IN THE COUNTRY’

Wild in the Country is 18 hours of non-stop music and fun set in the palatial grounds of Hertfordshire’s Knebworth House. Starting at 1pm on Saturday 5th July, this one day festival is set across six stunningly decorated marquee’d arenas, and the addition, this year, of a Live outdoor stage. The quality of music on offer provides the perfect soundtrack, whilst the Enchanted Wood, a Victorian Fun Fair, Twisted Tea Rooms and a giant chill-out tepee are just some of the surprises in store at Wild in the Country - a day and night of great music, merry-making and mischief.

Hot on the heels of her critically acclaimed sold out UK tour, Wild in the Country will be Björk’s only UK festival date this year.

This years line-up reflects a diverse collection of artists and DJ’s, with a mixture of live performances and DJ sets. This year will see some exclusive performances, the aforementioned Bjork, and also the confirmed appearance of the legendary Danny Tenaglia. This is a real coup for Wild in the Country as it will be the New Yorker’s first UK festival for 6 years. The range of DJs and live acts will mean there is something to suit everyone, and for festival goers, a non-stop 18 hour musical marathon.

The live performers playing at this years festival are coming from all over the globe to delight the crowds at Wild in the Country. Iceland’s Björk will be joined by Belgium’s electro/rock outfit Soulwax, Australia’s drum and bass heroes Pendulum, Battles and Hercules & Love Affair from the States, as well as a good measure of UK acts. This includes one of the most promising bands of 2008, Oxford five piece Foals, currently riding high following their Top 5 debut album release, Antidotes. One of the world’s most innovative multi vocalist and beat box musicians Killa Kela will be sure to whip the crowd in to a frenzy with his impressive skills and Kissy Sell Out are just a few of the musical treats one can expect at the new Live stage this year.

Richie Hawtin will be bringing his techno vibe to Knebworth for the day with his own Minus arena, and Soulwax will headline their very own tent. Festival veterans Sister Bliss and Maxi Jazz of Faithless will also be teaming up for a rare joint DJ set. Wild in the Country has one of the strongest DJ line-ups, festival goers will be spoilt for choice, with global stars Sasha, Carl Craig and 2Manydjs all wowing the crowds.




TICKETS

£54.00 + Booking Fee
http://www.Seetickets.com">Seetickets.com
24hr box office +44 (0) 8712 307137

LIVE
Björk, Soulwax, Foals, Battles, Pendulum, Booka Shade, Hercules & Love Affair, The Presets, Kissy Sell Out, The Cuban Brothers, Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobious Pip, Metronomy, Killa Kela, Audion, Hearthrob, The Field, XX Teens, Slagsmalsklubben
DJs

Sasha, 2Manydjs, Danny Tenaglia (UK Festival Exclusive),Richie Hawtin, Mylo (DJ set), Faithless (DJ set with Sister Bliss & Maxi Jazz), Carl Craig, M.A.N.D.Y., James Zabiela, Dave Seaman, Magda, Marco Corola, Annie Mac ( Radio 1), Swtich, Yousef, Ame, Plump Djs, Norman Jay Dixon, Duke Dumont, Audiofly, Serge Santiago, Inxec, Matt Tolfrey, Marcus James, DJ Aim

Please support UNICEF’s Myanmar (Burma) Cyclone Appeal

On 2 May, Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar (Burma), leaving many thousands of people dead and hundreds of thousands of people homeless. The cyclone has caused widespread devastation, damaging buildings and destroying homes, leaving people without shelter. Thousands of children in Myanmar have lost everything to the cyclone. Not only are we concerned for their lack of shelter and clean water; we also fear for those children who have been separated from their loved ones.

UNICEF staff, who were already in the country prior to the cyclone, are working around the clock to reach the hundreds of thousands of people who have been affected by this disaster. Our pre-positioned stocks of supplies have allowed us to respond quickly to the urgent needs of children and their families. We have delivered supplies in the five affected districts and divisions including Laputta, the most severely hit township.

We are currently appealing for £13 million to meet the needs of children affected by this disaster for the next six months. Please help us to continue to provide assistance to the children of Myanmar by making a donation now.

http://www.unicef.org.uk/burma-bjork

Toumani Diabaté is joining the Volta tour yet again (previously he joined in on the Glastonbury gig in june last year) with his 21-stringed Kora - this time for the three gigs at the Hammersmith in London on the 14th, 17th and 20th of april.

In early 2008, Diabaté released his new album of solo Kora music, The Mande Variations, to widespread critical acclaim. Mojo called his music "The most beautiful music on earth." Don't miss him in London! He has expressed in magazines how he has enjoyed being a part of the Volta experience and working with Björk:

"It's a great honour that she was interested in kora music and wanted to collaborate with me. I'm very proud of that work." Chicago Sun Times

"She was great, ready to experiment with kora music." Global Rhythm

"Collaborating with different musicians from different culture is the same thing. I'm happy to do that, because they have something to say and I have something to say, and when we put that together, it's just happenin' and hopefully the people will love it." Pitchfork