Scare your kids with Katkiller's pop culture dolls

Josmar Madureira (a.k.a Katkiller) is an artist and designer based in Brazil - as well as being the person responsible for these superb Katkiller pop culture dolls.

Take your pick from...well, just about everyone from Amy Winehouse (complete with tattoos), Joey Ramone and David Bowie (Aladdin Sane era) through to the Star Wars characters, Twiggy and Andy Warhol. All are approximately 21 inches tall and weigh around 195 grams. They're made of cloth (raw cotton and polyester), stuffed with synthetic anti-allergic fibre, then painted with silkscreen ink.

Check out the full range via the link below. We don't know the details of price and ordering as yet - currently chasing up the designer and will update as soon as I know more.

Find out more at the Katkiller website

Via Retro To Go

Possibly the greatest show on earth... The Junipers and John Stammers - Live! Tonight!

If you're in Manchester tonight, better get yourself down to the greatest show on Earth. Seriously. At Lee Gorton's (of Alfie fame) Down At The Redbricks night, tonight, you'll get the incredible sunshine popsike of The Junipers, promoting their new 'Cut Your Key' album (the album of 2008), as well as the pastoral jazz-folk of John Stammers, playing with full band (more here).

It starts at 8pm and Manchester's gorgeous and newest venue, The Deaf Institute on Grosvenor Street. [pic: Bob Stuart]

Roulette Pin-Ups - Françoise Hardy

Who?

Françoise Hardy. Singer, actor, model... star gazer.

Where can you find her?

Just about anywhere. She's down with the folkies, doin' the alligator with the Yé-Yé crowd, smokin' with the beatniks, a catwalk, lying on a hillside lookin' at the night sky... every hot blooded man's dreams.

Style

Too many to note here. Fran' dug Parisian chic as well as motorbike trash. She could flutter her 'lashes or kick you upside your head, jus' depends what mood you catch her in. Jus' don't chat her up... her feller is Jacques Dutronc.

Quote

"...tous les garçons et les filles de mon âge se promènent dans la rue deux par deux..."

Roulette?

Électrique et élégant!

Autechre to release 13 new songs

Autechre can be hard work... but then again, like Beefheart or Zappa, they can be hugely rewarding too. So with that, Autechre are to release 13 new songs digitally over the space of two weeks beginning on May 19.

In total the band will release over 140 minutes of new music. The tracks will be released digitally on bleep.com over a course of a fortnight either as a mini-subscription or individual track downloads as and when they become available. The tunes will then appear as EP Bundles on iTunes a week later. Although most people will probably wait a couple of weeks and pinch the lot from Bit Torrent or something. Anyway, the tracklisting is overleaf.

Ned's Atomic Dustbin to reunite

I've got absolutely no idea what to say about this news story. What I'll do is pad it out with a load of pointless procrastinations, making it look like a thoroughly researched scrawl about an indie band from the early 90s. From a distance at least. Of course, this stalling will only work for so long before you start foaming at the nostril and demanding some news. Well, the news is this: Ned's Atomic Dustbin are set to reform for a Christmas show. That's right, you heard. Ned's Atomic Dustbin have announced that they will reform to play a sole date at the London Astoria on December 6. Now, I can't drag that out any more, so here's a video to bulk up the page with.

Stevie Wonder to tour

Stevie Wonder has announced a short tour of the US and Canada, kicking off June 18 in Wantagh, NY. Wonder, who is backing Barack Obama (and the Choom Gang) in the race for the US President, will play 13 shows which wind up July 12 in Vancouver. Wonder’s most recent album ‘A Time To Love’ was released in 2005 and earned him his 22nd Grammy award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. For US tour dates, read over... if you live in the UK and are sick at the thought of not seeing, watch The Best Stevie Wonder Video Ever (TM ElecRoul) instead.

Mira Calix to perform live film soundtrack

Mira Calix, first lady of modern electronics, is to work with Augusto Contento, director of the film Onibus. Their project, also called Onibus, will see Mira Calix performing at Evolution Festival at Leeds Town Hall and the National Centre for Early Music in York.

The live performance will feature a film score performed for a screening of the film, with musicians Peter Sparks, Mark Norman, Oliver Coates and Mira Calix. "This unique performance weaves a hauntingly beautiful score for clarinet, marimba, cello and laptop around a trip into the depths of the Brazilian land and people," reads the Opera North web site, who commissioned the project. Mira Calix has performed with Radiohead, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Aphex Twin, if you need a point of reference. If you need another, there's a video waiting for you over the jump.

'Sonic Youth: Sleeping Nights Awake' documentary to be featured at CineVegas film festival

Man! I need to get me to Vegas. Not only can I watch the lizards in Circus Circus and maybe get someone to drop the melon in the bath with me when White Rabbit peaks, but I can also get over to The CineVegas film festival.

The film festival has announced it's line-up and one of the main films is an intriguing documentary on Sonic Youth, called "Sonic Youth: Sleeping Nights Awake." Produced by non-profit filmmaking patrons Project Moonshine, the twist with this digi-vid doc was that it was shot entirely by seven high school students and featuring interviews, backstage footage, and 10 songs that were filmed live in Reno, Nevada on back in July 2006. The other films stink of rock 'n' roll too...

Paul Weller announces even more live shows

Paul Weller. Some say he's post punk royalty. Others say he's king of the mods. To be honest, I've got no idea what he his. Either way, he's announced a load more dates around the UK. His new album, '22 Dreams' is out on June 24th, and features Noel Gallagher, Graham Coxon, Aziz Ibrahim (Stone Roses mkII), Steve Craddock (Ocean Colour Scene) and Little Barrie. Read over for dates and new track listing for his LP.

Exhibition of Bob Dylan paintings London

This lady, holding a painting by Bob Dylan, couldn't look less thrilled could she? I mean, she may well dig John Wesley Harding and Freewheelin', but chances are, she's got painters she digs a whole load more. Anyway, that's not the point of this article. So what is the point?

Well, an exhibition of Bob Dylan's art will be on display in London featuring drawings and sketches from the singer's time on the road between 1989 and 1992. The Halcyon Gallery announced Friday that fans will be able to peruse the art starting June 14, at an exhibit called The Drawn Blank Series. A gallery release described the works as invoking feelings of "anonymity, transience, rootlessness and sometimes loneliness." Hey! I get that sometimes!

"This is an incredible opportunity for viewing this powerful body of work, which gives an insight into the artist's soul and which have already been the subject of widespread critical acclaim," the gallery's president Paul Green told BBC News.

Spider named after Neil Young

Ironic this. This weekend, some guy in a white coat turned up at the Roulette offices with a spider trapped under a pint glass. He told us that it was a new breed and discovered by him while he sought some clarity in a pub down the road. He'd gone and named it Aranues Blogtipus Diadematus Creemripoffius. He got his £50, 40 cigs, one pair of shoes and some roll-on antiperspirant off us and left. Something to do with an 'admin fee'. Anyway, the irony of all this is that Mr Singer Songwriter Neil Young is immortalised in the bug world after an American biologist named a new species of trapdoor spider after his favourite musician.

East Carolina University biologist Jason Bond calls the new species Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi. "There are rather strict rules about how you name new species," Bond said in a statement. "As long as these rules are followed you can give a new species just about any name you please. With regards to Neil Young, I really enjoy his music and have had a great appreciation of him as an activist for peace and justice."
No mention of a strange admin fee though...

New Releases, 12th May, with Rick Allen's missing arm

Hey man. Y'see this guy here? It's my old pal, Rick Allen. Rick's the drummer with Def Leppard. Now, The Deflep guys like to rock y'know? Not me. I've got other interests. Man. I dig jazz, rock, folk... but not really metal. I jus' can't buy into y'know? So, a while back, me and Rick split. It was painful at first, but y'know, after a while, we started writing letters and swapping emails and things are pretty good between us.

People always ask me if me and Rick will ever get back together, but it'll never happen. We're both happy doin' our own thing y'know? The last time I saw Rick was around the car crash... I was lying down, jus' laughing after our race with an Alfa Romeo, then, up comes Rick, blinking wildly and muttering "I'm a famous rock drummer!", "I want my mommy!" Crazy times. Well, now it's time for me to get reviewing for Electric Roulette... and there's LOADS of good records out today!

Beach Boys to re-release early singles set

The Beach Boys are going to release a collection of all their early US singles on Capitol Records, covering '62 to '65. Right up to, but not including, Pet Sounds basically. The collection will be released on June 16 in a limited edition boxed set of 16 CDs recreating the original 45s, including the original B-sides. As with all releases like this, there'll be loads of bonus material too. Read over for the details...

Stereolab to tour North America in the fall... Europe next?

Stereolab are planning a set of tour dates across the U.S. in support of new long player, Chemical Chords. Interestingly, the support act for these dates is Stereolab singer Laetitia Sadier's other project Monade. Chemical Chords is coming out on August 19th via 4AD. This will be the first Stereolab full length release since 2004's Margerine Eclipse. They'll also play the Synch festival in Athens on June 15th, and the Slottsfjell Festival in Norway this Summer. More dates for Europe are to be announced later. Read over for the dates, or, if you're not interested in American shows, watch this video.

Review - Portishead 'Third'

Like most, Electric Roulette has to wait a bit to get a record. Sometimes, we're a bit lazy and don't get 'round to doing something, buying an LP long after reviews are out... but that shouldn't stop us reviewing an album when we do get out arses in gear. Seeing as we didn't get a review copy of Portishead's 'Third', and I went and bought it yesterday, I thought it was time for a peer into the murky sky flickery.

I've heard a lot of snippets and leaked tracks, but that only served as a taster. I've always felt that Portishead were an album band and that the singles, or at least single-tracks, only told a bit of the story. Go back to 'Dummy' or the eponymous LP and you'll see that, as a whole, they make a lot more sense than grabbing a track on (the horrendous) shuffle function on an MP3 player. So, as a whole, what is 'Third' like?

Celebrate the weekend with video by The Junipers

It's the weekend and the sun looks like it's out for a few pints and a trip down the record/charity shops. Do, with that, let's celebrate with some sonic sunshine in the shape of The Junipers, THE band of 2008. Official. Read our review of their latest LP here. It's a masterpiece.

R. Kelly... finally goes to court over serious allegations

A while ago, we took the piss outta R Kelly with a snap, taken as he left court. Well, after a stupid amount of time, R Kelly now goes to trial, after 5 years waiting. Quite why there's been such a delay is something of a mystery.

The case revolves around R Kelly allegedly having sex with an underage girl. And allegedly filming it. And allegedly pissing on her. Now, right at the last minute, sources say that there have been secret hearings dealing with the potential trial testimony of the Atlanta woman, who allegedly had a threesome with Kelly and the girl who appears in the video for which he faces charges.

The Atlanta woman can identify the girl and testify she was underage at the time, sources say.    The same sources reckon that the Atlanta woman received immunity from state and federal prosecution in exchange for her testimony. Now, for the lengthy, and pretty grisly background on this case, read over. Trial starts today.

'Bird Sounds In Close-Up', and the Legend of Victor C Lewis

Released on Hallmark / Pickwick in 1969, 'Bird Sounds In Close Up'  is the possibly the greatest LP I've reviewed in Electric Roulette's entire 48 year history. BSICU, as it is referred to by absolutely nobody, features 100 different "sound items" from the vocabulary of 40 British Birds, live in their late 60s natural habitats around the UK including Meadow Pipits, Yellowhammers, Cirl Buntings, Corn Buntings and various types of Tits.

The man responsible for recording and compiling this seminal work was Nature Sound Recordist Victor C Lewis. 1969 saw the release of numerous "landmark" rock and roll albums. The MC5's debut. Led Zeppelin II. Miles Davis' 'In A Silent Way'. 'The Best Of The Easybeats - Volume 2'. Perched head and shoulders above them all is 'Bird Sounds In Close-Up', and yet despite the critical plaudits heaped upon the LP, the life of it's creator remains clouded in rumour and mystery. What follows is an attempt to shed a little more light on the Victor C Lewis legend, through a close study of this, his defining work.

Unreleased live LP of Frank Zappa out soon!

The Zappa family trust continue their archival excavation project with a previously unreleased 2CD concert album... 'Wazoo' which celebrates the 35th anniversary of classic Zappa LP, 'The Grand Wazoo'.

Vaulternative Records will release Frank Zappa's 2CD concert recording 'Wazoo' on May 27, 2008. The Trust - headed by Zappa's widow Gail Zappa - celebrates the musical legacy of Frank Zappa with new albums, DVDs and AudioDocumentaries.

'Wazoo' is the third concert release from Vaulternative Records, which releases whole concert albums and other miscellaneous Vault recordings. The Trust also runs Zappa Records, which consists of finished masters or album projects produced exclusively by Frank Zappa. Zappa Records releases include 'MOFO': two historic multi-disc packages on the making of Zappa's seminal debut album 'Freak Out!'

Nom De Guerre x Oliver Peoples Roy Orbison sunglasses

Oliver Peoples Eyewear has teamed up with Nom de Guerre to produce these retro-styled sunglasses.

It's all about the 1950s, with the hand sculpted designed inspired by the eyewear worn by Roy Orbison in that decade.

Take your pick from dark mahogany or black, both retailing for £159.

Find out more at the Oki-Ni website

Via Retro To Go