– Incomparable shape-shifting vocalist Mike Patton collaborates with composer Marc Streitenfeld and System of a Down singer Serj Tankian in a song called “Bird’s Eye,” which rolls at the end credits of a just-opening flick called Body of Lies.
– Patton will also be sharing vocal duties in a new group with Adam “Doseone” Drucker (Subtle) and Tunde Adabimpe (TV on the Radio).
– Dirge metallers Pelican were robbed in Rome, losing thousands of dollars in gear as well as passports and recorded song ideas.
– Beastly bassist and electronic experimentalist Tom Jenkinson, also known as Squarepusher, will be playing a handful of European dates in November.
– Dub/metal pioneers Dub Trio embarked on a four-week European tour, including 13 shows in France.
– Jam/jazz pianist Marco Benevento will perform with a pair of trios for seven November shows in the Northeast.
– Prolific jazz reed player Ken Vandermark plays a pair of shows in Chicago next week, including record-release gigs for Collected Fiction and a recording of bass duos.
– Wild and crooning circus rockers Man Man released a 7″ of unreleased tracks from the Rabbit Habbits recording session.
– Whistling multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird will release Noble Beast, his next album, on January 27.
– Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne has arranged Eastern US screenings of Christmas on Mars, his debut as a director.
– The Foo Fighters are the latest musicians to fume over the McCain campaign’s use of their song.