ContactMusic — Blur drummer-turned-lawyer Dave Rowntree is giving up his tickets to the London Olympics because he will be too busy to watch any events The rocker trained in law after the band went on hiatus and he is trying to carve out a political career for hims... more info

Guardian Music — Awards ceremonies highlight the amateurism of modern public speeches – most are an exercise in tedium and tortureAdele's finger is not the issue. Nor is it the tyrannical "suits" who cut off the Brit Award winner's speech in full flow on Tuesday. N... more info

Brooklyn Vegan — By Bill Pearis Blur are not the only Britpoppers with a new album in the works. Saint Etienne will release their eighth studio album, Words & Music, on May 21 in the UK. (Their still working out US distribution.) It's... more info

ContactMusic — Blur refused to accept a BRIT Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2010 The Parklife group - who have been largely defunct since 2003 apart from a series of one-off shows in 2009 - picked up the prestigious accolade at the BRITs last ni... more info

Stereogum — The former Jam frontman and general all-around Brit-rock icon Paul Weller has a new album called Sonik Kicks coming out, and it features guest appearances from spiritual descendents like Noel Gallagher and Blur’s Graham Coxon. And in the video for ... more info

411 Mania — In Sweden... more info

411 Mania — The same happened for Adele and Ed Sheeran... more info

Guardian Music — First MIA, and now Adele – flipping the bird seems to be all the rage for female pop singers. But has the gesture lost its power to shock?Many years before Adele stuck it to the suits at the Brit awards, the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein and t... more info

Guardian Music — Sir Philip Green, no stranger to a front row seat, found himself right next to the stage after arriving fashionably late at last night's Brit awards, with daughter Chloe. The two sat next to will.i.am and Nicole Scherzinger on Universal supremo Luci... more info

Stopcryingyourheartout.com — Lively rocker Noel Gallagher stuck his head out of the sunroof of a car as he left a Brit Awards after-show party last night.The former Oasis star looked merry as he gave the V sign and waved to snappers while fooling around with best pal Scully afte... more info