Guardian Music — The hard rocker has handpicked a veteran Dutch post-punk group to open for him at Hammersmith. Is this the strangest support choice ever?Sometimes, even in music, it's wiser to go with your head than your heart. The big romantic gesture is all very w... more info

Guardian Music — Regular host Alexis Petridis is somewhere across the Atlantic this week, so Kieran Yatesis joined by Michael Hann, who exclusively reveals what he used to wear at funk gigs as a young man. Jude Rogers is our guest.James Fearnely, accordion player fo... more info

Guardian Music — Finally, a folk troupe whose bonhomie doesn't make us wretch. Think of them as the Pogues with good teethHometown: London.The lineup: Daniel Heptinstall (songwriter, vocals, stomp box, acoustic guitar), Lorna Thomas (vocals, ukelele), Maxwell Thomas ... more info

Guardian Music — City Halls, GlasgowWhat a pity we don't hear Richard Ayres in the UK more often. Since moving to the Netherlands in the late 80s – he went to study with Louis Andriessen and ended up staying – he has made his musical home on the continent, but re... more info

Guardian Music — Which is the greatest autobiography by a musician? Six readers tell us their thoughtsEarlier this week we asked readers to tell us about their favourite musical autobiographies. Here are a few of the responses we received.Scott Homiak on A Drink with... more info

Guardian Music — Influential banjo player and last of the four founding members of folk band formed in 1962 died in Dublin hospital aged 72Barney McKenna, the last founding member of the Irish folk band the Dubliners, has died aged 72.It is understood McKenna collaps... more info

L.A. Times - Pop & Hiss — The band's annual love note to Shane MacGowan's beery outfit takes inspiration from "El Batallon de Los San Patricios," a group of Irish-American soldiers who fought on the Mexican side of the Mexican-American War. more info

Guardian Music — Purcell Room, LondonFor a brief moment it seemed that this adventurous marriage of technology and tradition was doomed from the start. Surrounded by five musicians playing fiddle, dulcimer, pipes and piano, Gerry Diver turned to the computer at the b... more info

Guardian Music — The innate musicality of speech has inspired Gerry Diver's Speech Project. Colin Irwin talks to him, and looks at the chequered history of words and popular music"Speech … speech is dripping with musicality. There's a real magic to it," says Gerry ... more info

Guardian Music — (One Fine Day)The idea is certainly original: take a series of interviews with well-known Irish musicians, and then mix short excerpts of speech with instrumental work that follows the rhythms of a spoken phrase. The interviewees include Christy Moor... more info