“Give it up for the Jarv…” yells Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas from the main stage. Right on cue, bona-fide national treasure Jarvis Cocker of Pulp saunters on, trousers bulging with pride, two indie heavyweights coming together to make this year’s Reading & Leeds one of the most memorable ever.
Add to that Muse smashing their way through ‘Origin Of Symmetry’ in full, My Chemical Romance being joined onstage by an aging, curly-mopped axe legend, and the coming of age of The Vaccines, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Horrors, Odd Future and Two Door Cinema Club, it’s a wonder how we managed to pack all the action into our 16 page ultimate review and still have space for a free giant double-sided Reading & Leeds poster.
As well as all that, Nicky Wire, the high priest of not-fucking-about tells NME all about the Manics’ sabbatical plans, why you don’t have to be thick to riot, and how The Horrors’ hair could save rock n roll.
Plus we give the verdict on The Drums’ second album, Laura Marling takes on the beards at Greenman Festival, Hard-Fi’s Richard Archer gets misty-eyed for schoolgirl outfits, and Andy Burrows reveals his true feelings for the new Razorlight line-up.
And as ever, all the week’s albums reviewed and rated plus the UK’s biggest and best gig guide.
You’d be silly to miss it.
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