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Josh Homme photo by Chris Owyoung

"They want to submerge themselves in a place that's the opposite of where they're from and what they're used to," Queens of the Stone Age frontguy Josh Homme told NME.com about his plans to fly Sheffield, England's Arctic Monkeys to Joshua Tree, California for some Homme-helmed recording sessions next month. Sounds like that ought to do it.

Homme's reportedly bringing the Monkeys out to the desert to, as he puts it, "make something that they dig so much that everyone else can too." This is like their Beatles meet Maharishi moment, isn't it? Or, at least, their Beatles get introduced to pot moment?

The king of Queens also spoke to BBC 6 Music about his intentions to record the Arctics in Joshua Tree. Quoth Homme, "Being Arctic Monkeys, the polar opposite would be Desert Monkeys, so they're going to come out and just experience that, and their idea is to submerge themselves in something else and do some tracks. That's the sort of pressure-free 'lets-do-something-cool' environment that really pays musical dividends at the end, you know? They're a talented bunch of guys-- it's going to be a lot of fun."

What we can glean from this: 1. Josh Homme is still funny; 2. Josh Homme likes the word "submerge."

Homme's camp did not respond to requests for comment, while a rep for the Arctics' label, Domino, would neither confirm nor deny Homme's claims.

Homme and his Queens are lying fairly low following last week's tribute concert for recently deceased Eleven frontwoman/sometime Queens touring member Natasha Shneider. They did, however, put together an auction to raise additional money for the Natasha Shneider Memorial Fund; check that out here.

As for the Monkeys, drummer Matt Helders' Late Night Tales mix is due October 13 on Azuli, and frontman Alex Turner's other act, the Last Shadow Puppets, will hit the road again that same month.

Photo by Katie Kaars

Mike Skinner blogs a lot. Thus, when given the opportunity to interview the Streets' point man earlier this week, we focused mostly on the contents of his recent blog posts, asking him about his forthcoming album Everything Is Borrowed, the fate of his collaborations with Robert Wyatt and Muse, walking through France for his video for "The Escapist", and the end of the Streets.

Over the course of our conversation, Skinner revealed that one of his primary motivations is simply a creative restlessness. "My brain is always working," he said, and he is intent on doing things on his own terms. It's fitting then that the feistiest he got was when discussing the business aspect of music: "It's great to feel like you're not part of this major record label bullshit."

Skinner hasn't abandoned all labels, however. Everything Is Borrowed comes out in the UK via 679 on September 15, and it has just been announced that Vice will give the album its U.S. release on October 7.

Pitchfork: You said on your blog that Everything Is Borrowed will be the second-to-last Streets album. Is that true?

Mike Skinner: Yeah, I want it to all fit into a nice tidy box. I don't want to repeat myself. I want it to stand as a body of work in its own right.

Pitchfork: Was there any specific moment or realization you had that made you feel like you would be repeating yourself after five records?

MS: No. I mean, I always had plans for it to feel quite consistent. I think the beginning of that was the CD artwork. Early on, I had a very clear idea that all the CD booklets were going to fall under a similar framework.

Pitchfork: Do you have any idea what you'll do after the final Streets album is released?

MS: I'd like to do a film, I think. That'll be the first thing I'll do. But I want to do it all on my own, not seek funding from anywhere else, because I'd rather it didn't end up being the by-committee type thing you get in the film industry.

Pitchfork: Would you like to direct, act, or do something else?

MS: I mean, all of it, really. Because we've always kind of done everything in our own way, with the "Beat Stevie" TV show and my albums as well. There's always been a feeling that we're making up our own rules. With the Streets, I write, I rap, I produce-- I even mastered the new album. They are different disciplines, but it's all just one vision.

Pitchfork: Do you expect to be involved with music at all after the Streets comes to an end?

MS: Totally, yeah. I can't do anything else!

Pitchfork: So it's not like the Streets will be the final music you ever put out.

MS: No, no, no. I've been asked this a lot. I didn't make this big announcement. It was just something that I kind of implied in a blog. It didn't really seem like a very big deal to me at the time, but I get asked about it a lot now. I get sick of it, because it seems like this high drama. It's not really like that to me.

Pitchfork: It's something you planned all along, that this was going to be a contained project with a beginning, middle, and end?

MS: Yeah, totally.

For one week each year, New York City-- normally devoid of live music of any kind-- is overrun by the stuff, and it's all thanks to the CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival. This year's event, as reported a couple weeks back, touches down October 21-25. It was sizzlin' with talent then, and it's positively boiling over with potential Next Big Things now, what with today's announcement of another hearty chunk of the bill.

Lineup additions of note include Neon Neon, Talib Kweli, David Banner, Kid Sister, Charlie Louvin, Black Moth Super Rainbow dude Tobacco, and recent Touch and Go signees the Uglysuit, as well as the Duke Spirit, Late of the Pier, Talkdemonic, Au, caUSE co-MOTION!, Crystal Stilts, Stars Like Fleas, Collections of Colonies Bees, Lukestar, People Under the Stairs, the Brother Kite, We Versus the Shark, Florence and the Machine, Bell, the Awkward Stage, Eux Autres, Immaculate Machine, So Many Dynamos, B.O.B., Bearsuit, the Whip, and-- OMG YES-- Joan Osborne.

All these fine folks and more join the likes of Broken Social Scene, Deerhoof, Crystal Castles, Beach House, the Cool Kids, Róisín Murphy, Lee "Scratch" Perry, and all those other fine folks we talked up last time around.

Of course, CMJ wouldn't be a Film Festival without a few films, and let's not forget the real reason people go to these things: the panels!! Expect edge-of-your-seat thrills at such titillating discussions as "Artist Managers: The New Labels?", "The Keys To Driving A Cost-Effective Recording", and "Partners in Rhyme: How Joint Ventures and Other Economic Models Are Reshaping the Industry". Oh, sarcasm.

Photo by Shannon McClean

Lookout tour bus, lookout stage: David Berman and his Silver Jews are breaking out the foggy atlas and hitting the road. Tonight in Columbus, Ohio, they'll kick off about six weeks' worth of North American dates. The tour will lead the band all the way through Drag City's September 23 DVD release of Silver Jew, Michael Tully's documentary on, well, guess. Throughout the trek, they'll share many a date with their Tel Aviv-based labelmates Monotonix, as well as James Jackson Toth (f.k.a. Wooden Wand).

Also note that Drag City and Pitchfork.tv are still looking for the same thing: your best take on a tune from the Jews' recent Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea. Care to catch a glimpse of yourself over there on Pitchfork.tv (and win a copy of the Silver Jew DVD)? Between now and October 31, send a high quality QuickTime video of yourself playing your favorite Lookout song to Drag City via this email address or mailing address Drag City ATTN: Nicole, PO Box 476867, Chicago, IL 60647. The winner will be announced November 7.

Pitchfork.tv is kicking off its fall season with... job postings! The newly launched online music video channel is looking to let a variety of hard-working, dedicated people into its life.

If one of the following openings sounds like an ideal future to you, please send a cover letter, resume, and (where applicable) demo reel by Sunday, September 7 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern to: jobs at pitchforkmedia dot com. Good luck!

>> Producer/Editor (Full-Time)

Pitchfork.tv is currently seeking a highly motivated producer/editor to join its New York City office. Responsibilities include (but are by no means limited to) coordinating crews, prepping and setting up gear, shooting in a variety of settings, capturing board feeds in live music spaces around New York, editing projects, overseeing the work of assistant editors, and encoding for the web.

The ideal candidate will be creative and self-motivated, and will possess extreme attention to detail, as well as the ability to adapt stylistically from session to session. Experience overseeing crews of 2-4 camera operators and working with DVX-100 cameras, mics (directional and wireless lavs), and/or lighting is a definite plus. Extensive Final Cut Pro experience is a must, and experience with documentary formats or music-based content is preferred. Qualified applicants must submit an online reel (no attachments please) along with a cover letter and resume by the deadline listed above, and include "Producer/Editor" in the email subject line.

>> Assistant Editors (Internship)

Pitchfork.tv is seeking fast, efficient video editors for internships in our New York office. Our ideal candidates will be film majors showing strong familiarity with Final Cut Pro, and will be available to work at least two days a week during business hours, for credit if possible. Experience with documentary work, music-based content, and/or After Effects are all big pluses.

Duties will include capturing and organizing media from tapes, DVDs and discs, general editing and assembly of reels, and encoding for web. Qualified applicants must submit an online reel (no attachments please) along with a cover letter and resume by the deadline listed above, and include "Assistant Editor" in the email subject line.

>> Camera/Production Assistants (Internship)

Pitchfork.tv is seeking New York-based interns with experience in shooting and cinematography. The ideal candidates will be well-versed in various SD and HD cameras, although experience shooting DVX-100s is preferred. Lighting, mic placement, and live shooting experience a plus. Duties will include prepping gear for shoots, white balancing, syncing, coordinating mic/line inputs, and monitoring audio recordings, as well as some actual shooting.

This position exists predominantly in the field and will largely occur on evenings and weekends. Because many of our shoots take place at music venues, candidates under 21 cannot be considered. Qualified applicants must submit an online reel (no attachments please) along with a cover letter and resume by the deadline listed above, and include "Camera/Production Assistant" in the email subject line.

>> Administrative Assistants (Internship)

Pitchfork.tv is seeking administrative assistants in our New York office. The ideal candidate will have prior office experience and familiarity with Microsoft Office. A good presence on the phone and strong writing skills are mandatory. Tasks include, but are not limited to, coordinating schedules and assisting all departments with daily operations as needed. Please include "Administrative Assistant" in the email subject line when submitting cover letter and resume.

First, do this: Download "Sweat", "Salt", and "Juicy", three new jams from Rafter's Sweaty Magic EP, due September 9 from Asthmatic Kitty. Got 'em? Good.

Now, make a video for your favorite song.

Done? Damn, aren't we speedy.

Toss that video onto YouTube and make damn sure you add it to the Rafter Sweaty Magic YouTube channel. Now sit back, relax, and prepare to be judged.

Judged by whom, you may ask? Organizers Asthmatic Kitty and Microcinema have assembled a truly bizarre panel of celebrity (and celebrity-ish) judges for this second Rafter video contest. Should you submit an entry into the contest, know that your handiwork will be seen by none other than "Entourage" actor Adrian Grenier, Dan Deacon, Liars, the staff of wacky Nickelodeon kids' show "Yo Gabba Gabba", actress Sasha Barrese, internet sensation Leslie Hall of Leslie and the Ly's, and Christine Starkman, the curator of the Asian collection at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.

Thanks for putting the notion of a Dan Deacon "Entourage" cameo in my head, internet! Couldn't possibly be more awkward than Kanye's.

So how did Adrian Grenier get involved in this? Well, Rafter was a musical guest on Grenier's television show "Alter-Eco" on the Planet Green network, and they hit it off.

Beyond getting their stuff looked at by that ragtag crew, entrants are putting themselves up for some fabulous prizes. First place gets a grand in cash, second gets half that, and the third gets $250. Three runners up will get an assortment of Asthmatic Kitty swag of the CD and t-shirt variety. All entries are due by November 15, and the winner will be announced on the Asthmatic Kitty site December 1.

Rafter himself seems to be staying out of all this, opting instead for a handful of West Coast dates next month.

It's been awhile since we've heard from the Pipettes. Back in the Spring, two-thirds of the band was replaced; since then, Gwenno and new Pipettes Anna and Ani have been working on new songs and playing a few shows. (Ex-Pipette Rosay has embarked on a solo career.) Anna was also a co-writer on the new Sugababes single "Girls". But we haven't heard any new music from the Pipettes, until now.

The Pipettes have set up a new remix-centric MySpace page where you can hear the vocal tracks for new jam "The Shoe That Fits". Not only is it the very first chance you've had to hear new Pipettes Anna and Ani on record-- and boy, can you ever hear 'em-- but it's your chance to nab the constituent elements for your very own remix of the jam. The Pipettes would like it a lot if you did your thing with "The Shoe That Fits", and if they like what they hear, they'll slide it onto a tour CD "along side a few others that we're getting our mates to do."

Expect that tour CD to be good and ready by the time the Pipettes hit the road in the UK in late October.

The Pipettes were all set to put on a free show at London's Koko September 2. The place was booked, the fans were notified, and the tickets were moving. But sure enough, some of those pesky circumstances out of the Pipettes' control crept in, and the Pipettes were forced to cancel the date. To make up for it, they've lined up a three-night run of completely free shows at the Fly, also in London. And you can attend for the price of an e-mail. Just shoot a little note with "The Fly", the date you wish to attend, and, if you'd like an extra ticket, "+1" in the subject line to pipettescontest@nettwerk.com, and you'll hopefully hear back from the group about the good times you'll have next week.

Photos by Andy Parker

Let the sighs and sobs commence, for as of today-- August 27, 2008-- Be Your Own Pet are no more. The electrifying quartet signed off with a final performance last night-- not in their home city of Nashville nor even their home country or continent, but rather in London, a place they declared to be "like a second home."

No dramatic valedictory gestures here, though; just good old-fashioned Be Your Own Pet physicality, the shedding of some clothing, and an opportunity for ecstatic fans to join the band onstage.

While Be Your Own Pet will be missed, their spirit lives on to some extent in Jonas Stein and John Eartherly's current project Turbo Fruits. And-- if there is indeed any justice in this world-- this won't be the last we hear from Jemina Pearl.

Be Your Own Pet

Photo by George Chin

Well, damn. Just when you thought it was safe to leak a bunch of nearly-finished tracks from Guns N' Roses' forever-forthcoming punchline Chinese Democracy on your blog, along comes the FBI to bust your sorry ass.

At least, that's how it went for Antiquiet blogger Kevin "Skwerl" Cogill, who was placed under arrest this morning (August 27) by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to Los Angeles Times and Associated Press reports. He was hauled in on suspicion of violating federal copyright laws.

Skwerl, as you may recall, posted nine rather polished-sounding purported Chinese Democracy tracks to Antiquiet back in June. He was actually visited by the FBI a few days after leaking the tracks (which were removed shortly after going up) and he admitted to the act, so it's not entirely clear what inspired the Feds to spring on poor Skwerl today. Years of watching crime movies, however, have taught me that they were probably "building a case" against him or something.

One of Skwerl's fellow Antiquiet bloggers acknowledged the arrest in a posting on the website today, which reads as follows:

Skwerl got himself hauled in by the FBI today over this whole GNR/Chinese Democracy leak fiasco, which seems to mean that people take this whole copyright thing pretty seriously. We weren't going to make a big spectacle of this, since it’s obviously a pretty serious situation, but the plankton hacks over at the Los Angeles Times managed to pick up on the story and run it a highly suspicious impressive two hours after the incident went down. So here we are.

In all likelihood, he'll be back fighting the good fight from his couch by this evening. But if you feel like getting as equally theatrical as the feds (who were anything but quiet and graceful during their ass-crack-of-dawn descent on Skwerl's sleepy house) can come show their support with Britney and I at the LA District Court on 255 E. Temple.

In the meantime, well-wishes in the comments, lawyer-fund donations in the p.o. box, and on we rock.

No word yet how all this affects the Dr. Pepper-thirsty citizens of America.

Photo by Paul Heartfield

Just how many krautrock-loving Brits does it take to screw in a few Lightbulbs?

Well, uh, four, that's how many. You can see for yourself this fall, as Fujiya & Miyagi-- the young motorik makers alluded to in that lame joke up there-- take to the road on a world tour in support of their forthcoming Lightbulbs LP.

The new disc is due out September 1 in the UK from Full Time Hobby and September 16 in the U.S. from Deaf Dumb & Blind, while Fujiya & Miyagi are due for a couple shows in the coming weeks before kicking things off real proper like September 17 in France.

And, no joke here: the band that recorded "Reeboks in Heaven" has gone the way of LCD Soundsystem, Aesop Rock, and A-Trak and whipped up a 43-minute running mix...for Nike. No one's parting with the details just yet, but you can hear a selection from the mix entitled "Paper Airplanes (Radio Edit)" at the F&M MySpace.