British Sea Power Help Save the Polar Bears

"Following the release of their Do You Like Rock Music? album," the press release begins innocently enough, "British Sea Power now turn their gaze to the plight of the polar bear and a race to the North Pole."

Uh, right, naturally! Yes, British Sea Power are no longer quite so concerned about your preferred genre; they just wanna know if you can do you part to help save the polar bears. So they have designed a special t-shirt and sew-on badge, with proceeds going to exactly that cause. More specifically, the proceeds will go to Gareth Ellis, who will join a team of two other researchers/crazy people in the Polar Challenge in April and May. And what's the Polar Challenge? Why, it's a 350-mile race across the Magnetic North Pole.

Let me be the first to say: "BRRRRRRRRRR".

While trudging across the North Pole, Ellis and crew will be doing research into the plight of the polar bear for the Polar Bears International organization. It seems some mysterious unnamed force (...ahem) is melting the ice upon which the polar bears once cutely frolicked and, as is my understanding, once drank Coca-Cola products. Ellis and company are looking to collect data in the rarely-trodded-upon high Arctic, necessitating this long and arduous duty.

Ellis' fondness of the Ursus Maritimus is apparently rivaled only by his love for British Sea Power. And BSP were more than happy to lend a hand to Ellis, provided there was no risk of frostbite to said hand. In addition to turning over proceeds from the shirt and badge to Ellis' team, they'll also provide them with their very own brand of Kendal mint cake and a brand of hair pomade that can be eaten, if one finds him or herself under duress. Extreme duress.

BSP's dedication to bears runs deep: They travel around with a ten-foot bear named Ursine Ultra from time to time, and you'll recognize that bear silhouette up there from the cover of their 2005 LP Open Season. As singer/guitarist Yan inquires in a press release, "Who wouldn't want the big old bears to stick around?" Well put. He's also supporting the cause by hand-drawing 30 "polar themed" illustrations, which will be given to the first 30 people who order shirts.

When they're not out ensuring the success of the Zoobooks series for many years to come, British Sea Power are on the road. They'll do "Letterman" on Wednesday, hit South by Southwest throughout the long weekend, and keep on keepin' on with their huge North American tour from there. A new single for Do You Like Rock Music? track "No Lucifer" is out today (March 10) on Rough Trade in the UK either via download or on a limited edition of 1,000 10"s. [MORE...]

Gogol Bordello Back on the Road

Photo by Eirik Lande

Barely two months into 2008, Gogol Bordello are already back out there, taking their gypsy punk stylings to locales the world over on a big ol' tour.

The "Forces of Victory Tour 2008", in support of last year's Super Taranta!, is happening right now and culminates with GB's appearances at Coachella and Bonnaroo. Before then, the U.S. and much of Europe will witness the likes of Eugene Hütz and his genre-melding act.

Finally, a couple of extracurricular news items from the Gogol Bordello camp: First, the Madonna-directed Filth and Wisdom, which stars Hütz and features footage of his band, recently made its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival.

Also, Hütz's rag-tag style provided inspiration for designer Frida Giannini's garments in the Gucci fall 2008/09 men's collection. The line already debuted at Milan Fashion Week, and it will hit stores once the season after summer arrives. [MORE...]

Shins, Wolf Parade, Rilo Kiley Design Charity Shirts
So do Au Revoir Simone

Many moons ago, we reported on the Yellow Bird Project, a fairly ingenious bit of rock'n'roll largesse. The Montreal-based non-profit drafts indie rock stars like Devendra Banhart, Stars, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and My Brightest Diamond to design t-shirts, with money from the sale of the shirts going to the charity of each band's choice.

Well, a little birdie-- or, rather, the Shins' MySpace blog-- reminded us that Yellow Bird's still doing their thing, and whaddya know, they've got a few noteworthy new designs since we last checked in. Experienced shirt designers the Shins contributed a sad sack guy standing in front of an exit sign, to benefit the Nature Conservancy. Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade scrawled a bird-like creature about to get swallowed by a dragon tail (or something), with the proceeds going to Eugene, Oregon's Glass Casters Union. Rilo Kiley doodled a leafy branch, to benefit the Elliott Smith Memorial Fund. And Au Revoir Simone have a little fun with squares on theirs, which gives it up to Transportation Alternatives.

All of these t-shirts are $25, available now. Many of the designs we mentioned way back when are still available as well.

Here are the Wolf Parade, Shins, Rilo Kiley, and Au Revoir Simone designs:

Andre 3000 Designs Clothing Line

Anyone who has ever seen a televised Andre 3000/Outkast appearance (like this one, for instance) knows the Atlanta MC has a flair for sartorial flamboyance. Now, fans of that flair will get a chance to snag a little piece of it for themselves. 70 pieces, to be exact, since that is the number of items in his new clothing line, according to a New York magazine piece (via Idolator).

According to New York, the line is called Benjamin Bixby (Andre's full name is Andre Benjamin), and he hopes to have it at Barneys this fall. Benjamin Bixby is modeled after Andre's own self-proclaimed "rebel gentleman" style, and he sketched the entire line himself. At the moment, Andre is also funding it on his own, though he is looking for a partner. (Hey Big Boi? Got any spare cash lying around?)

More than a fancy name, the clothing line's titular character is envisioned by Andre as someone "kind of like your uncle, or your granddad, and he has a closet full of experiences and clothes, and he's been around the world." The cosmopolitan aspect of the line makes sense considering that, according to New York, Andre visited "Italian factories and Parisian textile fairs" in the process of giving himself a fashion education.

In better-trod territory for the MC, the Will Ferrell basketball comedy Semi-Pro, in which he plays a character named Clarence "Coffee" Black, hits theaters February 29. He's also in the forthcoming political drama Battle in Seattle, about the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle.

And according to New York, Andre is also working on a solo album for a fall release. Yes, please.

Daft Punk, Shins, Hot Chip, Iggy Pop Pose for Playboy
Made you look

Photos by Mick Rock

Adding a little rock'n'roll to the usual T'n'A, the previously reported annual Sex and Music issue of Playboy hit newsstands this past weekend boasting totally smokin' pin-ups of a bevy of your music faves: Daft Punk, Hot Chip, Iggy Pop, the Shins (a move still perhaps ill-advised in light of recent events), Duran Duran, and Gogol Bordello.

By totally smokin' we of course mean totally wholesome and fully clothed-- even perennially topless Iggy has his shirt on! How's that for irony?

If principle or circumstance precludes your person from procuring a copy of the new Playboy despite your penchant for the rock, fear not, for Pitchfork has the goods right here. Additional scandalously SFW photos of the aforementioned-- culled directly from the pages of Playboy-- await (plus there are even more here).

And that ain't the half of it. Like last year, Playboy once again invited these musical types to design special t-shirts incorporating that iconic rabbit insignia for the Rock the Rabbit campaign. The limited-run shirts will go up for sale at Bloomingdale's locations and RockTheBunny.com soon, while the original designs will be auctioned off to benefit Rock the Vote.

Check out tee design selections from most of the above plus T.I., Tokyo Police Club, the Pipettes, Working for a Nuclear Free City, and New Young Pony Club below, and scope the rest of the offerings here. Daft Punk, you win again.



Designs left to right, top to bottom: Daft Punk, Hot Chip, the Pipettes, the Shins, Iggy Pop, T.I., Working for a Nuclear Free City, Tokyo Police Club, Duran Duran, New Young Pony Club





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Brightest Diamond, Au Revoir Simone Hit the Catwalk

Photo by Matt Wignall

In case the various press photos, magazine spreads, and live shots all over the interweb didn't clue you in, My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden and the ladies of Au Revoir Simone are some pretty fashionable sorts. So it's only natural that these gals, along with Gillian Chadwick of Language of Stone-signed folk act Ex Reverie, will find themselves in the throes of haute couture this very afternoon.

Beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern today (i.e. right now), the aforementioned and other female musicians of note will model designer Alice Ritter's spring collection at NYC's Bubble Lounge. Ritter, a former music publicist, will even offer up a CD compilation of all the partaking acts to those who drop by today.

My Brightest Diamond open for the National on two Brooklyn dates later this month, while Au Revoir Simone recently wrapped up their little tour and recorded a cover of David Bowie's "Oh You Pretty Things" for a forthcoming !K7 compilation. Ex Reverie's debut, The Door Into Summer, arrived late last month on Espers dude Greg Weeks' Language of Stone imprint. [MORE...]

Daft Punk, Hot Chip, Pipettes, T.I. Design Playboy Shirts
As do Iggy Pop, Duran Duran, Tokyo Police Club, Gogol Bordello, the Shins (um...)

Hey, Playboy Magazine, that ever-reputable institution of letters and boobies, is hooking up with the rock'n'roll community yet again for this year's edition of their Rock the Rabbit series. Just like last year, Hef and the ladies have invited musical artists to put their own spin on the Playboy logo, in conjunction with the magazine's annual Sex and Music special issue, which hits a dark-colored plastic bag near you February 12.

And who, you may ask, have they lined up for this celebration of restraint and good taste? Why, none other than Daft Punk, Hot Chip, T.I., Iggy Pop, the Pipettes, Tokyo Police Club, Gogol Bordello, New Young Pony Club, Working for a Nuclear Free City, Ghostland Observatory, Duran Duran, the Little Ones, Jamie T, Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, Office, Dimitri From Paris, the Heavy, the Beasts of Eden, and the Oohlas. Also, the Shins... who might want to stay as far away as possible from anything having to do with the objectification of women right about now.

A far-flung bunch, sure, but it's always nice when a bunch of people can come together in support of unrealistic body images.

Each logo will be scrawled on limited edition t-shirts, which will be available at select Bloomingdale's locations and ShopTheBunny.com. The original designs from the artists themselves will be auctioned off with all proceeds going to Rock the Vote.

Remember: good cause or no, you're not gonna get away with buying a t-shirt "just for the articles."

Antony Designs Dress for Charity

Nothing shouts "Antony Hegarty" like fashion and gender expression, and the singer's most recent project combines both. Antony has partnered with online boutique YOOX.com to design a dress for auction on eBay starting February 14. Proceeds from the sale will go to the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, a U.S. grassroots organization specializing in legal aid to help people "self-determine gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination or violence," according to its mission statement.

The dress Antony designed was made by hand from white silk jersey and signed by Antony himself. Though it's pictured above, we quite enjoy the press release's description of the dress:

"Evoking a kimono, the sleeves are short, the hems are unfinished, and the front is adorned with an elegant abstract design. Following the lines of a tunic, the opening is at the rear and can be tied on both sides, which makes it suitable for all body shapes and silhouettes.

With its essential and refined lines, exalted by an immaculate whiteness, the piece expresses the same qualities found in its creator's poetic musicality."

Side note: How kickass would it be to see Antony get catty on a season of "Project Runway"?

Antony's dress is the first in a series of YOOX.com collaborations with musicians.

Finally, since our last report on Antony and the Johnsons' new album, The Crying Light, its release on Secretly Canadian was pushed from the spring of this year to the fall. Boo! But we've still got the video for the Björk duet "Dull Flame of Desire" to look forward to. Get the scoop on that clip in our Björk interview from earlier this week.

Panda Bear Designs Sweatshirts
But are they Nautica sweatshirts? We hear Nautica sweatshirts are pretty comfy

What's a crafty guy like Noah "Panda Bear" Lennox to do when he's all done weaving together our favorite record of 2007? Why, retrofit some toasty garments with alluring new textures! (Alluring textures being a Lennox specialty in both sound and fabric, it seems.) All the better to warm the very hearts he touched on the stupendous (albeit soooo last year) Person Pitch LP.

Lennox and his wife, Fernanda Pereira, have started 2nd Things, "a second project for both of us and... a second chance for forgotten clothing," with a line of artfully altered sweatshirts, presently available for purchase through their website. However, Mr. and Mrs. Bear have only crafted 50 of the things, so get crackin' ASAP if you want one of these soon-to-be ultra-rare collector's items.

No word on just what's next for 2nd Things, though fuzzy black-and-white mittens are our choice for a logical next step.

Of course, this is just another strand in that lengthy thread of Animal Collective doings in this new year, what with a new EP, a box set, some new sessions and a tour on the way. [MORE...]

Lily Allen, Lingerie Model

Photo by Anoulay Tsai

From clothes, to shoes, to period costumes, to...lingerie? Seems Lily Allen's dabblings in couture culture have indeed taken that route, according to an MTV.co.uk report and confirmed by the pop starlet's publicist. UPDATE: THIS CONFIRMATION HAS BEEN RESCINDED. This time Allen won't be designing the garments in question-- but she will be modeling them.

And not just any old lingerie either. Allen will don the particularly provocative undergarments sold by UK-based Agent Provocateur (careful with that link there, son), co-founded by the son of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. Allen has signed a six-figure deal with the company, and joins the ranks of such past knickers-bearing AP models as Kylie Minogue and Kate Moss.

Here, check out this hot, NSFW video from the photo shoot!

 

 

Bowie-Inspired Clothes Hit Target, New Box Set Due
It's a far better idea than a Low/Heroes/Lodger-inspired line of coke straws

Noted fashion designer Keanan Duffty isn't the first of his kind to ship a ready-to-wear collection to emporium of merchandise Target. He is, however, the first to rope one of rock'n'roll's true mavericks down into the realm of low-low prices along with him. Duffty's fall men's collection-- hitting stores just in time for this Sunday's circular-- "drew inspiration" from the music, persona, and the years and years of wacky ensembles of Mr. David Bowie.

According to a press release, "Several of the collection's key pieces draw direct inspiration from characters and songs by David Bowie. The tuxedo, vest, and pants were inspired by David's Thin White Duke persona, the song 'Station to Station', and his most recent album Reality. The dress shirts and trench coat are references to David's first movie role as Thomas Jerome Newton in The Man Who Fell to Earth. In addition, the gray button-down shirt features Bowie's 'Let's Dance' lyrics scripted onto the fabric."

That flowery frock from The Man Who Sold the World cover must not have made the cut.

To go along with the threads, Target's got a new Bowie compilation called Strangers When We Meet meant to be "displayed alongside the fashion collection." The thing, which "features tracks from forthcoming and proposed Virgin/EMI David Bowie catalog releases" (including live versions of "Jean Genie, Young Americans" and "Word on a Wing") should be available Sunday.

Thanks to reader Myk Martello for the heads up!

Despite its pitifully uninspired title, even reasonably ardent Bowie fans may want in on David Bowie Box Set. According to Billboard.com, the collection packages the two-disc international editions of Bowie's five most recent LPs-- Outside, Earthling, Hours, Heathen, and Reality-- in vinyl-replica digipaks, complete with a buncha remixes, a few soundtrack cuts, etc. You know the drill, but you might not know these records. That's out November 27 on ISO/Columbia.

In other Bowie news, the man recently donated $10,000 to a legal defense fund for the Jena Six, calling it a "small gesture". Seems pretty big of him to me! And on a slightly more silly note, Bowie guests on SpongeBob SquarePants on November 11.

Kanye Designs Jewelry With Murakami
But are the diamonds from Sierra Leone?

Below photo from Lorenzo Santini / WireImage

Kanye West's history of contradictions is well documented, so it only makes sense that we'd run a story about how he's designing a collection of jewelry at the end of the same week we reported that he was nerding out over on his new blog.

Kanye revealed the news of his jewelry line to WWD.com (Women's Wear Daily's website, via Jezebel) at a Givenchy fashion show in Paris on Wednesday, October 3.

He was sitting front row at the show and sporting a "huge gold Manga-style diamond-studded pendant," which he designed with the help of Graduation cover artist Takashi Murakami. The chain is a prototype for the forthcoming collection, but West made sure to mention that the pieces in the actual line will be "more accessible. They won't be all diamonds."

True to his "my flaws are part of my perfection" form, Kanye also revealed that the prototype's "eyes are not perfectly done. Murakami cringes when he sees the eyes."

The jet-setting Chicago MC still starts touring again in Nashville on October 12.

In other Kanye-related news from the same Givenchy show, he apparently <3's Hole 4 life:

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Do you have a news tip for us? Anything crazy happen at a show you attended recently? Do you have inside info on the bands we cover? Is one of your favorite artists (that's not somebody you know personally) releasing a new record you'd like to see covered? You will remain completely anonymous, unless we are given your express permission to reveal your identity. (Please note that publicists, managers, booking agents, and other artist representatives are generally exempt from this rule, but will also be granted anonymity if requested.)