The hilarious news that Keith Richards snorted his father’s ashes reminds me, obliquely, of an incident involving John Cale, at the University Of East Anglia, where he was playing the first date of a UK tour with a band that included Chris Spedding on guitar and uber-producer Chris Thomas on keyboards.

The nutty boys and US conquering Joss Stone to play alongside The Who and Keane

Uncut favourite's Midlake also to play the Henham Park event

The leather-lunged rock survivor will play Newcastle in June

Springsteen to release DVD of last year's Dublin shows

See Iggy's band play live in Washington D.C.

Plus the American party rock band confirm another jaunt to the UK

A few years ago, I spent an afternoon in Camden interviewing a mildly psychedelic indie band called Simian whose first record had been pretty good. To be honest, it was a rather frustrating experience: the singer was quite interesting, if detached, but he didn't get a chance to say much because the drummer just wouldn't shut up. With hindsight, the weird power structure made sense. The singer hasn't done much since, while the drummer - James Ford - has become a dark force in British music, producing Arctic Monkeys and Klaxons and making hip little dance records as Simian Mobile Disco with his old bandmate Jas Shaw.

Charismatic songwriter plays a second night at Triptych fest

The Seattle grungers cover The Who staple for new Adam Sandler film