The National received hate mail for supporting US President Barack Obama's campaign for four more years in the oval office. The band were sent "hate mail on Facebook" for playing a Democratic campaign rally for the incumbent President in Des Moines last month, according to guitarist/keyboardist Aaron Dessner. Despite the criticism, the Brooklyn group say they stand by their decision to publically support Obama as the election is "more important than any rock band".

A real return to form, though it can't match Van's best...

Neil Young has hinted that he may reunite Buffalo Springfield. The singer believes he has unfinished business with the mid-'60s band he formed with Stephen Stills, and may reform the group for a new record. They previously reunited for a brief tour in 2011. Speaking to The Guardian, Young said: "Two of the guys are no longer with us, so it's difficult, but we're yet to do something that …you never know."

Blur have announced that they will be headlining Rock Werchter festival in Belgium next year. The Britpop icons, who reformed this year for a string of intimate UK live dates culminating in a massive show in Hyde Park to celebrate the closing of the London 2012 Olympic Games, also hinted that they will play more dates in 2013.

A selection of rare Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros tracks have been released - and you can listen to them below. Strummer started working with the backing band he called The Mescaleros in the mid-to-late 1990s. The band' first album Rock Art And The X-Ray Style was released in 1999. Their second studio album Global a Go-Go followed in 2001. A third album was released posthumously in 2003, after Strummer's death in 2002.

Kings Of Leon were joined by Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder on stage in San Francisco last night (October 3). The singer, whose band were headlining the Oracle Appreciation Event at Treasure Island, jumped on stage to sing Kings Of Leon's 2004 hit "The Bucket" with the band - watch it above. Shortly after the gig, bassist Jared Followill tweeted: Great show in San Fran with Pearl Jam. Eddie came up and sang The Bucket with us. Always an honor to share the stage with them. #Heroes

Roll up for the definitive remaster of The Fab Four’s car-crash Christmas television special...