Gossip Wolf hit up the garage sale of a member of Disappears last weekend and picked up some hot gossip for cheap: as drummer Graeme Gibson departs for Portland, Sonic Youth‘s Steve Shelley will jet in from New Jersey to lend a hand. Front man Brian Case confirms that Shelley will be playing live with the group in support of their forthcoming Guider but adds that Shelley “is not a member of the band but a friend who will be playing with us for as long as he is able or wants to.” That makes three Chicago bands that Shelley has done time in this year—the others being White/Light and related supergroup High Confessions (full disclosure: both the former group includes the partner of one of the Gossip Wolves). Just move here already, guy.
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Though it’s not even Halloween yet, this week Kranky Records is getting ready for the most wonderful time of the year—on Monday the label issued Low‘s Christmas album on vinyl for the first time. Also coming out on Kranky: the debut album from Matt Jencik-led drone outfit Implodes. The band just made the relationship official this week. The album, recorded with Jason Ward, is due out in early 2011.
Was that Urge Overkill front man Nash Kato we saw at the Saturday-night Gories show or a cattleman passing through?
This week rumors of a Nation of Ulysses reunion got hot and heavy, apparently sparked by a Facebook status update from former drummer James Canty that mentioned playing drums again (he now plays guitar with Ted Leo) and a vague comment on Ian Svenonius‘s page on the same day. OH INTERNET! HOW YOU CONFUSE AND TEASE US SO! Reached for comment, Svenonius told Gossip Wolf he knew nothing about it, and helpfully guessed, “Maybe it’s another group with the same name? Or the same group with different members?”