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A couple months ago, in the dark basement of the NY rock den, Santo’s Party House, an impossibly skinny strawberry-blonde model came on stage in stilettos and a leather jacket, looking like Agyness Deyn’s welsh cousin. Though she was visibly nervous through her debut, Lissy Trullie’s punked power and f*ck-all nonchalance was appealing, ie: she clearly grew up listening more to The Clash than The Beatles. Throughout the short set she drawled out her lyrics slowly while frenetically strumming at her electric guitar (that dwarfed her). While truth told, on occasion her voice hovered a bit flat and icy and the set battled some sound issues, she seduced the industry-filled crowd, especially with the kickass Hot Chip cover.

At the same time, to inaugurate her into the rock scene, the showcase featured an impressive line-up of rockers (all her buddies) starting with Mark Ronson-endorsed Allido band, The Rumble Strips, who spawned happy-go-lucky fuzzy-guitar hooks to convivial pop beats. Towards the end of the night, Adam Green came onstage and flirted with the crowd with acoustic guitar stream-of-conscious ballads and a few sporadic crowd-surfs. The whole time, Mr Ronson was in the background, DJing and pouting in his slick suit. Needles to say, Lissy Trullie introduced herself to NYC with too-cool-to-eat rock-chic attitude. After all, so few chicks can pull off punked-out garage rock but Lissy can. (Um, and it helps that she’s a hot lesbian model who likes leather and calls Ronson on a regular basis. Right.)

On Feb 17th 2009, her first EP is to be released state-side if you dig it. Check her out for yourself at her MySpace.

Rapper Wale from Washington DC has just signed with Interscope. He is the next best thing in hip-hop with a debut album to be released Spring 2009. His mix-tapes are wonderful and I often listen to his music when I need that signal of hope. Jay-Z, Mark Ronson and Lily Allen have already worked with him and with production on his debut album by Kanye West we are sure to be in for a treat.

People - just watch the video and remember this artist!

(interview by Hip-Hop Official)

Mark Ronson, can the man do any wrong? He may not even know a thing about CMJ, the infamous NY indie rock festival that hosts more than 1600 bands, but it didn’t matter. On Tuesday, Oct 21st, he got together a roomful of friends, as part of his Allido Record Label showcase, and it topped 90 % of the other showcases that week.

To kick off the party, Rhymefest pulled onstage Rahzel from The Roots for some shared rapping… and some serious Obama endorsing. Needless to say, the crowd got hyped on his energy. Then Ronson’s new rock acquisition The Rumble Strips showed off their slap-happy Brit rock rock. Daniel Merriweather performed with Sharon Jones’ usual accomplices, The Dap Kings… and mid-way through the set, Ronson ditched the DJ booth and played a soulful song or two.

Lastly, Wale brought DC go-go to NYC to finish off the night. If you don’t know much about DC go-go, it’s a funk-based movement that’s infectiously dance friendly- heavy on bass, snare and congo drums. And by dance-friendly, I mean grind friendly. Give the crowd drinks and go-go, and it’s bound to be merry, sloppy, and lascivious. Hence, as the new rap ingénue representing go-go with a stage full of drums, U.B.C. band members and miscellaneous rapper friends wearing heavy shades, Wale was at an advantage- beasting through tracks like “Nike Boots”, “Back In The Go-Go,” and “The Mixtape About Nothing.” To finish it off, Daniel Merriweather got back onstage and acted like old buddies with Wale and kicked off a spontaneous version of “Stop Me” (in fact, Wale almost had to grab the mic back from him). Encouraging a full-on dance-a-thon sing-along, they brought the house down.

Every year, the music industry descends like hawks throughout the bowels of New York City for a week in October. 100,000 people watch 1000 bands perform in 65 different venues for CMJ (College Music Journal)’s Music Marathon. Bands crash in vans and on floors in Brooklyn, bloggers crash on couches and under their computer desks, and no one gets enough sleep. It’s pretty much musical mayhem as well as euphoria for indie rock lovers and journalists like myself because CMJ remains one of the only really true “taste-maker” festivals (like SXSW and POP Montreal). True, 80 percent of the bands you see, you’ll never hear of again but it’s the sweet 20 percent you savor: those unfound music ingenues who will set the trends for the year and become legends in two years. Daftpunk, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Spiritualized, the Foo Fighters, The Beastie Boys, Lenny Kravitz and L L Cool J all performed in a small dank bar somewherein CMJ’s 28 year history.

This year, CMJ the schedule includes: A Place To Bury Strangers, Beach House, Broken Social Scene, Cool Kids, Crystal Castles, Deerhoof, Donavon Frankenreiter, Gang Gang Dance, Jay Reatard, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Lykke Li, Minus The Bear, Roisin Murphy, Mark Ronson, The Dears and Yo Majesty.

Like last year, I am shooting CMJ for CMJ, so I’ll be sure to fill you music.virgin.com peeps in on the best and worst performances, the drama behind the DJ booth, and any or all inappropriate dance moves. To give you a taste, I included my favorite shot last year of most ‘memorable moment’ of Philly-based rapper Spankrock kissing a random audience member upside down; let me know what you think. (I might add that night, Spankrock, who performed with Santogold, invited half the crowd onstage and then towards the end of his performance, simply curled up behind the DJ booth and passed out.)

Another Way To Die Jack White and Alicia Keys

With Jack White and Alicia Key’s collaboration getting everyone in the mood for some ultimate spy action I thought it was a good opportunity to have a look at the recent actions of our Bond fans…

So, this year the unlikely collaboration of rocker Jack White and pop sensation Alicia Keys has made writing the Bond theme a highly coveted position. It also has provided quite a bone of contention to some disgruntled musical stars. From the very announcement of this unlikely pairing, a collective “who?” was audible from the mouths of music fans, pop stars and industry people alike. It is a bizarre pairing but vocally they work well together and Jack White has once again written a brilliant song.

Coca Cola also agree it’s a great song as they’ve used it in their latest global advertising campaign, much to the annoyance of Jack White who, according to reports, has distanced himself from Coke’s decision.

Meanwhile Amy Winehouse has criticised White and Keys, claiming that film reps wanted something “clean-cut and boring”. Amy and Mark Ronson were originally commissioned to make the Bond theme for Quantum of Solace but Amy’s…er…lack of being clean-cut meant the project was handed over to White and Keys when nothing materialised. Clearly hurt by this decision Amy has threatened to release an unofficial Bond theme which she claims will be “a worldwide number one”.

Another musician to lace up his boxing gloves, yet again, is Noel Gallagher. Seemingly not content with slagging off Thom Yorke, Jay-Z, female musicians and the world and his dog, Noel has dug his teeth in to Jack White’s latest offering. Whingeing about the Bond theme to NME, “It’s a piss take that the greatest British agent of all time has to be soundtracked by a bunch of fucking Americans,” it seems that Noel has forgotten about Madonna’s “Die Another Day”, Carly Simon’s “The Spy Who Love me” or even Sheryl Crow’s “Tomorrow Never Dies”. Nevermind eh Noel. He has expressed interest in penning his own Bond theme, apparently having a number of songs that would be perfect.

Who do you think would write a brilliant Bond theme?

Citing Beck, Radiohead and Badly Drawn Boy as his influences, Leon Jean Marie continues on his upward trajectory and very soon he’ll be winning over the crowds at this year’s UK V Festival. Following on from his Mark Ronson produced Bed Of Nails single, his brilliant folllow up release Bring It On and then his debut album Bent Out Of Shape produced by Bloodshy, Mark Ronson and The Rural, Leon has been impressing the sharp-eared public and critics alike. I got the chance to have a nice little chat with the up and coming East London boy himself ahead of his V Festival appearance. We had a bit of a gossip about hanging out with Mika, Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson and his hopes for his first ever V Festival gig… Watch this litte video and be won over by the feel-good grooves and charms of Mr Leon Jean Marie.

Check out Leon Jean Marie on MySpace

Fancy VIP tickets to the UK V Festival? Fancy blogging your festival adventures on this very website? Well then - fret no more and enter our frankly astonishing Global VPass competition and all of this and more could be yours…

So after two train rides and a bumpy bus ride I arrive on the marshy doorstep of what appears to a carnival of rave. This is not quiet what I expected which is stupid as the title of the festival was 20 years of techno.

So standing in the cue looking at the program that I had to pay 10 pounds for I was interrupted by the guy behind me peering over my back to see what was on. His name is Leo and he was from New Zealand. He and his Australian girl friend Sarah both lived in London and were very excited indeed to be watching Justice and he couldn’t wait to spend countless hours in the drum and bass tent. I was there for 6 reasons. Crystal Castles, Hot Chip, Justice, Simian Mobile Disco, New Young Pony Club and Boys Noize. Though everyone knew that Crystal Castles was the main reason that I braved my grandmother who hates me and her 12 cats that she stole off the neighbours who live on lawn chairs in her living room.

I decided to stick with my new made cue friends and was eventually inducted into their group which also comprised of Steve, Anna, Dan, “posh” Sarah and Emma aka Kemma, ketamine Emma. We missioned around watched a couple of acts laughed at the ridiculously dressed and were glad that we had gumboots as like any British summer day it was raining. However, the rain soon turned all my dreams into sorrow because the main stage got canceled and the main reason I was there was gone. No Crystal Castles. No Hot Chip. No Chemical Brothers. No fucking Crystal Castles! I was lost, it was 4 in the afternoon and I knew that I had 2 choices. Go home and forget this place of woe and cold cold rain or stay until 6 the next morning and watch the rest of the acts. There were no 2 ways about it. I went and bought another drink.

New Young Pony Club were everything I expected them to be. They were poppy fun and energetic. Though to be honest as I sung my lungs out it was hard for me not to stare in dismay at the lead singers bad perm. Though her cover of PJ Harvey was surprising and the highlight of the performance. Boys Noize was great. He mixed his songs to perfection and added something more to each of his songs. Not surprising as he a 2 and a half hour set to do them in.

Eventually the time came for the big boys - Justice; it was 11 and the cross burnt brightly in the middle of the stage. We went mad. It was a perfect 10 and very surreal. It was hard to think that these two guys were making the music that I drove to in my car for almost a month. They played everything from D.A.N.C.E to We Are Your Friends and even the awful Uffie song Tthhee Ppaarrttyy. But Stress stole the show. I didn’t think it could get better than that. But I was wrong. I always liked Simian Mobile Disco but I’d be lying if I said that it was all pretty much Hustler love. They blew me away. If Justice was a 10 they were a 13 at least, besides taking every song one step further it had to be the lights that mesmerised me. It was so pretty and positively insane, no point at all taking photos as it came across as nothing but a blur but I’ll never forget how amazing it was and made the music even more exciting than I dreamed.

Eventually after some more time in the drum and bass tent (sorry Leo it still sounds all the same) it was finally 5 and time to start heading for the buses, though we took a taxi to the train and then the train died 3 times which resulted in me only got home at 11. I didn’t get to see Crystal Castles and I had never encountered so many rrrrrrrrrrrrrravers but thanks to the beyond awesome friends I made and the acts I did see made it was all worth it in the end. And of all these acts the most unexpected highlight of the entire thing goes to Mark Ronson. I thought I would die when I heard The Smiths’ Stop Me If You Think That You’ve Heard This One Before. I’ve never heard The Smiths so loud. It was amazing though short lived as he then went to remix half of it very very badly but it was The Smiths never the less and on a night when the whole world was lit in neon a little Morrissey goes a long long way. Guess I’m a little more rock a little less rave after all.

For more New Young Pony Club photos like this one - check out www.jerkalert.co.uk’s Flickr photostream