Bloc Party ended up in hospital

Russell Lissack Bloc Party ended up in hospital last month when a lion attacked him. The guitarist was visiting a wildlife refuge on tour with Ash in South Africa when the animal bit him, drawing blood.During the holidays around shows in Johannesburg and Cape Town, Lissack made a trip with Ash singer Tim Wheeler. He was playing with a cuddly little cub - there's a more benign picture at Spinner - when he attacked.

Regardless of the youth of the cat, there's no messing around when it comes to man-eating carnivores. Lissack was taken to hospital where he received treatment and a booster against tetanus. Within hours of the visit of the musicians, the hospital was closed, according to a spokesman for the group, after two men died of an unrelated virus, and unidentified. To make matters worse, the group had a car accident on the way back to the hotel.

Fortunately, no injuries later and everyone is now very well, reports Spinner. Ash are back in the UK, the preparation of their second anthology of singles AZ. It is not clear whether Lissack will continue to play with them, Bloc Party paused, he was invited into the group for a series of concert dates. Lissack electronic pop side project, Pin Me Down, released their first album in April

Kele Okereke Prefers New York City to London, Bloc Party

Bloc Party's second album, 'A Weekend in the City' despite creating the definitive soundtrack for post millennial London life, the group's frontman Kele Okereke is ready for a fresh start in another global metropolis, New York City."I like it there," Okereke tells Spinner over drinks during a recent promo tour. "I like the people, I like the conversations I have and I like the food. "You can be anything you want in New York."Having mixed his currently released debut solo album, 'The Boxer,' in the Big Apple, the Liverpool born Okereke found he enjoyed the city's relaxed atmosphere much more than that of English capitol. "I've lived in London since I was eight years old and I've done everything a young person would do there," the singer, whose lyrics have referenced his own experimentation with cocaine and ecstasy, explains. "I think there's a actual veil of coldness in London that permeates how people interact with each other and I don't like that at all. That's something specific to the UK your default setting is to be suspicious of things and strangers, whereas everyone I've met in New York is laid back."Before he packs up his earthly belongings though, an international tour the singer will set out that begins Aug. 27 in Paris and includes a stop at his prospective new home on play New York City's Webster Hall on Sept 8.

Bloc Party's Kele Okereke Announces Debut Solo Album, Video, Tour

When Bloc Party decided to take some time off and go on hiatus after five straight years of touring, the band’s guitarist and frontman Kele Okereke thought he’d enjoy a break from music. He couldn’t resist the creative pull, though, and booked himself some time in a recording studio to experiment. The Boxer, Okereke’s debut solo album that’s due out June 22 via Glassnote Records, is the result of that experimentation.
“I plugged in synths with no idea what they would do. I began programming drum beats, which I had never done before. It was completely back to the drawing board, " Okereke said of leaving his familiar guitar behind for most of the record’s instrumentation. "It was exciting and terrifying. In most cases, I sat down, pulled a drum beat out of nowhere, and arranged stuff around that. It was as exciting to me as the first time I picked up a guitar.”

Bloc Party-Kele Okereke making a solo Album

Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke is reportedly making a solo record.

Producer Hudson Mohawke announced the news the 'Banquet' singer is reportedly starting working on a solo album during an interview with BBC Radio1Xtra about his forthcoming projects.

He said: "It hasn't been finalised yet, but I'm doing a bit of stuff for Kele from Bloc Party's solo album.

Okereke's solo project has not been officially announced, but the album has been speculated since Bloc Party revealed they were going on hiatus last October.

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/bloc-party-singer-goes-solo_1121470

Bloc Party Guitarist Readies Dance Album

Seems like guitarist Russell Lissack is really enjoying his time off from Bloc Party. Contrary to his main gig’s oft-dramatic leanings, his latest project, Pin Me Down, which teams Lissack with New York singer Milena Mepris, is pure electro-pop sunshine. Bloc Party announced last year the band would be taking a lengthy break after three albums and tons of touring.

Pin Me Down layers Mepris’ hooky vocals over Lissack’s driving guitar riffs and heavy electronic beats, creating a catchy, danceable groove a’la Little Boots. The band, which recorded separately (Mepris in New York and Lissack from the road) traded music and lyrics via e-mail.

The duo’s first single, “Cryptic,” was released earlier this year, and they recently made a new song called “Time Crisis” available for download. Expect a full album later this year.

Kele Okereke to release solo album to Bloc Party

Working on a solo album Bloc Party frontman Kele Okereke is reportedly, according to producer Hudson Mohawke. BBC Radio in an interview 1Xtra's Benji B, Mohawke mentioned a forthcoming collaboration with Erykah Badu "… and I'm also kinda doing a little bit of stuff for Kele from Bloc Party's solo album as well".
Mohawke – a DJ whose real name is Ross Birchard – also said Okereke is "doing a record" with "one of the guys" from Baltimore club duo Spank Rock. It's not clear whether Mohawke means an album or just one track, though producer Alex Epton, aka Armani XXXchange, is widely reported as the Spank Rocker in question. XXXchange has previously remixed songs by Thom Yorke, Beck, Lady Sovereign, Santigold and others, as well as producing Amanda Blank and the Kills.
Though Okereke's solo work has not been formally announced, the project has been widely speculated since Bloc Party revealed plans for a band hiatus. "I definitely don't think this will be the last you'll hear of the people who make up Bloc Party," drummer Matt Tong said in October. "Kele is an insatiable workaholic so you'll definitely hear from him again." The group currently wrapped up a UK tour and have only one more date scheduled, 19 November in Osaka.

Former Bloc MP elected as Longueuil mayor

Former Bloc Québécois MP Caroline St-Hilaire was elected mayor of the city of Longueuil on Montreal's South Shore on Sunday, ousting a party that has been in power for 27 years.
Hilaire, leader of the Action Longueuil Party, defeated Jacques Goyette — recently the chairman of the city's executive committee.
Goyette had succeeded outgoing Mayor Claude Gladu at the helm of the Parti Municipal Longueuil.
In a speech to supporters, St-Hilaire called her election a victory for democracy, and promised to put the city on the "road to ethics, integrity and transparency."
St-Hilaire will have a minority on city council, with the Parti Municipal Longueuil having won 16 of 26 seats.
The former Bloc MP and daughter of the late Longueuil city councillor Jean St-Hilaire called on members of the opposition party and mayors of de-merged municipalities on the South Shore to work with her "to restore harmony at the agglomeration [council]."
Other South Shore results
Boucherville: Jean Martel succeeds outgoing Mayor Francine Gadbois.
Brossard: Challenger Paul Leduc defeated incumbent Mayor Jean-Marc Pelletier.
Châteauguay: Nathalie Simon succeeds Mayor Sergio Pavone, who did not seek re-election.
The agglomeration council oversees the management of shared services in the region.
In an interview with CBC's French language service, St-Hilaire said she would also work with the provincial government to "clean house" in municipal politics.
She said the political class has a "collective responsibility" to regain the public's confidence.
St-Hilaire will have a minority on city council, with the Parti Municipal Longueuil having won 16 of 26 seats.