News Roundup: Flaming Lips, Pavement, Spandau Ballet

Plenty of news floating around out there in music land as we head towards the weekend. We have updates on Flaming Lips, Pavement, Stone Temple Pilots, Spandau Ballet and a few other notable names that made today’s news sweep.

Check out our music news roundup…

• The Flaming Lips have been confirmed as Saturday night headliners for next years Green Man Festival. The 3-day event takes place in Glanusk Park, Powys between August 20-22. [rockonthestreets]
• Pavement are booked to play the main-stage at next years Øya Festival in the countries capital city of Oslo. The Øya Festival takes place between August 10th – 14th inside the grounds of Oslo’s ‘Medieval Park.’ Other acts on the bill include Big Boi of Outkast, The Gaslight Anthem, Surfer Blood and Major Lazer. [strange glue]
• I know this much is true. Well, might be ‘true.’ It’s been reported that Sir Richard Branson, the flamboyant adventurer and CEO of Virgin Galactic, has hired Spandau Ballet to become the first band to play in space. According to the Daily Mail, they’ll play one of their big hits while floating high above the Earth. How can it NOT be the everlasting hit “True?” No doubt the ’80s superstars have played bigger gigs; Spandau Ballet get to perform for an audience of one. The ship holds only six passengers, plus the two pilots. But they do get to play in zero gravity, which Branson’s space ship achieves at the high point of the journey. [gadling]
• Metallica’s James Hetfield recently donated 330 acres overlooking California’s Lucas Valley for preservation as farmland. The hard rock singer had already donated 438.5 acres as an open space easement. [music radar]
• Stone Temple Pilots are just about ready to tie the bow atop their first album of new music since 2001’s Shangri-La Dee Da. Scott Weiland tells Spinner: “We’re almost finished.” The new album is produced by Don Was. [spinner]
• Andrew WK has announced that he will release a ‘lost’ album he recorded in 2004 and 2005. Close Calls With Brick Walls had only previously been available in Japan and Korea, but will now be released in the UK on February 22. [NME]
• Wolf Parade drummer Arlen Thompson reported that the band is currently writing music for a third album; look for a release date sometime in 2010. [prefix mag]