Music Notes: Julian Casablancas announces solo album, Ghostface Killah to hit the road

- Julian Casablancas, aka The Strokes' frontman, is releasing a solo album this fall. The album is titled Phrazes for the Young. [SPIN]

- Ghostface Killah will be releasing The Wizard of Poetry in September, via Def Jam. He'll also be touring, starting next week, with Method Man and Redman. [Pitchfork]

- Trent Reznor may have announced Nine Inch Nails' last-ever U.S. tour dates last week, but it doesn't mean that NIN is actually over. “What I specifically said or meant to convey is that NIN as a touring live band or live band that’s on the road all the time is stopping. I’ve just reached the point … where it has invaded every other aspect of my life,” he said. He also added, "I’d never want to be Gene Simmons, an old man who puts on makeup to entertain kids, like a clown going to work." [Rolling Stone]

- A rare Tim Buckley live performance, Live at the Folklore Center, NYC - March 6, 1967, will be released Aug. 25. The recording will include six original Buckley compositions that haven't been included on previous releases. [Billboard]

- Stream The Dodos' new album Time to Die here. The album is available digitally in the US on July 28 (July 27 in the UK). Physical copies of the album will be out Aug. 31 in the UK and Sept. 15 in the US. [TimetoDie.net]

- Beck is continuing to put out fun goodies for all of us via his website. He's currently putting together free, acoustic versions of Modern Guilt. [Stereogum]

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Music Notes: Short & sweet Friday edition

- Trent Reznor posted more details regarding the final Nine Inch Nails US tour dates via Twitter. There will be eleven more shows — four in New York, two in Chicago, and three in L.A. There will also be a show at the Virgin Festival in Ontario, Canada. [Pitchfork]

- Health club chain Retrofitness has acquired the rights to 867-5309, the phone number in one-hit wonder Tommy Tutone's "867-5309/Jenny." [Billboard]

- Win tickets to the Pitchfork Music Festival via Fader. [Fader]

- Meanwhile, most of the festival's ticket options are sold out... [Pitchfork]

- Michael Jackson fans are lining up in Gary, Indiana, the singer's hometown, to attend a memorial tonight. [Associated Press via Yahoo!]

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Music Notes: Exene Cervenka diagnosed with M.S., M.I.A. goes political again

- Exene Cervenka, co-vocalist for legendary L.A. punk band X, has revealed that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The musician said the following in a statement: "While this diagnosis will most certainly mean some changes for me, personally, it will not affect my commitments to the current X U.S. tour, nor will it affect my solo album that is slated for release this fall on Bloodshot Records. My focus will certainly be on maintaining my health --many people remain strong and continue to live their lives as productively as they had before an MS diagnosis and I plan to be one of those people." Be well! [SPIN]

- M.I.A. is supporting independent British candidate Jan Jananayagam in the European Parliament elections, to be held June 4 - 7. And so she's offering a free song to Londoners who will do the same. [Pitchfork]

- The Arctic Monkeys have announced that their third (currently untitled) album on August 24 in the UK (so make that the 25th here in the US). The album features ten new songs, and will be available in CD, vinyl and digital download formats. [ArcticMonkeys.com]

- Los Campesinos! are losing their keyboardist-singer Aleks because she plans to "return to her studies." Aw. It's kind of sad, but in a good way. The band is still touring this summer. [Pitchfork]

- Following up on Morrissey touring drama: the singer has rescheduled his canceled UK tour dates. [NME]

- Stellastarr* will embark on a US tour starting July 8 in Boston. The band will release their new album Civilized one day before on July 7. It's the band's first studio album in four years. [NME]

- And in serious music news: Trent Reznor just called Marilyn Manson a malicious, dopey clown. [Prefix Mag]

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Music Notes: Frontmen go solo, wedding bells a-coming

- Interpol frontman Paul Banks will be releasing a solo album, Skyscraper, on August 4. Banks will be releasing the album under the name Julian Plenti. This isn't the end of Interpol — the band is apparently rehearsing material for their next album. [NME]

- Banks isn't alone in going solo. Snow Patrol singer Gary Lightbody has plans to release two albums: Listen Tank and a country music LP titled Tired Pony. [SPIN]

- Wedding bells are just around the corner for Trent Reznor and Meg White (but they're not marrying each other!) Reznor will be marrying girlfriend Mariqueen Maandig, singer for West Indian Girl. White will be marrying Jackson Smith, the son of Patti Smith and Fred (Sonic) Smith. Mazel tov to all! [SPIN]

- Liam Gallagher has responded to brother Noel's troubling MySpace message about Oasis' tour by saying the tour is "amazing." Another day in the life of the Gallaghers. [NME]

- iTunes new variable pricing may be causing problems for some major labels. [Prefix Mag]

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