The Bulletin: Arts & Culture News | 17 December

KILLING JOKE ANNOUNCE 35-YEAR 'BEST OF' AND WORLD TOUR
The quintessential British post-punk / proto-industrial band Killing Joke formed in 1978, and released their seminal, self-titled debut in 1980. Nearly 35 years after their inception, the band are still going strong, with this year's MMXII gaining widespread critical adulation, and a place in several 'best of 2012' lists. This week they announced three new projects to celebrate their 35th anniversary. The first is a 'best of' containing all 33 of their singles, plus rare and unreleased tracks, b-sides. The Super Deluxe edition will include a whole host of special treats including posters, and, bizarrely, an "aluminium screw-top branded cigar tube containing original wrappers of cigars smoked by Jaz Coleman & Paul Raven during the recording of the Hosannas From The Basements Of Hell album." The Special Edition will contain all the tracks on three CDs, while the standard package will feature all the singles and b-sides.

2013 will also see the release of iconic frontman and composer Jaz Coleman's much-anticipated biography, Letters from Cythera, and a world tour, with dates announced in London and the Welsh music festival Hammerfest. We interviewed Coleman back in April, and he also took us on a track-by-track guide to MMXII. Watch the video for In Cythera, from MMXII, below. Coleman said of the track: "Cythera is the island that the mythical Venus or Aphrodite was born on, so all islands are, metaphorically speaking, sacred to Venus or Aphrodite... The song itself is really addressed to the people who, when I’ve literally gone fucking hungry, they’ve put food in my stomach and given me somewhere to stay. That’s what this song’s about. When I say ‘I’ll see you in Cythera,’ they know what it means." 

NEW ALBUMS ANNOUNCED FOR 2013: THE KNIFE, AUTECHRE, STEVE MASON (BETA BAND)
As the end of the year approaches, a slew of announcements about new albums and projects have hit the desks at The Skinny. First up, the exciting news that 2013 will see the return of Swedish dark electronic scene-leaders The Knife, whose return to the fray will be thrilling news for music fans, who have been eagerly awaiting new material from the duo since 2006's highly influential Silent Shout. The band released the enigmatic trailer below, dropping a tantalising hint of the music to come. Shaking The Habitual is out 8 April via Brille.

2013 will also see the birth of a new project from Fife's own Steve Mason, founder member of The Beta Band, also known as King Biscuit Time and The Black Affair. His new LP, Monkey Minds In The Devil's Time, is an album "saturated with politics," and includes the powerful single Fight Them Back, inspired by the London riots. It is due for release via Double Six on 11 March. Watch the video for Fight Them Back below.

Warp veterans Autechre have also announced a new studio album - their 11th since they formed in 1987. Reportedly clocking in at over two hours long, all that has been announced so far is the title, Exai, and some typically elliptical Autechre track names such as the descriptive "prac-f" and "spl9." We'll keep you informed with more details about Autechre's new album as they become available - here's a track from 2010's Oversteps.

MINI MAKER FAIRE: CALL OUT FOR DESIGNERS, ENGINEERS AND INVENTORS 
Advances in the complexity and affordability of home studio software have had an incalculable effect on the music industry; similarly, the availability of ever-more-powerful and complicated cameras, video and photo editing suites, special effects programs and graphic design packages are revolutionising cinema and the visual arts. Technology is changing forever the way we live, and the way we make art - but it doesn't stop there. With the rise of cheaper and cheaper 3D printers, and complex computer modelling programs to assist design in architecture, robotics and even genetic sequencing, we are on the verge of a new era of invention and engineering as well, with home basement labs and hackspaces becoming more and more common. The people behind the Edinburgh International Science Festival want to celebrate this, so they are putting a call out to all designers, engineers and inventors in Scotland to participate in Scotland's first ever Mini Maker Faire.

The Festival's Deputy Director Amanda Tyndall said: "“As technology becomes more accessible, and in these times of financial austerity, a new DIY culture is rapidly emerging in which people do all sorts of things for themselves! Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or a tinkerer, an engineer or an artist, Edinburgh’s Mini Maker Faire is for you.  If you make wearable technology or have invented a new musical instrument, use a 3D printer or have created a new computer game, if you are prepared to share your insights, connect with your audience, and inspire others, we want to hear from you.” The deadline for applications is 1 Feb 2013.

SCOTLAND'S EQUAL MARRIAGE BILL: OPEN FOR CONSULTATION
Perhaps the hottest political topic right now, aside from the independence debate, is the fuss and furore over same-sex marriage. Both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Scotland are vocally opposed to the notion of same-sex marriages, and have voiced fears that the proposed changes to Scottish law could see their ministers and priests forced to marry same-sex couples. The draft legislation, released for public consultation by the Scottish Government last week, would allow religious institutions to "conduct same-sex marriages, if they wish to do so," raising the prospect of a division within these institutions between the minority who support same-sex marriage, and the majority who follow the official line. The churches are flying in the face of public opinion in Scotland, which is largely in favour of same-sex marriage, and political opinion - reportedly, over two thirds of MSPs have already signed a pledge stating that they will vote in favopur of the bill.

This briefing from The Equality Network details the proposed changes to legislation. They also issued the following statement: "From today the Scottish Government will be consulting on the implementation of the draft Bill, including the details of the legislation and proposals relating to religious bodies and celebrants, freedom of speech, education and employment. Anyone can reply to the consultation, which will remain open until 20th March 2013. It is a long and complex consultation, and the Equality Network will shortly publish advice and simple ways of responding. You can only submit one response to the consultation so the Equality Network would advise that you wait until we publish further information about the effects of the proposals." To keep up to date, join their mailing list here.

Whether the argument over same-sex marriage cost the religious institutions of Scotland dearly, by showing them to be massively out of step with public opinion, remains to be seen - one thing is certain, if you have strong views on the topic, you should be sure to have your say by responding to the public consultation.

WATCH THE TRAILER FOR DIE HARD 5
Action hero Bruce Willis reprises his most famous role as vest-wearing villain-foiler John McClane in the fifth installment in the Die Hard trilogy, entitled A Good Day To Die Hard. Seeing off competition from the likes of fesity young upstart Liam Neeson, who has made a play for the Top Hard Man crown with his daughter-rescuing character Bryan Mills; and no doubt aware that Stallone has already reprised his career-defining roles as both Rambo and Rocky, and with Arnie due to pick up the broadsword again in a planned Conan sequel, Willis has chosen to don the wifebeater once more, in an action-packed follow-up which sees pensionable ex-cop McClane take on the badguys of Russia. Has Willis still got the chops to face explosions, gunfire and baddies with dodgy Eurotrash accents? Watch the preview below, and judge for yourself. The film opens on 14 Feb.