Newsbites: Novoselic obsessed with accordion

Obsession: Cobain, left, gave accordion to Noveselic, centre

Former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic says he hasn’t been playing his main instrument recently because he’s become “obsessed” with learning Doors track Light My Fire on the accordion Kurt Cobain gave him. “I got that whole solo part,” he says. “My inner Manzarek is being channelled.” He’s also working on a musical project with ex-bandmate Dave Grohl, saying: “I think there’s something cooking – ask Dave.” [Rolling Stone]

Puddle of Mudd frontman Wesley Scantlin has pled guilty to possession of cocaine following his arrest in January. His plea-bargain means he’s likely to be sentenced to attend a drug counselling programme without going to jail. [TMZ]

Children of Bodom have cancelled their show at Ruisrick in Turku, Finland, as frontman Alexi Laiho remains in hospital. He was admitted suffering severe stomach pains. The band say: “Alexi is suffering from a serious infection. He is still in hospital in Oslo and we don’t know when they will release him.”

Kerry King says Slayer‘s two recorded songs may not be the first steps to a new album. “Maybe it’s going to be an EP, maybe it isn’t,” the guitarist reports. “I’d just assume, wait for the record to get done. It still takes three months from the minute you hand it in. That being said, if it’s done in September it’s not going to come out in December. It’ll probably be out in January.” [107.7 The Bone]

Zakk Wylde‘s wife Barbarann has given birth to the couple’s fourth child, a boy named Sabbath Page Wieldandt Wild.

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood has won two more awards for his Absolute Radio show. Arquiva named his broadcast the specialist programme of the year, and gave him the best feature gong for his weekly guest slot.

A photographic exhibition celebrating the 30th anniversary of Pink Floyd movie The Wall will open in London next week. The retrospective features over 40 shots by David Appleby taken on set and behind the scenes. It’s open from July 13-18 at Blackall Studios in Shoreditch, London. Find out more.

UK album sales dropped by 14% during the first six months of the year, with 43.6m units sold compared to 50.5 in the same period in 2011. But digital sales increased 17% at the same time. BPI boss Geoff Taylor says: “We’ve had another solid quarter of digital growth.”