Chatterbox: Another new Lowe

Expatriate and former Max TV host Zane Lowe has just scored another presenting role in Britain on the NME Chart Show, a new nightly programme "providing breaking news and exclusive music videos". He'll have to fit it in around his other new job - hosting the 8pm-9pm slot on BBC Radio 1, right before legendary rock broadcaster John Peel's show.

ERIKA GETS THE BOOT IN: The beauty of television is that you can watch someone on the box one minute then see them in the flesh the next. Tonight, switch on to see Erika Takacs host music show RTR Countdown then head to Ellerslie's Cock & Bull to hear her perform as the new vocalist for local covers band Kick. If they ask for requests shout out for a Carly Binding song and see what happens.

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES: Seems Britain's biggest-selling band quite like us, too. Stereophonics, the Welsh band in Auckland this week for a two-day promotional visit, not only rate Neil Finn highly but recently checked out V2 label-mates the Datsuns playing at a club in Barcelona. "I think they're a great little rock'n'roll band," said frontman Kelly Jones. "Dolf [de Datsun] is a nice guy and I think the guitar player is pretty special."

DATSUNS HEAD TO OZZY: This week the Datsuns have been touring the American mid-west as part of Ozzfest, the travelling hard rock and metal festival headlined by Ozzy Osbourne. They've been the opening act on the main stage but it seems they don't quite fit. Speaking to Rolling Stone, Dolf De Datsun said: "We are the most faggy band at Ozzfest. Us nancyboys got asked to do it. We've had some really interesting suggestions for T-shirts to sell at Ozzfest - 'The Most Hated Band At Ozzfest' and on the back 'The Datsuns'."

FLYING FINNS: The brothers Finn have skipped the country to record their second sibling album in upstate New York with celebrated producer Tony Visconti (David Bowie) at the controls. Invited along for the ride were ex-Midnight Oil and Swingers bassist Bones Hillman and Mutton Birds drummer Ross Burge. Meanwhile, Neil Finn has bought a a former masonic lodge building in Auckland to be turned into a studio. "No skeletons in the basement just an adult bookshop," he says on his website.

SET-A-DATE GWYNETH TO WED AT SPIELBERG'S HOME: Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin will marry in the US later this year, according to the New York Post.The couple will tie the knot at Steven Spielberg's home in the Hamptons, outside New York City, claimed the paper, which said the director would give away the Hollywood star - her father Bruce Paltrow died last year.

Meanwhile, Martin - whose band played Auckland on Thursday - has been summonsed to appear in court in October, following an altercation in Byron Bay last weekend when he objected to a photographer taking photographs of him surfing. The snapper's car windscreen was allegedly smashed during the dispute.

MERCURY RISING: Coldplay and Radiohead are the biggest names in the running for Britain's coveted Mercury Music Prize this year, which was scooped last year by virtual unknown Ms Dynamite. The bands have been nominated before but neither has won. This time they're up against garage MC Dizzee Rascal, violinist Eliza Carthy, saxophonist Soweto Kinch, quirky Suffolk rock band the Darkness, California-influenced Dubliners the Thrills, London band Athlete, rap and R&B outfit Floetry, soul singer Terri Walker, Tricky's former singer and partner Martina Topley-Bird and duo Lemon Jelly. The winner is due to be announced on September 9.