ugh the NME just hypes bands in the hope that this weeks heroes will go on to be brilliant, and they can claim that they propelled them to success.

So what is this then? NME just adding Irish listings to their pages and featuring a few more Irish bands? Or setting up an Irish version of the magazine?

Hmmm...dunno exactly, the email just says 'Irish edition' of NME. They're asking for news/ release announcements/listings. I think it could be 'Irish' in the way the Irish Sun newspaper is 'Irish'. It could just be the UK one with Irish band news/listings etc but with the core of the UK one, just have to wait & see...

Think this could be a good thing for the Irish music scene, The real, hard working bands might now get the exposure they deserve! Unlike the likes of Hotpress's "writing" about there beloved Frames, Damien Rice, Paddy Casey etc. This might reveal some of Dublins and Irelands finest bands to the rest of the nation. There might just be one a catch though! I believe some of hotpress's Journalists already write for NME......ie Steve Cummins, and maybe a few more.

it will be the english nme with an irish letters page, an irish editor, irish ads and irish gig listings, and the "regional" part will just be irish bands every time. there will probably be one irish centric article in each one. very little difference, so whats the point? we'll still have s**te like the horrors thrust on us. just another way of selling s**t indie to another market. great.