Paul McCartney is a guest drummer on forthcoming Foo Fighters album

On Tuesday of this week, we reported that Dave Grohl is teasing a mystery collaborator on the Foo Fighters' upcoming album, Concrete and Gold. Although the super-surprise collaborator has yet to be named, on Wednesday, Foo Fighters shared that Paul McCartney plays drums on one track on the forthcoming release. "[McCartney is] a pal," Grohl tells ET Canada. "We've known him for a long time. He's great. He's the most wonderful person in the world. He's a great guy." (ET Canada; Pitchfork)

The Smiths releasing previously unheard live tracks

In the run-up to the Oct. 20 reissue of their 1986 album, The Queen is Dead, the Smiths are releasing rare live recordings of each track on the album — one track per week for 10 weeks. The series of unreleased live recordings begins with the album's first and title track, recorded in Laguna Hills, Calif., on Aug. 28, 1986.

Finding the tracks doesn't require a sponge and a rusty spanner; the recordings are being pushed out on streaming services such as Spotify and YouTube, but will not be included in the final three-CD, one-DVD reissue, which does include a live album recorded in Boston. (Slicing Up Eyeballs)

Thundercat shares his love of Japan in new video

When he visited us in studio earlier this year, Thundercat described his admiration for Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins and Prince. It turns out the Grammy-winning bassist is also a self-described Japanophile who has often spoken fondly of Japanese culture, from sushi to anime and video games and more. Thundercat's new album, Drunk, includes a single called "Tokyo," Thundercat's tribute to the Japanese capital city. The video for the track shot on location in Tokyo earlier this year, and was directed by Jun Hanamoto-Hearn.

Thundercat's most recent visit to Japan included performing at the Fuji Rock Festival, just this past Sunday.

Bon Iver announce four-day concert festival in Mexico

A true Midwesterner, Justin Vernon senses a visit to Mexico's Yucatán might be welcome in late January. In a tweet on Wednesday, Vernon announced a four-day "Days Have No Numbers" concert festival near Puerto Aventuras, Mexico, not far south from the popular resort city of Playa del Carmen. In addition to Bon Iver, the lineup includes Sylvan Esso, Poliça, Francis and the Lights, Hiss Golden Messenger, Melt-Banana, Spank Rock, Aero Flynn, Phil Cook, Dizzy Fae, Velvet Negroni, Amy Warehouse and Hrrrbek, along with other special guests. It almost seems like an Eaux Claires Festival south — Aguas Claras, perhaps? (official festival site)

Björk's new album to release "very soon"

In signature enigmatic fashion, Björk has announced that the follow-up album to her 2015 release, Vulnicura, is "coming out very soon."

A precise release date has yet to be announced, and the forthcoming album — which is available for pre-order on Björk's website — has yet to receive a name or even a visual concept; only a white cover is shown … it kind of resembles a sugarcube. (Pitchfork)

Kanye West sues Lloyd's Of London over Life Of Pablo tour cancellations

Last year, Kanye West's tour in support of his album The Life of Pablo was inarguably troubled. On Oct. 2, West's wife, Kim Kardashian-West, was robbed at gunpoint in Paris, resulting in the cancellation of two shows. Seven weeks later, the producer and rapper was admitted to the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Hospital for eight days. As a result, West canceled the rest of the scheduled tour.

Highly produced tours like West's come with massive costs. The insurance policies behind these tours are expensive, too.

Now, West and the touring company Very Good are suing to get an insurance claim paid by Lloyd's of London. In a suit filed Tuesday in a U.S. district court in California, West's lawyers accuse Lloyd's of employing various tactics to invalidate West's claim for $9,860,843.51.

"The artists think they're buying peace of mind. The insurers know they're just selling a ticket to the courthouse," West's lawyers write. The lawyers say three other insurers have already paid claims made on the tour.

A spokesperson for Lloyd's told NPR Music in an email Wednesday that the company would not comment on specific suits, but had paid £14 billion [about $18.5 billion] in claims over the last year, and that it "always take steps to find a solution amicable to both clients and insurers where there are disagreements." (NPR Music)