Pitchfork

Fuck the next Indiana Jones flick, it's time to start working on that 24 Hour Party People sequel, what with Tony Wilson's 2005 revival of Factory Records (now F4 Records), and the recent slate of live activity from former Factory (fallen) superstars the Happy Mondays.

After a return to active duty was rumored in 2004, the raveadelic superheros have since gone on to perform two large-scale concerts this year, which marked only their second and thirrd shows of the decade. And while details are scant, the NME is reporting that frontman Shaun Ryder has recently written a pair of new tracks which will be featured during the band's set at the upcoming UK festival Get Loaded in the Park.

Get Loaded in the Park, quite possibly the most accurately named music festival of all time, is now in its second year, and will take place at Clapham Common in London on August 28. The Happy Mondays will be headlining the electronica-heavy day, which will also feature performances from such acts as Stereo MCs, the Farm, Flowered Up, Fatboy Slim, Paul Oakenfold, and Armand Van Helden, as well as special DJ sets from Snow Patrol and ex-Stone Roses bassist Mani. Baggy pants and pacifier necklaces mandatory for admission.

While the Mondays' recent songwriting news possibly points the way towards future albums from the outfit, nothing can be confirmed as of this date. If songs do make it to disc, however, they will be the group's first new studio material since 1992's famously disastrous car-wreck of an LP, Yes, Please. Yeah, try to think of Oasis' Be Here Now, but with more drugs and no hooks. Hey, there's nowhere to go but up, right?

If you can't make it to Get Loaded in the Park, we suggest you head on out to a local park on August 28 and, well, you know. If that doesn't leave you hungover enough, then seek out a copy of the Happy Mondays: Live in Barcelona DVD, which captures the band's comeback performance last December. It's only available in Britain right now, but fear not, for October 4 brings the magic to our shores.