News Roundup: Leonard Cohen, The Decemberists, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Guitar Hero

–Tickets for Leonard Cohen’s October 23rd gig at Madison Square Garden are now available via Fan Club Pre-Sale: the password is CENTRALPARK. Regular seats for the Garden show go on sale August 10th at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster for all the general public schmucks. The 74-year-old legend returned to the road after 15 years off of it to retrieve funds lost from a cash-swindling manager, which may explain why some seats cost $625.

–The Decemberists played two new songs at George Wein’s Folk Festival 50 on Saturday in Rhode Island, Pitchfork reports. One is a celtic-tinged “copper-mining song,” while the other, introduced as “Down by the Water,” is reminicent of Neil Young with frontman Colin Melroy showing off his little-known harmonica skills. Download ’em here.

–The Red Hot Chili Peppers are getting ready to start work on a new album. Drummer Chad Smith told Billboard the funk four-piece plan to get back together in October after one of their trademark long-ass hiatuses. “It’ll be two years in September,” Smith said. “So now we’re ready. You can’t force people to play when they don’t want to play or aren’t ready to play or whatever – not in our band, anyway.”

–The full setlist for Guitar Hero 5 has been revealed. Due September 1st, the game includes predictable heavy cuts like Motley Crue’s “Looks that Kill” and the White Stripes “Blue Orchid.” But it also includes some questionably laid-back choices like Vampire Weekend and Elliott Smith. The new game’s website reads, “Living room rock stars will be able to rock any way they want to the expansive set list,” which just sounds sort of sad.