The Orb and Robbie Williams - It's no joke!

The Orb's front man Alex Patterson has worked with pop legend Robbie Williams on a bizarre reworking of the Bee Gees track 'I Started A Joke'. Featured on an Orb remix collection to be released in the new year, 'Aunty Aubrey's Excursions Beyond The Call Of Duty Part 2' looks like also featuring reworkings of tracks such as '3am Eternal' and even 'The Reefer Song' - appropriate considering Alex was quoted as saying about the pairing: "We did a couple of interviews that were never used because we were too stoned. Well, I was too stoned anyway." He went on to add about Robbie: "He's a real sound geezer. He made me feel like I was in Take That for a couple of days."

Meanwhile, The Orb head to Australia for their live appearance at Earthcore this Saturday 24th November. The day prior, you'll be able to catch Alex Patterson on radio, as on Friday 23rd he plays a special DJ set from 1-2pm for Kiss-FM, live from General Pants in Chapel Street. Immediately following that he'll be interviewed on the 'Clubber's Breakfast' program in-store, then hits 3RRR to talk with Steve Wide at around 3pm. Later that night, tune into Andrew Haig's program on PBS when he chats with Alex Patterson from 9pm.

Earthcore itself is guaranteed to deliver 24 hours of non-stop mayhem from midday Saturday until midday Sunday across four separate floors featuring The Orb, DJ Scot Project and the UK's Mark Allen amongst others. As well, the Queen Earthcoria Market will feature vegetarian and non-veg munchies, aromatherapy, menacing merchants, mysterious buskers, massages, weird wears, mumbling maniacs, stranger-than-fiction movie zone and a mighty fine selection of pre-1984 video games in true old skool cartridge format.

With just days to go before all the dirt, tickets are selling faster than you can shake a glowstick. Tickets are still available at www.earthcore.com.au for just $66, or else grab them from the usual retail outlets around town.

The full line-up is as follows:

Main Stage (8pm Saturday to 10am Sunday):
The Orb playing live just before dawn, plus DJ's Mark Allen from the UK, Sean Quinn, Ben Abrahams, Miss DJ, Disko Pussy, Nirav, Alias and Brad Daniels.

NRG Pharmacy Floor (6pm Saturday to 11am Sunday):
DJ Scot Project from Germany's Overdose Records, plus DJ's Miss Renee, Guerra, Oblix, Krash, Scott Alert, Master Kaos Vs Hellraiser, The Messy Kids, Psy-Fi Nasty, Mr Peculiar and The Ferrets.

Hydra Trance Floor (12pm Saturday to 1pm Sunday):
DJ's Papa Stylee and Cool Hand playing dub and downbeat until 4pm, then Space Tribe and Sugar live, plus DJ's Cloud from Japan as well as Yorgo, Aliam, Hugo, Redline, Fred Disko, Ozzy, Billy The Kid, DJG, Aaron Smiles and Auron playing psychedelic and progressive beats. In addition, Fractal Glider will be playing live to launch his brand new 'Parasite' release.

Sunny Stage (8pm Saturday to 12pm Sunday):
DJ's Phil K, Gab Olivier, Ozzie LA, Ivan Gough, Keith Clarke, Aaron Smiles, Matty Schumacher, Barrie Barton, Jono Fernandez, KB and Nicky G playing tribal beats and atmospheric breaks with percussion from Techy Bongoboy.

Limited presale tickets at $66 inclusive are available from www.earthcore.com.au. Otherwise purchase them for $66 plus booking fee from 188D (St Kilda), Alley Tunes (Hawthorn), Bizar (Prahran, Box Hill), CC Records (Geelong), Central Station (CBD), Cosmonauts (Northcote), Crypt (Footscray), Dangerfield (Prahran, Fitzroy, Chadstone, Melbourne Central, Southland), DMC Records (Prahran), Euphemism (Windsor, Fitzroy), Eye Spy (Frankston), Glue (Highpoint), Geometrix (Fitzroy), Happy Beads (Werribee), Hares & Hyenas (Prahran), Inacoma (Ringwood), Kundalini Rising (City, Fitzroy), Ministry of Style (Fitzroy), Music Junction (Blackburn), Platinum Records (Richmond), Poetic Jungle (Moonee Ponds), Polyester Books (Fitzroy), Renegade Cyberstore (Prahran), Sanity Dance Arena (CBD, South Yarra, Dandenong, Doncaster, Highpoint, Southland), Sanity (Lilydale, Moe, Traralgon, Warragul, Tags

• earthcore
• orb