Influential? Tick. Confrontational? Yep. Still making music? Oh yes! ('Churchy' nods). Yes folks, Wu-Tang Clan are back with a raft of solo-projects on the go, a possible new album and a pair of dates. It truly is the 'return of the 36 chambers'.

Having released more classic hip-hop tracks than just about any other similar act, the Wu have provided an enviable array of albums, as well as individual member's own much-revered releases. The Hall-Of-Fame certainly should contain "Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)" (containing "Protect Ya Neck", "C.R.E.A.M." and "Bring Da Ruckus"), "Wu-Tang Forever" (containing "For Heaven's Sake", "It's Yourz" and "Triumph"), GZA's "Liquid Swords", Method Man's "Tical and Raekwon's "Only Built 4 Cuban Linx", a pretty impressive quintet of albums, I'm sure you'll agree.

Wu-Tang Clan return to the UK with two dates in August beginning with Manchester's Academy on the 3rd, followed by Brixton's Academy on the 4th. Tickets go on sale on Friday at 9am, priced at £32.50 for London and are sure to shift pretty quickly.

There are a few planned albums in the pipeline this year - GZA follows-up the first volume of "Liquid Swords" in the summer, "Wu-Massacre" by Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon and the solo Raekwon project entitled "Shaolin vs Wu Tang" - but these are all in progress, as indeed is loose talk of a collective Wu album. Whatever - this is one hot pair of tickets.