Sex Pistols 'Never Mind The Bollocks' issued on pink vinyl

Never Mind The Bollocks from Sex Pistols is being issued on pink vinyl. The iconic album from 1977 was the only proper album from the legendary band and is considered one of the most influential rock and roll records of all time.

The reissue arrives on January 24th and is available to pre-order here.

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Depeche Mode + Nine Inch Nails to be inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Prepare for a black celebration: Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails are among this year's inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Rock Hall has confirmed that along with Depeche Mode's core lineup of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, and Andy Fletcher, ex-members Vince Clarke and Alan Wilder are included in the induction. Clarke wrote most of Depeche Mode's first album Speak & Spell but left the band prior to its release in 1981. Wilder joined Depeche Mode in 1982 and helped create Depeche Mode's darkest and strongest material before leaving in 1995. All five members are integral to Depeche Mode's legacy.

Other 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees include T. Rex, Whitney Houston, The Notorious B.I.G., and The Doobie Brothers.

The MC5, Kraftwerk, and Soundgarden were nominated for the Class of 2020, but did not receive enough votes to be inducted.

The ceremony takes place May 2nd in Cleveland and will air live on HBO.

Read more about the Rock Hall and this year's class here.

Meanwhile Depeche Mode release Mode, their career-spanning boxset (all 14 studio albums plus additional non-album material) on January 24th. Head here to pre-order.

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The House Of Love bring 30th anniversary tour to North America

One of the ALL time indie greats, The House Of Love announced dates for a North American tour. The tour is in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the band's landmark self-titled debut album and the first tour of North America since 1992.

The stellar album, The House Of Love was released in 1988; in 2018, the band released a five disc expanded edition of The House of Love, plus performed a handful of celebratory 30th anniversary gigs in the U.K.

The North American tour will be similar to the UK anniversary shows, however it is important to note that the shows will NOT include the current House Of Love lineup. Instead, Guy Chadwick will be performing with a "new band of great musicians." According to Chadwick, he was unable to persuade the other members of The House Of Love to tour North America:

"Over the years we have had many offers to come to North America but I have sadly never been able to persuade the band, which is why I have put together a fantastic new band of great musicians to do this tour - and it sounds like vintage House of Love."

The tour bypasses the Detroit area, but rolls through several other road-trippable cities including Chicago, Toronto, and Philadelphia. View the tour itinerary below and head here to grab tickets.



The House Of Love - 30th Anniversary tour

May 06 -- New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
May 07 -- Jersey City, NJ @ White Eagle Hall
May 08 -- Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church Sanctuary
May 10 -- Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
May 11 -- Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
May 12 -- St. Paul, MN @ First Avenue
May 14 -- Vancouver, BC @ Fox Theatre
May 16 -- Seattle, WA @ Neumos
May 17 -- Portland, OR @ Star Theater
May 19 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel
May 23 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Part Time Punks

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Humanist announce LP + premiere "Shock Collar" ft Dave Gahan

Exit Calm guitarist/producer Rob Marshall has launched a new project titled Humanist. The project features Marshall and an all star cast of collaborators/vocalists including Dave Gahan, Mark Gardener, Mark Lanegan, John Robb, and many more. The self-titled album from Humanist features 15 tracks and arrives February 21st. Check out the full tracklisting below and pre-order Humanist here.

Along with the album announcement today Humanist premiered the single + video for "Shock Collar," featuring the legendary Dave Gahan. Take a look at the video along with a previously issued savory krautrockish gem from the album titled "English Ghosts" featuring John Robb of The Membranes.





Humanist - tracklisting

01. Introduction
02. Kingdom (feat. Mark Lanegan)
03. Beast Of The Nation (feat. Mark Lanegan)
04. Shock Collar (feat. Dave Gahan)
05. Lie Down (feat. Madman Butterfly)
06. Ring Of Truth (feat. Carl Hancock Rux)
07. Skull (feat. Mark Lanegan)
08. English Ghosts (feat. John Robb)
09. In My Arms (feat. Joel Cadbury)
10. When The Lights Go Out (feat. Mark Gardener)
11. Truly Too Late (feat. Ilse Maria)
12. How're You Holding Up (feat. Ron Sexsmith)
13. Mortal Eyes (feat. Carl Hancock Rux and Joel Cadbury)
14. Shoot Kill (feat. Jim Jones)
15. Gospel (feat. Mark Lanegan)

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The Industrial Strength Tour ft Ministry, KMFDM + Front Line Assembly

Get up, get on your feet!

Ministry hit the road in North America this summer in celebration of The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste. The legendary album turned 30 years old last fall, but they'll be paying tribute to the record this summer with a sure-to-be amazing performance. No telling what the full touring lineup will be, however Chris Connelly has already confirmed that he will indeed be part of the tour! (Connelly now says he's dropping off the tour; see update below).

But the news gets better yet -- The Industrial Strength Tour will also feature industrial stalwarts KMFDM and Front Line Assembly!

The tour includes a Detroit area stop at the Royal Oak Music Theatre on July 10th. If you feel like showing up, tickets for the tour go on sale Friday, January 17th. For more info head here.

UPDATE: 1/19/20 -- just days after he confirmed his participation in the tour, Connelly announced he's not going to be part of the tour (and deleted his previous tweet). He didn't go into detail, but it's possible he's withdrawn due to recent reports regarding Ministry's current guitarist Sin Quirin. Or not.

Chris Connelly greatly regrets to announce that, due to unforeseen circumstances, he will not be joining Ministry on this summer's Industrial Strength tour.

— Chris Connelly (@Connelly_Chris) January 19, 2020

The Industrial Strength Tour

Jul 01 -- Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
Jul 02 -- Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
Jul 03 -- Missoula, MT @ Wilma Theatre
Jul 05 -- Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
Jul 07 -- Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Jul 09 -- Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
Jul 10 -- Royal Oak, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Jul 11 -- Chicago, IL @ The Riviera Theatre
Jul 12 -- Niagara Falls, NY @ The Rapids Theatre
Jul 13 -- Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theater & Ballroom
Jul 15 -- Boston, MA @ House Of Blues Boston
Jul l6 -- Huntington, NY @ The Paramount
Jul 17 -- Montclair, NJ @ The Wellmont Theater
Jul 18 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall
Jul 19 -- Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage
Jul 21 -- Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
Jul 22 -- Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live Orlando
Jul 24 -- Houston, TX @ House Of Blues Houston
Jul 25 -- Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Live
Jul 26 -- San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theatre
Jul 28 -- Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
Jul 29 -- Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
Jul 30 -- San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues
Jul 31 -- Anaheim, CA @ House Of Blues
Aug 01 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom

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Classic Alternative - Episode #138: Wire Simulator (V2)

Classic Alternative - Episode #138: Wire Simulator V2

This week's show features music from David Bowie, The Cure, The Chameleons, Pixies, New Order, Echo & The Bunnymen, Oasis, and more.

Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.

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Morrissey debuts new song "Bobby, Don't You Think They Know?" ft Thelma Houston

Morrissey unleashed the first taste of his forthcoming album I Am Not A Dog On A Chain. The track "Bobby, Don't You Think They Know?" debuted today and features guest vocals from the legendary Thelma Houston. Aside from Houston's killer vocals, the single also features some groovy sax!

The full album I Am Not A Dog On A Chain features 11 songs and arrives on March 20th. The album will be issued on standard (black) and limited edition (clear) vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital album download. Pre-order here. Test pressings are also available here.

Interesting to note the release of I Am Not A Dog On A Chain was pushed back a week and was initially scheduled for Friday, March 13th -- unknown if Moz/BMG deemed the release date a bad omen or if it was another scheduling issue...

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Wire unleash "Primed And Ready"

Wire return with their 17th studio album Mind Hive on January 24th. The follow up to the band's critically acclaimed 2017's Silver/Lead album features nine tracks and clocks in at 35 minutes. Wire previously issued the first taste of the album "Cactused" in October, and now they've unleashed another track "Primed And Ready." Stream below and head here to pre-order Mind Hive.

In other Wire news, a late 2020 release is planned for the highly anticipated career-spanning Wire documentary People In A Film.

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David Bowie birthday news: new EP 'Is It Any Wonder' + 'ChangesNowBowie' session

In celebration of what would have been David Bowie's 73rd birthday, today Parlophone announced the release of a new streaming Bowie EP. David Bowie Is It Any Wonder? is a six track EP collecting unreleased and rare tracks. The EP will be released over a period of six weeks -- the first track is streaming now in honor of Bowie's birthday and the remaining five songs will be issued one-by-one on a weekly basis beginning January 17th.

Today's celebratory birthday track is a previously unreleased version of "The Man Who Sold The World" taken from a nine-song session titled ChangesNowBowie. The mostly acoustic session was recorded in November of 1996 and was broadcast by the BBC on Bowie's 50th birthday in 1997. The radio broadcast also included commentary and birthday messages from Robert Smith, Bono, Damon Albarn, and more; the session was produced by Bowie, Reeves Gabrels (who is featured on guitar), and Mark Plati (featured on keyboards).

Though ChangesNowBowie aired on the BBC, the session was never released, however today Parlophone also announced that a limited edition version of ChangesNowBowie will be issued on vinyl and CD on April 18th for Record Store Day. The tracklisting and more info on ChangesNowBowie will be revealed in the weeks to come.

In summary (since it may be confusing): David Bowie Is It Any Wonder? is a streaming-only six track EP featuring previously unreleased versions of Bowie material. ChangesNowBowie was a radio/session broadcast that WILL be released physically for Record Store Day. The ChangesNowBowie version of "The Man Who Sold The World" was issued as a streaming-only track today and serves as the first song from David Bowie Is It Any Wonder, BUT it will also be released physically on the ChangesNowBowie LP/CD on Record Store Day. A betting person would assume the rest of the streaming-only EP will feature other tracks from ChangesNowBowie, but they haven't said as much at this point.

Stream "The Man Who Sold The World" below:

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City of Miami Beach declares January 15th New Order Day

New Order return to Miami Beach next week for their Four at the Fillmore residency and the City of Miami Beach couldn't be more excited. The City of Miami Beach declared January 15th to be New Order Day and as part of the festivities the city's Commissioner Michael Góngora will present the legendary band the key to Miami Beach. This high honor was previously bestowed upon New Order almost a year to the day -- New Order were honored with the key to Miami Beach prior to performing a sold out show at the Fillmore on January 12th, 2019 (see pictures below).

New Order's Four at the Fillmore residency kicks off next Tuesday, January 14th with a show titled ∑(No,5m,20Mia) which is inspired by their critically acclaimed Manchester International Festival shows. Though New Order won't be bringing a synthesizer orchestra or the art installations along, the evening of January 14th will feature a special performance of songs and arrangements taken from the acclaimed MIF gigs.

Meanwhile, New Order: Decades, the documentary chronicling the creation of New Order's Manchester International Festival gigs premiered on Showtime last month and is now available to view on demand.

Thank you to @MichaelGongora and City of Miami Beach for presenting New Order with the key to the city - what an honour! Another good reason to return! #NewOrderMiami pic.twitter.com/UZSvemgOQ7

— New Order (@neworder) January 13, 2019

Excited to officially welcome New Order to Miami Beach and looking forward to a great show! #NewOrder @neworder @MiamiBeachNews @FillmoreMB #NewOrderMiami pic.twitter.com/x8qiIvfc78

— Michael Gongora (@MichaelGongora) January 13, 2019

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Classic Alternative - Episode #137: Adelante

Classic Alternative - Episode #137: Adelante

This week's show features music from David Bowie, The Cure, Modern English, Pixies, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Verve, and more.

Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.

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Michael Stipe returns with new single "Drive To The Ocean"

Michael Stipe is 60 years old today and to coincide with his birthday he's released a brand new solo single. "Drive To The Ocean" is the follow up to Stipe's debut single "Your Capricious Soul" which was released back in October. Stipe is donating proceeds from the first 365 days of the release of single to the climate change organization Pathway To Paris.

The single is available to download via Stipe's website and costs 77 cents to download (or name your own price starting at 77 cents). Along with the single, the download comes with the official video, lyric video, single art, and more.

It is indeed lovely to hear Stipe back in action. Happy Birthday, Stipey!

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Morrissey "It's Over" single drama + new LP drops in March

Morrissey has revealed that BMG will now officially release his Roy Orbison cover "It's Over" as a vinyl single on January 24th. The history of the release is a bit of a convoluted story...

"It's Over," which includes guest vocals from singer LP was featured on Morrissey's 2019 covers album California Son. After Morrissey insisted that the single was his "greatest vocal performance" of his career, BMG agreed to release "It's Over" as a single on November 22nd. But November 22nd came and went with no copies of the single making it into record shops.

In the days/weeks that followed Morrissey called out BMG's ineptitude on his website, which resulted in BMG pushing the release to January 10th. Some time later, copies of "It's Over" began to appear in numerous HMV outlets throughout the UK, and the single became such a hot seller that it landed at number 2 on the UK vinyl chart.

Despite the charting position in December, the single has been given a January 24th release. For now, anyway. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile BMG will issue Morrissey's new studio album I Am Not A Dog On A Chain on Friday, March 13th. The first single from the record "Bobby, Don't You Think They Know" features disco legend Thelma Houston and will be backed by a cover of "Rainbow Valley" (originally performed by The Love Affair).

Several other titles in Morrissey's catalog including Southpaw Grammar, Maladjusted, You Are The Quarry, Ringleader Of The Tormentors, Years Of Refusal, and Live At The Hollywood Bowl will be reissued sometime in 2020.

Morrissey returns to the stage in May for a weeklong residency in Harlem. Dates/ticket info will be announced shortly.

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Michael Stipe celebrates 60th birthday with release of new solo single

Michael Stipe is celebrating his 60th birthday tomorrow with the release of a new single. "Drive To The Ocean" is the follow up to Stipe's debut single "Your Capricious Soul" which was released back in October. Proceeds from the first 365 days of the release of single will be donated to climate change organization Pathway To Paris.

The single will be released via Stipe's website and costs 77 cents to download (or name your own price starting at 77 cents).

A video to accompany "Drive To The Ocean" will also be released tomorrow.

UPDATE: Stream "Drive To The Ocean" below:

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A New Decade...

No better way to usher in the roaring '20s than with the sweet sounds of The Verve...

Have a safe, healthy, peaceful, and prosperous New Year + new decade!

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Classic Alternative 2019: It's The End Of The Year As We Know It...

Classic Alternative 2019: It's The End Of The Year As We Know It...

Revisit the year that was 2019 with a three hour hosted mix of music and memories from the world of Classic Alternative.

This week's show features music from Electronic, The Cure, Public Image Ltd, Bauhaus, David Bowie, Ministry, Depeche Mode, and more.

Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.



R.I.P. to Vaughan Oliver, graphic design legend who brought so much music to life. Oliver created iconic artwork for Pixies, The Breeders, Cocteau Twins, Lush, This Mortal Coil, and legions of other 4AD recording artists. Oliver's death was announced this morning (December 29th) after the year end show was recorded and was not included in the In Memoriam portion of the program.

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R.I.P Big Black bassist Dave Riley

Big Black's Dave Riley has died. According to Riley's friend Rachel Brown, the bassist was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in August which had spread to his lungs by the time of diagnosis. Riley was 59.

Big Black founder Steve Albini told Rolling Stone:

“Dave was a fantastic musician and a critical part of the Chicago music scene. He bridged the gap between raw enthusiasm and outstanding musicianship better than anybody else in our peer group and I always admired him for it."

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Classic Alternative - Episode #136: If The Fates Allow...

Classic Alternative - Episode #136: If The Fates Allow...

A two hour hosted mix of classics and cult classics from the heyday of Classic Alternative.

This week's show features music from Iggy Pop, The Cure, Public Image Ltd, Ride, David Bowie, Pete Shelley, The Housemartins, and more.

Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.

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Early recording by The Smiths unearthed

An early recording by The Smiths has been unearthed. The Smiths' demo/recording of "I Want A Boy For My Birthday" is a cover of a song originally released by The Cookies in 1963. The cassette demo was recorded in Johnny Marr's attic some time in 1982 prior to The Smiths' debut show in Manchester.

The demo was uploaded onto You Tube this week by Dale Hibbert, original bassist for The Smiths. Hibbert was given the demo by Marr in order to learn/create bass parts for the song so he'd be able to play it live at their debut gig. Hibbert held onto the demo and at the beginning of this year shared a snippet of "I Want A Boy For My Birthday" and promised he'd unleash the full song by the end of the year. He made good on his promise Tuesday, which was timed to coincide with Hibbert's own birthday, which is December 16th.

Hibbert revealed to fansite Morrissey Solo:

I suppose the main question is "why now" ? It's been a long time. I once had a friend, who found a singer, for six months we rehearsed, talked, examined possibilities. The friend convinced me to leave the band I was with, and join him. We were kids, to be fair, but...

It's a sweet, innocent, charming recording and one that I am fond of.
Anyhow, this means a lot more to some people than it does me, it's out there because it brings joy to people.

We change as we age, if you can make people happy then do it, that's "why now". It was set to premiere on my birthday because anticipation is exquisite, we now live in an "on demand" society, I prefer the old ways.

Stream the recording below along with two other demos and head here to read several theories regarding why The Smiths chose to demo this particular song.

UPDATE (12/21): Hibbert pulled down his You Tube account after becoming annoyed with "laziness of journalists" and various "clickbait" stories about the song and figured that everyone that wanted to hear "I Want A Boy For My Birthday" likely already has. Of course many fan sites have uploaded the demo, so...it is now all over the net despite Hibbert pulling his account.

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Bauhaus announce reunion shows for 2020

Bauhaus announced two more reunion shows that will take place in 2020.

The reunited Bauhaus featuring Peter Murphy, ‪Daniel Ash‬, Kevin Haskins, and David J will play Alexandra Palace in London on April 8th and Radio City Music Hall in New York on June 26th. Tickets for both shows go on sale Thursday, December 19th at 10am (local time). For more info on the shows, head here.

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Gershon Kingsley, R.I.P.

Legendary synth/moog pioneer Gershon Kingsley has died. The innovative German-American "Pop Corn" composer died at his home in Manhattan on December 10th at the age of 97. Kingsley's 1969 track is considered to be one of the first electronic dance tracks and has been covered over the years by a number of artists including Kraftwerk, Hot Butter, Marsheaux, and more. Kingsley's work popularized the moog synthesizer while his musical project First Moog Quartet is credited with being the first electronic act to perform at Carnegie Hall.

R.I.P.

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Classic Alternative - Episode #135: Sashay

Classic Alternative - Episode #135: Sashay

A two hour hosted mix of classics and cult classics from the heyday of Classic Alternative.

This week's show features music from Ministry, The Cure, Social Distortion, XTC, David Bowie, Skinny Puppy, The Stone Roses, and more.

Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.

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The Cure share pro-shot 'Disintegration' footage

The Cure played a series of 30th anniversary Disintegration shows at the Sydney Opera House earlier this year. The performances saw the band playing the legendary album from front to back with additional tracks such as b-sides and fan favorites. This week Robert Smith revealed that the May 30th show was captured by director Nick Wickham, a longtime friend of the band and according to Robert Smith "the release of the whole concert can't be too far away"! In the meantime stream three incredible videos from the concert below.

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New Order's iconic "Blue Monday" covered for 'Wonder Woman 1984'

A new cover of New Order's iconic dancefloor anthem "Blue Monday" has been commissioned for Wonder Woman 1984. The dramatic thunderous version of the classic 1983 track was created by Sebastian Böhm and soundtracks the film's trailer which premiered earlier this week. Böhm's full cover was also issued this week as a digital single and is available to stream below. Wonder Woman 1984 opens nationwide in June 2020.

Perhaps the cover will stimulate Wonder Woman fans to seek out New Order's exquisite version and/or catalog. Here's hoping.

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Classic Alternative - Episode #134: The Smoldering Embers Of Deceit

Classic Alternative - Episode #134: The Smoldering Embers Of Deceit

A two hour hosted mix of classics and cult classics from the heyday of Classic Alternative.

Includes music from The Stranglers, Radiohead, Ultravox, Morrissey, New Order, Siouxsie And The Banshees, and more

Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.

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New Order kick off Miami Beach residency with ∑(No,5k,20Mia) performance

New Order announced today that the first date of their upcoming Miami Beach residency will be a performance titled ∑(No,5k,20Mia). The January 14th show will see the legendary band performing the career-spanning setlist of songs/arrangements from their acclaimed 2017 Manchester International Festival shows, however it is important to note that unlike the MIF shows, the performance will not include a synthesizer orchestra or Liam Gillick's art installation*.

New Order's residency takes place January 14th, January 15th, January 17th, and January 18th. Tickets for all four shows, including the January 14th ∑(No,5k,20Mia) performance are available to purchase here.

The critically acclaimed Manchester International Festival performances spanned two weeks; the final show was recorded live and released this summer as the album ∑(No,12k,Lg,17Mif) New Order + Liam Gillick: So it goes.. (Live at MIF).



In case you care:

*The title of the upcoming Miami show ∑(No,5k,20Mia) is a nod to the original MIF shows but reflect the omission of Liam Gillick and the synthesizer orchestra. The original MIF shows were titled ∑(No,12k,Lg,17Mif) which stands for the sum of New Order, 12 piece synthesizer orchestra, Liam Gillick, and the 2017 Manchester International Festival. The new title removes Lg (Liam Gillick); the amount of synthesizers was changed from 12k to 5k to represent the five synthesizers that the members of New Order will be playing; finally the year/location notation was changed from 17MiF (2017 Manchester International Festival) to 20Mia (2020 Miami Beach).

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Greg Dulli announces details behind debut solo LP 'Random Desire'

Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs has announced details behind his debut solo album, Random Desire. The album arrives on February 21st and features 10 songs which were written almost entirely by Dulli -- he not only wrote the lyrics, but also piano, bass, drums, and more. Dulli began working on the album in the "aftermath" of Afghan Whigs' last album In Spades after various members of the band began to focus on sideprojects. The result is an intriguing sounding record, described in the press release as follows:

"Random Desire​ is a clinic put on by a veteran master operating at the height of his powers, offering evidence of the hard-fought and weary wisdom learned from setbacks and victories alike. A lucid, confident and self-assured document of the songs of experience, the perils of existence, and the possibilities that offer themselves anew with each breath. Another death and rebirth from an outlaw who has seen it all and somehow lived to tell."

Dulli unleashed the first single from the record today. Stream "Pantomima" below and head here to view Random Desire pre-order options.

European dates in support of the album were announced today; U.S. dates will be announced shortly, so stay tuned.

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Bauhaus play final reunion show in Los Angeles

Bauhaus returned to the stage in Los Angeles last night for their third and final reunion show at the Hollywood Palladium. The legends delivered a 15 song set, returned for a three song encore, then returned once more to perform one final song -- their rarely performed cover of Brian Eno's "Third Uncle."

Watch some of the glorious action below courtesy of PIT FLIKS and lestrange.

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Classic Alternative - Episode #133: Drill

Classic Alternative - Episode #133: Drill

A two hour hosted mix of classics and cult classics from the heyday of Classic Alternative.

This week's show features music from The Dandy Warhols, Roxy Music, Felt, Pixies, Buzzcocks, The Clash, Primal Scream, The Cure, and more.

Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.

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The Cure issue 'Seventeen Seconds' 2020 calendar

The Cure's seminal post-punk masterpiece Seventeen Seconds turns 40 next year, and to mark the momentous occasion the band is issuing a limited edition 2020 calendar. The calendar includes "previously unseen photographs of the period" compiled by Robert Smith.

The limited edition calendar costs $15 dollars and is available to pre-order through The Cure's webstore. The calendar ships the week of December 13th.

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'Mystify: Michael Hutchence' U.S. screenings announced

Mystify, the feature length Michael Hutchence documentary premieres in theaters in the U.S. next month. The film screens for one night only January 7th at participating theaters including several in and around the Detroit area including Dearborn, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor, Macomb, Walled Lake, Livonia, and more. Head to Fathom Events to view the list of participating theaters.

Mystify features footage from Hutchence's private home movies, as well as video, insight, and  commentary from INXS bandmates, family, friends, and ex-girlfriends including Helena Christensen and Kylie Minogue.

The documentary is an intimate portrait on Hutchence and aims to delve beneath the public persona of the larger-than-life charismatic rockstar to reveal much more about the intriguing, mysterious, and sensual Hutchence.

Mystify was directed by Richard Lowenstein, the director behind many INXS music videos, and premiered in Australia in July. The film's soundtrack Mystify: A Musical Journey With Michael Hutchence features INXS hits, previously unreleased recordings, and spoken word/dialogue is available here. View the trailer for Mystify below:

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Mark Hollis tribute concert + Talk Talk videos resurface

A tribute concert honoring the legendary Mark Hollis of Talk Talk took place last night at Southbank Centre in London. The evening featured the music of Talk Talk performed by The Spirit Of Talk Talk, ex-Talk Talk members, and a number of guest vocalists including Mark Gardener and Andy Bell of Ride, and Tim Burgess of The Charlatans.

Read a review of the concert here and view fan filmed footage from the concert below.

Meanwhile several Talk Talk music videos reappeared on You Tube earlier this year after Hollis' death. The videos are super HIGH quality and appear to be from the band's official channel. Hollis wasn't exactly a fan of appearing in music videos, but it certainly is a treat for fans to view his brilliance on video. Enjoy a trip down memory lane here or down below.

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Morrissey announces new LP 'I Am Not A Dog On A Chain'

Morrissey returns with a new studio album I Am Not A Dog On A Chain via BMG in March. The follow up to California Son has been described by Morrissey as "the very best of me...too good to be true...too true to be considered good," and was recorded earlier this year in France. According to Morrissey Central, the 11 track album fulfills his contractual obligations with BMG. Considering some of the comments he's made publicly about the label in recent days, it is quite unlikely he would reup with BMG or that BMG would even make an offer at this point.

The first single from the album is titled "Bobby, Don't You Think They Know?" and features disco icon Thelma Davis. The single will be backed by a cover of The Love Affair's "Rainbow Valley."

View the tracklisting for I Am Not A Dog On A Chain below:

Additionally Morrissey revealed that BMG plan to reissue several titles from his solo catalog next year including Southpaw Grammar, Maladjusted, You Are The Quarry, Ringleader Of The Tormentors, Years Of Refusal, and Live At The Hollywood Bowl. The reissues feature remastered material plus updated artwork and sleeve notes. Official release dates have not yet been announced.

Morrissey - I Am Not A Dog On A Chain

Jim Jim Falls
Love Is On Its Way Out
Bobby, Don't You Think They Know?
I Am Not A Dog On A Chain
What Kind Of People Live In These Houses?
Knockabout World
Darling, I Hug A Pillow
Once I Saw The River Clean
The Truth About Ruth
The Secret Of Music
My Hurling Days Are Done

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The The 40th anniversary items back in stock + live release in the works

The The have been celebrating their 40th anniversary this year with commemorative merchandise. As the year winds down, several new items have just been added to the store, along with a few highly sought after items that have long been out of stock like posters and t-shirts with lyrics from The The classics including "This Is The Day," "Lonely Planet," and "The Beat(en) Generation." Check out all the merch here.

Additionally a new book Pedal Crush, which includes an interview/photo feature on Matt Johnson's guitar pedals was recently published. Authors Kim Bjørn and Scott Harper describe the book as a "definitive" guide on pedals and besides the feature on Johnson includes other in-depth artist interviews, rare pedals, and illustrated tips and tricks. Head here to check it out.

Meanwhile work has begun on a special release featuring material from last year's Comeback Special shows at London's Royal Albert Hall. No details have been released, however The The shared photographic evidence of progress on social media. Stay tuned.

#THETHE - all hands on deck in Studio Cineola as mixing of last year’s Royal Albert Hall Comeback Special concert gets underway. pic.twitter.com/CXrU92Ozz0

— THE THE (@thethe) November 25, 2019

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Classic Alternative - Episode #132: Unspoken Wisdom

Classic Alternative - Episode #132: Unspoken Wisdom

A two hour hosted mix of classics and cult classics from the heyday of Classic Alternative.

This week's show features music from The Replacements, Galaxie 500, Talk Talk, Magazine, Siouxsie And The Banshees, The Charlatans, R.E.M., Peter Murphy, and more.

Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.

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Noel Gallagher announces 'Blue Moon Rising' EP + debuts "Wandering Star"

Noel Gallagher and The High Flying Birds return with a new EP Blue Moon Rising on March 6th. The song "Wandering Star" from the EP was issued as a single earlier this month and now Gallagher has premiered the official video. The song isn't necessarily a Christmas song however Gallagher chose director Dan Cadan to create a Christmas-themed video to accompany the song. The seasonal sentiment from Gallagher is somewhat of a surprise considering he's revealed previously that he "hates Christmas." Watch the video and a live performance video of "Wandering Star" below.



Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds ditched the idea of the full length album format and instead have opted to issue a series of EPs. This year three EPs have been release -- This Is The Place arrived in September, Black Star Dancing in June, and Wait And Return in April.



Meanwhile Liam Gallagher is riding high with the release of his second solo album Why Me? Why Not which debuted in the U.K. at number one. Perhaps Liam's success is irking Noel, because in a recent video interview he appears ruffled and angry when speaking about Liam. Take it easy on the table, Noel.

Noel on Liam:

📸 Beats 1 pic.twitter.com/KGkCNUraC8

— I Hope|I Think|I Know 💙 (@HopeIThinkIKnow) November 20, 2019

Despite all of this, Liam is unfazed and retains a sense of humor.

I think he’s coming round to the idea not long now

— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) November 22, 2019

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NIN announce 'With Teeth' 2LP definitive edition

Nine Inch Nails announced details behind the definitive edition of 2005's With Teeth. The album was remastered earlier this year by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and according to Reznor "lots of details" were attended to that they care about but fans may "never notice." With Teeth has been pressed on heavyweight vinyl as part of NIN's ongoing vinyl reissue campaign which launched a few years ago.

Additionally NIN announced an expanded edition of Bird Box featuring "extended compositions and explorations" created during the Bird Box scoring sessions from Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross.

Head here to view the ordering options for both releases and view the unboxing video for the definitive version of With Teeth below:

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Close Lobsters announce new LP 'Post Neo Anti: Arte Povera In The Forest Of Symbols'

Close Lobsters return with a new full length album Post Neo Anti: Arte Povera In The Forest Of Symbols on February 28th. The Scottish band's third studio album includes 10 songs, a few of which have been previously released ("Now Time" and "New York City In Space" are from 2014's Kunstwerk In Spacetime EP; "Under London Skies" and "Wander Pt II" were issued in 2016 on Desire And Signs).

The album will be preceded by the single "All Compasses Go Wild" which is slated for a digital premiere/release November 29th.

Neo Anti: Arte Povera In The Forest Of Symbols will be released on vinyl (choose from standard black, limited edition transparent orange, or limited edition transparent grey vinyl), CD, and digital album download. Fans in North America can order physical copies directly from Shelflife to avoid overseas shipping charges. Head here to pre-order and view the tracklisting for the album below.

Tracklisting

01. All Compasses Go Wild
02. The Absent Guest (No Thing, No There)
03. Johnnie
04. Bird Free
05. Godless
06. Let The Days Drift Away
07. Now Time
08. New York City In Space
09. Under London Skies
10. Wander Pt. II

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Classic Alternative - Episode #131: Supersonic Exothermic Front

Classic Alternative - Episode #131: Supersonic Exothermic Front

A two hour hosted mix of classics and cult classics from the heyday of Classic Alternative.

This week's show features music from The Stranglers, The Stone Roses, Front 242, Slowdive, Ramones, Public Image Ltd, The Smiths, and more.

Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.

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'The Clash: London Calling' exhibit + 40th anniversary 'London Calling' scrapbook

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of London Calling by The Clash, a new exhibit opened this week at the Museum Of London. The Clash: London Calling celebrates the seminal 1979 album and features over 200 items and artifacts that influenced the writing and recording of the masterpiece. The exhibit includes Joe Strummer's notebooks and the typewriter he used to document song ideas, original drafts/sketches of artwork, and Paul Simonon's iconic broken Fender bass which he destroyed onstage in New York City in September of 1970 (the photo capturing Simonon's onstage frustration that night serves as the iconic cover art for London Calling).

The Clash: London Calling exhibit is free at The Museum Of London through April 19th. For more info on the exhibit head here.

Meanwhile Sony Music just issued a 40th anniversary edition of London Calling on 2LP, CD, and cassette. Also available is a 120 page hardback book which serves as a companion to the album, and collects previous unseen archive material, lyric notes, and a CD copy of London Calling. Head over to the official Clash website here to view order options.

London Calling from The Clash was released December 14th, 1979 and remains one of the most important, influential, and celebrated records of all time.

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Depeche Mode 'MODE' boxset release delayed; film 'Spirits In The Forest' screens worldwide this week

Depeche Mode issued a press statement informing fans that their career spanning boxset MODE has been pushed back to January due to production issues. Read the statement below:

"Upon reviewing the first MODE boxes coming off the production line, we've identified a handful of places where the box is not up to our standards based on the prototypes that were approved, and we're insisting that these issues are fixed before any boxes go to retailers or to fans. Our top priority is to ensure that the quality of the box, artwork, and printing match what was designed and intended.

These issues have been resolved but the MODE box set will now be released on Jan 24th."

Meanwhile, Depeche Mode's new feature length film Spirits In The Forest screens worldwide this Thursday, November 21st at participating theaters. The film, directed by Anton Corbijn, is a concert film with live performances from the final shows on the Global Spirit tour plus includes a look into Depeche Mode fandom around the world. Head here to view a list of participating theaters.

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Rachel Goswell curates online music auction featuring shoegaze + classic alternative items

Rachel Goswell of Slowdive has curated an online music auction to benefit The Deaf Academy. The auction features over 90 rare and unique items donated by shoegaze and classic alternative bands including Slowdive, Cocteau Twins, The Fall, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, Ride, Chapterhouse, The Mission, Peter Hook, The Cult, The Specials and many more.

Items from this impressive collection were donated by musicians, artist, and record labels and include autographed set lists, lyric sheets, musical equipment, vintage art prints, and more. One of the rarities is an autographed 12" copy of The Cult's "She Sells Sanctuary" with Ian Astbury's handwritten lyrics which he donated from his personal archive.

The auction is going on now through November 24th. View and bid on items here.

Read more about the auction and The Deaf Academy here.

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The House Of Love reissue debut single "Shine On"

The House Of Love's brilliant and timeless debut single "Shine On" is being reissued as a limited edition 7" on November 29th. The single was originally released in 1987 and despite its brilliance failed to impact the music charts. A new version was later recorded and issued on the band's second album The House Of Love (aka The Butterfly Album) in 1990; by that point The House Of Love had established themselves as a successful band and the re-recorded version turned out to be one of the band's biggest hits.

The original 1987 version has never been reissued/repressed until now and will be backed by the tracks that appeared on the original 12" ("Love" and "Flow"). The single, which is part of the Optic Seven 2.0 reissue series, has been pressed on colored vinyl and is limited to 1000 copies. Pre-order here.

"Shine On" (1987)



"Shine On" (1990)

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Classic Alternative - Episode #130: Escalations

Classic Alternative - Episode #130: Escalations

A two hour hosted mix of classics and cult classics from the heyday of Classic Alternative.

This week's show features music from The Stooges, The Verve, Ministry, Bauhaus, R.E.M., Siouxsie And The Banshees, New Order, and more.

Stream below or here and catch up with the archive of previous episodes here or here.

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