Echo & The Bunnymen have collected their Peel Sessions recordings from 1979 through 1983 and will be releasing them in the U.K. on September 6th. The session tracks were recorded for The John Peel Show on BBC Radio 1 and have been released on a limited basis over the years. This is the first time to collect all of the Peel Sessions from the golden formative era of The Bunnymen.
The John Peel Sessions 1979 - 1983 has been pressed on limited edition red vinyl and standard black vinyl (both vinyl editions include 2LPs); the collection will also be released on CD and as a digital album download. So far there is no news of a North American release but fans can pre-order copies on import through Rhino or Amazon U.K.
Will Sergeant:
"Without John Peel sessions, Echo And The Bunnymen in my opinion, would not exist! It’s that simple. The band got so much support from him and John Walters (Peel’s producer). Recording a Peel session was essential to the development of our songwriting skills while at the same time giving us amazing exposure and self-belief."
LP 1
01. Read It In Books
02. Stars Are Stars
03. I Bagsy Yours
04. Villiers Terrace
05. The Pictures On My Wall
06. All That Jazz
01. Over The Wall
02. All My Colours
03. That Golden Smile
04. Heaven Up Here
05. Turquoise Days
LP 2
01. Taking Advantage
02. An Equation
03. No Hands
04. Silver
05. Seven Seas
01. The Killing Moon
02. Nocturnal Me
03. Watch Out Below
04. Ocean Rain
05. My Kingdom
Midge Ure has announced plans to release a career-spanning set. Soundtrack 1978 - 2019 includes tracks from Ultravox, Ure's solo catalog, collaborations, and a few previously unreleased tracks. The 2CD/1DVD set includes 32 songs in all (many are 7" versions) spread over two audio discs and a DVD with promo videos, audio commentary, biography and more. Ure has also announced a limited edition clear vinyl collection titled Soundtrack: The Singles 1980 - 1988. which features 10 singles. Both the CD/DVD + LP releases arrive September 20th and can be pre-ordered here.
Earlier this month Peter Hook teamed up with the Manchester Camerata Orchestra for the critically acclaimed production Joy Division Orchestrated. Next week, Hook takes the production to Australia where he'll perform Joy Division classics backed by the Metropolitan Orchestra. In advance of the five date stand Hook has debuted a short documentary on how the Joy Division Orchestrated production came together. View the film below:
Peter Hook & The Light return to North America this fall to perform Technique and Republic in full. View the tour itinerary below.
Peter Hook - Technique/Republic tour
Oct 24 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Oct 25 -- Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
Oct 26 -- Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Oct 28 -- Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
Oct 29 -- Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount
Oct 31 -- Detroit, MI @ St Andrew's Hall
Nov 01 -- Chicago, IL @ Metro
Nov 02 -- Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Nov 04 -- Vancouver, BC @ Venue
Nov 05 -- Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre
Nov 07 -- Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Nov 08 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Nov 09 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
Nov 11 -- Austin, TX @ Emo's
Nov 12 -- Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
Fad Gadget's debut single "Back To Nature" was released 40 years ago this year, and Mute Records announced today they'll be celebrating the occasion with a few Fad Gadget releases over the next year. [Fad Gadget was the first band signed to Mute; "Back To Nature" was the second release on the label.]
The collection The Best Of Fad Gadget receives its first vinyl release through Mute on September 6th. The 2LP set will be pressed on silver vinyl and features the identical 18 tracks as the 2001 CD release. Frank Tovey hand selected the tracks for the compilation which doubled as a greatest hits set for established fans, and served as an introduction to his work for new fans (the collection was released prior to Tovey joining the European leg of Depeche Mode's Exciter tour in 2001). The Best Of Fad Gadget arrives on vinyl September 6th and is available to pre-order here.
Along with the greatest hits announcement, Mute also revealed a Fad Gadget box set will be released in 2020 that has the full support and cooperation of Tovey's family (Tovey died tragically in 2002). The set is in the works and details will be announced closer to the release.
Legendary Manchester electronic wizards 808 State have announced the release of their seventh studio album and their first since 2002. The album follows the release of their recent EP Initial Granada Report which arrived earlier this month.
Transmission Suite was recorded in the former building occupied by Granada studios; the recording space they used hadn't been cleared out for decades and had retro-fab equipment like a teleprinter, boxes of floppy disks, teletext equipment, and more. The atmosphere gave the record a bit of a throwback (and perhaps haunted) feel, but overall the album features both elements that harken back to 808's electronic roots yet continues down the road of futuristic innovation.
808 State are still very connected to Manchester's scene, but they still continue to spread the love for Detroit techno which has seeped into their sound since the beginning. According to Graham Massey:
"That resonance with Detroit when we heard that music, was almost like the birth of 808 State...when I first heard Detroit techno, it really resonated with the music I love, having grown up with Radiophonic music, and stuff like that: there was a very evident futurism."
808 State's Transmission Suite features 15 tracks, including twe previously released tracks from Initial Granada Report ("Tokyo Tokyo" and "Ujala"). The album will be released as a double LP, 6 panel CD digi file, and digital album download. Head here to view pre-order/bundle options.
The 2019 mix of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" has premiered. The new mix was created earlier this year by Tony Visconti and was released earlier this month to mark the 50th anniversary of the iconic single.
The official video premiered yesterday as part of the Apollo 11 festivities marking the man on the moon landing and includes footage of Bowie performing the track at his 50th birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden and from the Sound + Vision tour.
The third episode in the Joy Division: Transmissions series has premiered. The piece features Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner, and Stephen Morris discussing the sound and production of Unknown Pleasures. All three members give major props to genius Martin Hannett for taking their music to the next level, despite being disappointed with his mixes at the time.
The Replacements have announced the release of their very first box set Dead Man's Pop. The 4CD/1LP collection revolves around the band's 1989 album Don't Tell A Soul -- the 60 track collection includes a new "originally intended" mix of Don't Tell A Soul, a collection of unreleased recordings including a previously unreleased recording session with Tom Waits, plus a full concert captured live in Milwaukee on June 2nd, 1989.
The Replacements have been unhappy with the released version of Don't Tell A Soul for thirty years and recently enlisted original producer Matt Wallace to complete/restore the original intended mix of the album. The new mix titled Don't Tell A Soul Redux is based on Wallace's 1988 Paisley Park mix (Wallace obtained the original mix tapes) and includes original drum tracks, vocal takes, and other elements altered/lost in post-production.
Producer Matt Wallace:
"The true spirit of The Replacements was always there on the recordings we did back in 1988, and now you can hear and feel it clearly…This was the project of a lifetime for me when we recorded it 30-plus years ago, and it’s even truer today as we’ve finally fulfilled our original vision."
The 4CD/1LP box Dead Man's Pop arrives September 27th. Pre-order the limited edition bundle with bonus cassette (features 2 bonus previously unreleased tracks) here.
Iggy Pop announced he'll release a new solo album titled Free on September 6th. The follow up to 2016's Post Pop Depression has been described as "uniquely somber and contemplative" while Pop himself reveals:
"This is an album in which other artists speak for me, but I lend my voice."
Free includes 10 tracks, the first of which premiered this week. The song, which serves as the title track to the album is probably not what you would have expected from Iggy, and that's what makes it even more intriguing.
Stream "Free" below and head here to pre-order the full album.
The Cure's feature concert film Anniversary 1978 - 2018 Live In Hyde Park London will be screened in theaters worldwide tomorrow, July 11th.
The film's director Tim Pope, who not only directed most of the Cure's iconic music videos but also The Cure's first concert film The Cure In Orange, was profiled today in The Quietus. The feature includes commentary about the anniversary film as well as a listing of Pope's favorite Cure videos.
Pope also had a few words on the Cure documentary that Robert Smith announced almost two years ago. The documentary, according to NME'srecent feature on The Cure, is on the back burner for now but Pope gave a little more insight into the project:
"What you have to understand with Robert Smith is you go into Robert time and that doesn't necessarily relate to other time spans in the universe, if you like. And that's fair enough. Why should he do anything? He doesn't have to do anything. We decided to put out information because he was getting fed up and I was getting fed up with people writing to me every fifteen minutes, asking whether they could do this Cure documentary. It's very obvious that I'm going to do it! To be a fan, to actually see this footage at that moment before he becomes who he was, it's amazing. So really, Robert is going to give me access to fifty boxes of film, of stuff, right from the get-go, which is amazing. And we're going to pool all the resources together. That's all great. When it's going to happen, no idea. That's the bad news."
The highly anticipated concert film The Cure - Anniversary 1978 - 2018 Live In Hyde Park London has been described as "enchanting" and a must see for Cure fans. Head here to view the list of participating theaters.
Detroit area screenings
Jul 11 -- Sterling Heights, MI @ AMC Forum
Jul 11 -- Windsor, ON @ Silvercity Windsor Cinemas
British designer Paul Smith has created a 50th anniversary edition of David Bowie's landmark album Space Oddity. The multi-colored vinyl edition features the front cover artwork from the original 1969 release and the back cover is an illustration titled "The Depth of a Circle" created by George Underwood.
The vinyl itself is hand-designed blue and yellow splatter, making each copy unique.
The 50th anniversary edition of Space Oddity is limited to 3000 copies worldwide and will be released tomorrow, July 11th, to mark the 50th anniversary of Space Oddity.
The special edition release will be available exclusively through Paul Smith shops and the official Paul Smith webstore.
Meanwhile, as previously reported, a Space Oddity vinyl boxset will be released Friday, July 12th featuring the original mono single version of "Space Oddity" and a new 2019 mix by Tony Visconti.
The Cure's 40th anniversary concert film will screen this Thursday, July 11th at participating theaters worldwide. In advance of the screening, NME published a new interview with the legendary Robert Smith. As always, Smith provided many entertaining nuggets of information in the feature.
The bad news: Smith revealed the 40th anniversary documentary on The Cure that was to feature previously unseen archival footage and narration by Smith that he had hoped to create with director Tim Pope is on the back burner. From the article: "After they found that the format didn’t hold together, they decided to just focus on the London gig. The original idea has not been totally shelved, but won’t be revisited just yet."
Smith also gave an update on The Cure's still unreleased 14th studio album that he hopes will be released in 2019:
"...it's changing. It's a work in progress." "We did about 17 songs and almost all of them were really downbeat and heavy. There were a handful of others, and I really shouldn’t say this because you’ll go ‘oh no’, but in my head I wanted to do two albums – one after another. One was gonna be upbeat and the other downbeat, but the upbeat one I’m not so sure about now." "Although the concept of what it’s going to be hasn’t really changed, I may have to change some bits of it. It’s kind of pushed me back a little bit because I thought I’d be in the mixing stage by the time we’d finished the festivals, but in fact we’re going to go back and re-record about three or four songs around the time we go and play Glasgow in August. I feel intent on it being a 2019 release and would be extremely bitter if it isn’t. At some point I will have to say ‘this is it’, otherwise we’ll just keep recording like we have done in the past. It never gets any better. We’re due one more session then we’re done."
Probably not a good idea to bet the house on a new Cure record in 2019, but you never know. As they say, stay tuned.
The Cure return to North America in August for the Pasadena Daydream Festival and again in October to headline both weekends at Austin City Limits. Details on those shows are posted here.
Don't miss The Cure Anniversary 1979 - 2018 Live In Hyde Park London on the big screen on July 11th. Head here for a list of screenings/participating theaters.
David Bowie's classic single "Space Oddity" turns 50 years old this week. The single was originally issued July 11th, 1969, only five days before the launch of Apollo 11.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the man on the moon landing and Bowie's iconic single, NASA is holding a special event on July 20th at Kennedy Space Center. During the festivities a brand new "Space Oddity" video featuring archival performance footage of Bowie will be unveiled. The video includes footage of Bowie performing the classic track at his Madison Square Garden 50th birthday party in 1997 as well as footage from the 1990 Sound and Vision tour. The video will also be available to view on You Tube shortly after the NASA premiere on July 20.
Additionally, a Space Oddity double 7" vinyl boxset will be released this Friday, July 12th. The boxset includes two singles -- the original single version of "Space Oddity" plus the 2019 version newly mixed by Tony Visconti. The singles will be backed with the b-side "Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud" (original and new mix, again by Tony Visconti).
View the tracklisting for the boxset below.
Space Oddity double 7" vinyl boxset
Single 1
Side A
Space Oddity (Original Mono Single Edit)
Side B
Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud (Original Mono Single Version) Single 2
Side A
Space Oddity (2019 Mix - Single Edit)
Side B
Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud (2019 Mix - Single Version)
On Friday night Peter Hook performed a set of Joy Division songs backed by the Manchester Camerata Orchestra. Hooky curated the event and served as executive producer with Tim Crooks onboard as musical director.
Hook previously worked with Manchester Camerata for a series of Hacienda Classical performances over the last few years. The Joy Division Orchestrated event at Royal Albert Hall presented orchestral workings of Joy Division classics with guest vocalists to "pay homage to the band and the spirit which defines their heritage" with "a state-of-the-art concert setting and highest standards of production."
The production received rave reviews from critics and fans alike. Fan filmed video from Joy Division Orchestrated is available to view below:
Hooky’s gig with @MancCamerata at the @RoyalAlbertHall tonight was great. Very moving in parts too. Really enjoyed the orchestral interpretations of many of the songs - & loved the title song from Clockwork Orange (one of Ian’s favourite films) @peterhookpic.twitter.com/n3TqdNNJ96
Matt Talbot of Hum will be hitting the road this fall on another living room tour where he'll perform solo material and more. Talbot is still looking for spaces to host some of the dates on the tour. From the official announcement:
"We’re looking for people to host Matt Talbott (from HUM) Living Room Shows in September and October. Do you have big living room, loft space, community space, art gallery, yoga studio, recording studio, coffee shop or other space where we can do a private show that can comfortably and safely host 40-60 people? If so, please read everything below and get in touch if you live in or near these areas and want to host. Matt would love to play a show at your place!"
Those interested in hosting a living room show should head here or here for more info.
Matt Talbot - living room tour
Sep 25 - Madison, WI
Sep 26 - Minneapolis, MN
Sep 27 - Sioux Falls, SD
Sep 29 - Rapid City, SD
Oct 01 - Victor, ID
Oct 02 - Missoula, MT
Oct 03 - Walla Walla / Spokane, WA
Oct 04 - Seattle, WA
Oct 05 - Portland, OR
Oct 06 - Portland, OR
Oct 08 - Reno, NV
Oct 09 - Oakland, CA
Oct 10 - San Francisco, CA
Oct 11 - Los Angeles, CA
Oct 12 - San Diego, CA
Oct 13 - Las Vegas, NV
Oct 16 - Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 17 - Grand Junction, CO
Oct 18 - Fort Collins / Boulder, CO
Oct 19 - Denver, CO
Oct 21 - Lawrence, KS
Oct 22 - Lincoln, NE
Oct 23 - Omaha NE
Oct 24 - Des Moines, IA
Oct 25 - Chicago, IL
Oct 26 - Champaign, IL
Today Joy Division premiered the second video in their Transmissions docu-series. This video features the band discussing the iconic Unknown Pleasures cover art, Bernard Sumner's infatuation with the classic sci-fi film 2001, and the band's distaste for promotional t-shirts (and promotion in general).
The Cult celebrate the 30th anniversary of Sonic Temple with three expanded anniversary editions. The 1989 release, which has been out of print on vinyl for 20 years will be available on black double vinyl and will include original material and b-sides. Also available: a 5 CD set featuring 53 tracks (6 previously unreleased tracks) with original material, b-sides, demos, alternate edits/mixes, acoustic and live material; and a limited edition 3LP vinyl box set with 40 tracks, bonus cassette, tour memorabilia and more.
The Sonic Temple 30th anniversary editions arrive on September 13th and are available to pre-order here.
View the tracklisting for the 5 CD edition of Sonic Temple and teaser/trailers below:
Disc 1
01 Sun King
02 Fire Woman
03 American Horse
04 Edie (Ciao Baby)
05 Sweet Soul Sister
06 Soul Asylum
07 New York City
08 Automatic Blues
09 Soldier Blue
10 Wake Up Time For Freedom
Disc 2
01 Sonic Temple Radio Promo
02 Fire Woman (Edit)
03 Messin' Up The Blues (from the Fire Woman single)
04 Medicine Train (From the Edie (Ciao Baby) single)
05 Fire Woman (NYC Rock Mix) (from the Fire Woman CD EP)
06 Edie (Ciao Baby) (Edit)
07 Bleeding Heart Graffiti (from the Edie (Ciao Baby) CD EP)
08 Sun King (Edit)
09 Sweet Soul Sister (Edit)
10 The River (From the Sweet Soul Sister single)
11 Soldier Blue (Werman Extended Version)
12 Fire Woman (LA Rock Mix)
13 Sweet Soul Sister (Rock's Mix)
14 Edie (Ciao Baby) (Acoustic) (From The Heart Of Soul CD single)
Disc 3
01 Medicine Train (demo)
02 New York City (demo)
03 American Horse (demo)
04 Sun King (demo)
05 Automatic Blues (demo)
06 Yes Man (demo)
07 Fire (demo)
08 Wake Up Time For Freedom (demo)
09 Citadel (demo)
10 The River (demo)
Disc 4
01 The Crystal Ocean (demo)
02 Cashmere (demo)
03 Edie (Ciao Baby) (demo)
04 Bleeding Hearts Revival
05 My Love (demo)
06 Star Child (demo)
07 Medicine Train (Rock Demo)
08 New York City (Rock Demo)
09 Fire (rock Demo)
10 Spanish Gold (jam Demo)
Disc 5
01 New York City (live) *previously unreleased
02 Automatic Blues (live) *previously unreleased
03 American Horse (live) (from the Sweet Soul Sister single)
04 Sun King (live) *previously unreleased
05 Soul Asylum (live) (from the Sweet Soul Sister single)
06 Rain (live) *previously unreleased
07 Sweet Soul Sister (live) (from the Sweet Soul Sister single)
08 She Sells Sanctuary (live) *previously unreleased
09 Fire Woman (live) *previously unreleased
Morrissey premiered the video for his cover of Melanie Safka's 1971 original "Some Say I Got Devil." View the official video below.
Morrissey's version of "Some Say I Got Devil" is the stunning album closer on his new covers album California Son which was released in May.
Morrissey -- North American tour
Sep 05 -- Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
Sep 07 -- Queens, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium
Sep 09 -- Camden, NJ @ BB & T Pavilion
Sep 11 -- Kettering, OH @ Fraze Pavilion
Sep 13 -- Rochester Hills, MI @ Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
Sep 14 -- Highland Park, IL @ Ravinia Festival
Sep 18 -- Grand Prairie, TX @ Verizon Theatre
Sep 20 -- Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
Sep 21 -- Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall - Outside
Sep 26 -- Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom
Sep 28 -- Salt Lake City, UT @ Saltair
Sep 30 -- Portland, OR @ Theatre Of The Clouds
Oct 01 -- Seattle, WA @ WAMU Theatre
Oct 03 -- San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Oct 05 -- Irvine, CA @ Five Point Amphitheatre
Oct 06 -- San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena
Oct 10 -- Edmonton, AB @ Northern Alberta
Oct 11 -- Calgary, AB @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
Oct 14 -- Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theatre
Oct 15 -- Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum Theatre
Oct 21 -- Winnipeg, MB @ Centennial Concert Hall
Ride return with their sixth studio album This Is Not A Safe Place next month. They previously issued "Future Love" from the album in April and now they've followed up the single with another song off the record titled "Repetition." The track, which is a big-time musical departure for the legendary shoegaze band, is available to stream below.
This Is Not A Safe Place arrives on August 16th and is available to pre-order here.
Ride -- North American tour
Sep 16 -- Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew's Hall
Sep 17 -- Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
Sep 18 -- Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount
Sep 20 -- Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
Sep 21 -- Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
Sep 22 -- Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Sep 24 -- Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Sep 26 -- Nashville, TN @ EXIT/IN
Sep 27 -- Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle
Sep 28 -- Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
Sep 29 -- Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
Oct 01 -- Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
Oct 02 -- Dallas, TX @ Trees
Oct 04 -- Boulder, CO @ Boulder Theater
Oct 07 -- Vancouver, BC @ Venue
Oct 08 -- Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
Oct 09 -- Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Oct 11 -- San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
Oct 14 -- Los Angeles, CA @ The Teragram Ballroom
Oct 15 -- San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues San Diego
Oct 16 -- Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
In less than two weeks, New Order release the live album ∑(No,12k,Lg,17Mif) New Order + Liam Gillick: So it goes.. (Live at MIF) which was captured during their wall of synth shows at the Manchester International Festival in 2017. The previously issued "Sub-Culture" from the release and now they've unveiled the live version of the Power, Corruption & Lies classic "Ultraviolence." Stream below.
∑(No,12k,Lg,17Mif) New Order + Liam Gillick: So it goes.. (Live at MIF) arrives July 12th on limited edition triple colored vinyl, double CD, and digital album download. Head here for all the pre-order options.
New Order - ∑(No,12k,Lg,17Mif) New Order + Liam Gillick: So it goes.. (Live at MIF)
01. Times Change
02. Who's Joe
03. Dream Attack
04. Disorder
05. Ultraviolence
06. In A Lonely Place
07. All Day Long
08. Shellshock
09. Guilt Is A Useless Emotion
10. Subculture
11. Bizarre Love Triangle
12. Vanishing Point
13. Plastic
14. Your Silent Face
15. Decades
16. Elegia
17. Heart & Soul
18. Behind Closed Doors
