Sebadoh today announced plans to release its first new album in 14 years this September, a record titled Defend Yourself that follows up last year’s comeback Secret EP and that new label Joyful Noise Recordings claims “marks a return to the self-recorded DIY ethos of early Sebadoh albums (Bakesale, Sebadoh III).”
As we noted over the weekend, the former members of R.E.M. seemed to go out of their way to avoid staging a full reunion Saturday night at Peter Buck’s wedding in Portland, Ore., as all four ex-bandmates took the stage to perform at the Wonder Ballroom at one point or another — just never all at once.
With a handful of U.K. concert appearances coming up this month, Johnny Marr stopped by BBC Two’s “Later… With Jools Holland” this week, with the program airing a pair of tunes (“The Right Thing Right” off The Messenger and The Smiths’ “Bigmouth Strikes Again”).
Thirty years ago tonight, U2 braved a cold Colorado rainstorm to perform at the fabled Red Rocks Amphitheatre just west of Denver, a concert on the band’s War tour that was filmed and released on video as “Under a Blood Red Sky,” cementing Bono and Co.’s reputation as live act.
New Pornographers’ A.C. Newman, Ted Leo, Will Sheff of Okkervil River, Doug Gillard of Guided By Voices and Nada Surf, The Wrens’ Charles Bissell and more are slated to perform in New York City later this month as part of a tribute to Scott Miller of ’80s college-rock act Game Theory and later, who died in April.
Tonight’s Slicing Up Eyeballs Music Hour featured new music from the Pet Shop Boys, plus old favorites by Marc Almond, The Call, King Missile, Squeeze, Microdisney, Adam and the Ants, New Order, Lords of the New Church, Husker Du and more. Replay at 2 p.m. EDT Friday on Strangeways Radio.
The second round of 5 Albums box sets from Beggars Archive — promoted as “the last chance to present (these) albums as physical releases in the foreseeable future” — will collect full albums, live recordings and assorted bonus tracks from The Fall, The Icicle Works and Buffalo Tom, and should be out by July.
Q&A: Daniel Ash on Love and Rockets’ reunion, his new band — and figuring out how to play “So Alive” 
Q&A: Chris Frantz talks Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club and new book ‘Remain in Love’ 
Q&A: Steve Wynn on The Dream Syndicate’s first new album in nearly 30 years 
Q&A: Bauhaus’ David J on his ‘accidental’ concept album ‘Not Long For This World’ 
Q&A: Peter Murphy on ‘Ninth,’ Bauhaus’ break-up, reuniting Dalis Car 
Q&A: Joey Santiago on Pixies’ ‘Doolittle’ tour, possible ‘Surfer Rosa’ shows, new album talk 
Q&A: Prefab Sprout’s Paddy McAloon on new album, changing the world with music 
Q&A: Peter Hook talks ‘Unknown Pleasures’ tour, re-recording Joy Division 