Wayne Hussey of The Mission today delivered an early holiday gift to fans in the form of a free download of his new recording of the classic “White Christmas,” writing, “I do hope you receive it in the spirit in which it is given and I hope it may raise a smile to your lips along with a glass of red.”

The Godfathers announced this weekend that they will release the long-in-the-works ‘Jukebox Fury’ — the reunited rockers’ first new album in 18 years — in late February or early March to coincide with the band’s upcoming support slot on a month-long, 22-date U.K. tour with The Stranglers.

Since we last checked in with former Orange Juice frontman Edwyn Collins, his follow-up to 2010′s acclaimed Losing Sleep has been bumped from January to late March, but that’s OK, since we can at least get a taste of the upcoming ‘Understated’ LP via the track “Too Bad (That’s Sad),” which debuted at The Quietus.

Not a lot of action on the new-release front as we approach the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, but this week does see the release of a new Paul Weller vinyl EP collecting some of the ‘Sonik Kicks’ B-sides, plus a 2CD U.S. release of the recent ‘The Pogues in Paris’ live album

Tonight’s edition of “Dark Wave” — the Sunday night “darker side of alternative” show on Sirius XM’s 1st Wave — featured The Sisters of Mercy, The Jazz Butcher, A Certain Ratio and Tones on Tail, plus holiday songs from Al Jourgensen, Throwing Muses, Cocteau Twins and more.

Welcome to the Week in Rock, where we round up all of the headlines posted on this site over the past week. This edition includes items on XTC, The House of Love, Peter Murphy, The B-52’s, Thurston Moore, Killing Joke, The Feelies, Depeche Mode, OMD, Michael Stipe, Robert Smith, The Primitives and more.

For this week’s “120 Minutes” Rewind, we present what appears to be a standalone special of some sort looking back on the career of Peter Murphy — or “Pete” Murphy, as he’s repeatedly ID’d on screen —following the release of ‘Deep.’ Uploader Darkresource lists this as a “120 Minutes” special that aired on May 18, 1990,

Saying “my barnstorming days have come to an end,” Keith Strickland — a founding member of The B-52’s who switched from drums to guitar following the 1985 death of Ricky Wilson — today announced that he’ll no longer tour with the 35-year-old Athens, Ga., party band, although he’ll remain a member.

The brand-new album from The House of Love will be titled ‘She Paints Words in Red’ and is expected to be released in March or April on Cherry Red Records, according to an announcement today on the band’s Facebook page that also revealed the cover art for the group’s second post-reunion effort.

Sonic Youth is no stranger to guitar thefts, and Thurston Moore has been victimized again. He reports via the band’s Facebook page that his “iconic” circa-1966, decal-encrusted black Fender Jazzmaster was stolen from a Best Western hotel at 501 N. 22nd St. in Philadelphia around midnight last night, 12/12/12.

R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe made a pair of high-profile public appearances last night, first popping up on “The Colbert Report.” to sing the Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas” with Stephen Colbert and Mandy Patinkin, then joining Coldplay’s Chris Martin to perform “Losing My Religion” at 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief.

Paul McCartney closed out Wednesday night’s marathon 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief and had a few special guests up his sleeve: the surviving members of Nirvana, who reunited to back McCartney not on one of Kurt Cobain’s songs or a Beatles classic, but, rather, a sludgy new rocker called “Cut Me Some Slack.”

We interrupt our regular programming to present what promises to be a historic musical event, 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief, featuring performances tonight from The Rolling Stones, The Who, Bruce Springsteen and, reportedly Paul McCartney fronting the surviving members of Nirvana.