For a band that broke big back in 1988 with a cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Sweet Jane,” it’s fitting that the Cowboy Junkies and their label Latent Recordings are treating fans to a monthly series of free downloads of interpretations of some of their favorite songs.
Ian Allen, a key member of Bay Area culture-jammers Negativland from 1981 to 1987, died on Saturday from what the band is calling “unexpected complications and infections” following a heart-valve replacement surgery at Stanford Hospital in California, according to an announcement this morning on the group’s Facebook page.
The three original studio albums from the legendary 2-Tone ska act The Specials — 1979’s The Specials, 1980’s More Specials and 1984’s In the Studio — will be reissued this March in expanded 2CD sets featuring non-album singles, live material, instrumentals and Peel sessions.
Exploring the legacy of ’80s college rock, the Slicing Up Eyeballs Music Hour airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Pacific on Strangeways Radio. If you caught this week’s episode, pop over to the Strangeways message board to leave requests for future shows.
Sure, he’s got that Ride reunion to deal with, but that’s not the only thing on Mark Gardener’s plate these days: The frontman for the reunited shoegaze legends announced that his long-in-the-works album with Cocteau Twins guitarist Robin Guthrie is titled Universal Road and finally will see the light of day this March.
The resurgent Throwing Muses last year played a few handfuls of U.S. dates to support their new double album Purgatory/Paradise, and Seattle radio station KEXP continues to show Kristin Hersh and Co. love by following up last year’s in-studio session with this just-posted footage from the band’s June 1 show at the Triple Door.
This week’s new releases include a brand-new studio album from Mike Scott and The Waterboys, plus expanded CD reissues of Jellyfish’s two studio albums, as well as vinyl reissues of classic albums from the Pixies (‘Doolittle’), Rollins Band (‘Weight’) and Information Society (‘Information Society’).
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 